Meat + Poultry - February 2010 - 45

Introduction

Classically in vogue
Hot dogs, sausages forever withstand the test of time
BY JANET RILEY
meatpoultry@sosland.com

was struck recently by the postmortem commentary about fashion
at the Golden Globes. There seems to
be a fine line between retro chic and ridiculously edgy. Those who recklessly
plow new ground face ridicule. Those
who embrace an updated Marlene Dietrich dress fare well with the critics.
And there's a lesson in here for our industry. Classics become classics for a
reason: they are based upon good taste.
So, why bring up
Marlene Dietrich in a column
about hot dogs
and sausages?
Because she's
the starlet who told
America that hot dogs and
champagne were among her favorite meals. Like Marlene, hot dogs
and sausages are classically in vogue.
And like Marlene's look, they are confident and bold, sans flash.
The magazine moniker "Links"
captures the category's simplicity well
and hints at a forum to connect the industry to one another, to information
and to opportunities that will help it remain a mainstay of the American table.
The magazine's "stars" provide a
simple formula that is periodically accessorized with a new flavor profi le,
a new package, a unique topping or a
clever recipe. Like hemlines, the sales
trend line for hot dogs and sausages
made rise and fall in cyclical fashion,
but they keep coming back, reinvented
and more chic than ever before.
Behind these iconic foods is an industry of processors and suppliers that
have managed to improve and innovate time after time and these pages
will offer some well-deserved coverage of the challenges and successes.

And there are many successes to
celebrate right now. Hot dogs and sausages are showing strong sales performance, fueled by a tight economy. Bologna - considered by some to be the
most staid sausage in the category -
has undergone a dramatic resurgence.
Not only do these products offer good
taste and high value, they also offer
comfort and a sense of stability in a
time of uncertainty.
Over the years, I've been asked repeatedly about why hot dogs and sausages are such a mainstay of the American table. There's a fundamental food
rule in play here: they taste good...really
good. But beyond that, they fit our increasing desire for ease of preparation.
Just as we like hand-held, one-touch
operations for our technology, we frequently seek the same ease in our foods.
I have a theory, though. When people talk about hot dogs and sausages,
they smile. They speak affectionately
about the ones they grew up with, much
like the hometown ball team that is always the favorite. Hot dogs and sausages are strongly associated with memories - family picnics, sporting events
and backyard barbecues. They have a
strong local flavor and style that seem to
work their way into the taste buds of local citizens. At the National Hot Dog &
Sausage Council, we find ourselves acting as detectives, hunting down sources
for retirees in Florida who can no longer
find their favorites. Recognizing that
this category is more than just "food"
to Americans, we choose to celebrate
their cultural significance.
It's not all a picnic, though. Critics
increasingly seek to demonize anything
"processed" and tell consumers that
processing products reduces - rather
than enhances - their taste and nutri-

tional value. "Eat food from plants.
Don't eat foods made in plants," chirps
one prominent foodie. The prevalence
of this message stands at odds with the
time-tested success of the category.
Still, it's painful to consider what the category
could be without this
negative drumbeat.
Now, a magazine is
devoting itself to covering
the products and the companies that fuel this sector
of the meat and poultry
Riley
business. Links' launch is
timely as a forum to both celebrate the
products and the people behind them
and to examine the critical issues from
within and without our industry. From
lawsuits by animal rights groups to initiatives aimed at dramatically reducing

"Hot dogs and sausages
are showing strong sales
performance, fueled by
a tight economy."
sodium levels in our products to ceaseless innovation, there is much to cover.
The National Hot Dog & Sausage
Council offers congratulations and
best wishes to Links publishers and
editors. This new forum will help the
industry ensure that the classics are
always as safe, nutritious and tasteful
as they can be. Just as so many critics
gave Marlene, I give the new magazine
concept two thumbs up. ■
Janet Riley (a.k.a. "The Queen of Wien") is senior
vice president, public affairs and professional
development for the American Meat Institute and
serves as president of the association's National
Hot Dog & Sausage Council.
We would like to hear from you - to comment
on this story or to request reprints, contact us
by e-mail at meatpoultry@sosland.com.

www.MeatPoultry.com * February 2010 * Meat&Poultry * 45

http://www.MeatPoultry.com

Meat + Poultry - February 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Meat + Poultry - February 2010