Courts, Media

Are There Any Wieners When Two Top Dogs Take Beef To Court?

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

Sara Lee Corp., maker of Ball Park franks, and Kraft Foods Inc., maker of Oscar Mayer wieners, are in a Chicago federal court. Sara Lee sued Kraft Foods over the latter’s claim that their hot dogs won a national taste test and are “100% pure beef.” Kraft Foods countersued over Sara Lee’s claim of an “all beef” hot dog and misrepresenting of a culinary award as “America’s best” hot dog.

At stake is the $1.76 billion hot dog market dominated by brands Oscar Mayer with 20% of the market, and Ball Park with 22.5% of the market.

It is highly unusual for an advertising battle to result in a lawsuit, much less go to trial. Expensive marketing campaigns may have to be dismantled and product packaging may have to be revised.

I’m not sure how much these advertising campaigns actually affect sales. These companies seem to be putting on the dog with regard to their wieners. It’s fitting that this wiener war takes place in Chicago, where they take their dogs seriously.

Although Hebrew National is rated as the top dog by Consumers Reports, its lack of a natural casing is a no-no for dog purists. The natural casing, which is not kosher, gives the dog the distinctive snap that’s required for a great dog. For Chicagoans, Vienna Beef reigns as the favorite.

H/T: Chicago Tribune.

21 thoughts on “Are There Any Wieners When Two Top Dogs Take Beef To Court?”

  1. If I’m going to eat a big corporate dog, Hebrew National (product of ConAgra) is my pick.

    But the irony here in Chicago is pretty thick – two Chicago companies fighting over hot dogs in a Chicago court, where everyone knows that Vienna hot dogs are so vastly superior to the products “at issue”. I’m sure that the lawyers on both sides (excluding those who keep kosher) all eat Vienna, not the products they are representing.

    At least it’s keeping money flowing in the local economy!

  2. has anyone tasted a Thuman’s Hot Dog?

    granted, the Thuman’s dog is NOT kosher, but it DOES have actual string ties between links AND is made with all THREE important sausage meats: Beef, Pork, and Veal.

    I understand that there are plenty of folks that have a veal issue.

    The Thuman’s dog is not for the faint of heart, it is for those wurst enthusiasts.

    two words: old school

    disclaimer: I still think that the HN is the all around best dog going…..

  3. I don’t bother with any hot dog below Hebrew National on the deliciousness scale. I like Nathan’s best, of those nationally available, but there are some small-scale local makers that make AMAZING hot dogs. They, however, cost more than prime rib. I indulge only rarely.

  5. You can’t qualify as an expert until you have tasted Usinger’s from Milwaukee. I recommend either the Beef Frankfurters or Beef Wieners (natural casings, of course!). Made by the 4th generation of the Usinger family in the same location, using the same recipes Fred Usinger brought from Frankfurt in 1880.

    But please! Don’t put any vegetables on top!- just a little mustard or a little ketchup. Don’t bury the taste! This ain’t Chicago!

    http://www.usinger.com/about-usinger

    While you’re there, check out the cold cuts- if you can find better anywhere, you have died and gone to heaven.

  7. hebrew national or nathan’s are best, but for an everyday hotdog oscar mayer bun lengths are better than ball parks. the ball parks have an odd aftertaste. hillshire farms beef smoked sausage dogs are what’s going on the grill in about 30 minutes.

  9. Hebrew National is the best and its not because of my ethnicity. I grew up on Nathan’s Hotdogs, being from NYC, but they don’t compare to Hebrew National.

  12. C***MD,

    Those photos are way too funny….I want to see how they eat a ear of corn….

  13. Kosher is the only way to go with a hotdog.

    Think about it: do you really want to eat “lips, d*cks, and a@*holes?

    I’ll stick with lips, brains, and random torso scraps.

    Besides, I’ll stick with a “higher” sausage maker than one who isn’t.

    It only stands to reason that a manufacturer with munchies would pay more attention to their craft of fashioning a tasty wurst as opposed to one that was munchie challenged.

    Hence, I do not “wish to be an Oscar Meyer wiener”, nor do I want to watch them “plump as I cook ’em”.

    I want to get down with a “higher power” and enjoy a delicious repast of hot dogs made from random scraps from ABOVE the cow’s waistline.

    On the other hand, I’ve been seeing a plethora of recent pictures of some corndog lovin’ (almost deep throating in Rick Perry’s case) GOP hopefuls all over the innernets.

    You KNOW those aren’t Kosher……

  14. Charlie is correct that the Kosher dog is much better than the two in court, but of the two, I would prefer the Oscar Meyer. At least they are keeping some attorneys in Chicago on the job.

  15. Although both brands are tasty and delicious, there is no comparison to the HEBREW NATIONAL….

    after all, both brands (Oscar Meyer and Ball Park) may answer to large, multinational corporate masters; only HN answers to a “higher power”….

    I would rather have my superior power be “higher” than not!

    bless their hearts- those lackluster sausage makers!

  16. Thanks a lot,Nal,

    I running out the door to satisfy this “jones” I got for a couple hot dogs and a can of Hawaiian Punch.

  17. Dredd,

    You should be proud of yourself…..I still think that picture is worth a million pounds….Love the headlines….

    SHE’S A WEINER!
    Michele Bachmann Sucks a Footlong, Is President of Iowa

    Now make your mamma proud and eat your Veggies….

  20. I’ll take chili, cheese, onions, jalapenos with mustard and ketchup on the inside….

Comments are closed.