Oscar Mayer to launch first vegan hot dog later this year

Plant-based meat probably won't be served on the Frankmobile — the hog dog-shaped vehicle previously known as the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile — but the iconic brand is launching a meatless option, the Kraft Heinz Not Company announced on Wednesday. 

Set to launch later this year, the products are the result of a partnership between Kraft Heinz Co. and NoCo Inc., a startup backed by the wealthiest person on the planet, Jeff Bezos. 

Formed in 2022, the Kraft Heinz Not Company said its NotHogDogs and NotSausages pack the savory and smokey experience that the brand has offered for more than 140 years. 

"We know people are hungry for plant-based meat options from brands they know and trust. In launching the joint venture's first product in the plant-based meat category, we saw an opportunity to satisfy these consumer cravings, leveraging NotCo's revolutionary AI technology and the power, equity and legacy of the Oscar Mayer brand," Lucho Lopez-May, CEO, The Kraft Heinz Not Company. 

The development comes after Impossible Foods' announcement in December that they would add a plant-based hot dog to its offerings. 

Taste is the biggest reason why Americans don't continue to eat faux meat after giving it a trial run, according to the findings of a 2023 survey by the Good Food Institute and Morning Consult. 

Kate Gibson

Kate Gibson is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch in New York.