The Washington Post reports on the regional differences that define how people in various parts up upstate New York like their hot dogs.
“Rochester likes its hot dogs short and stout,” the Post writes. “Syracuse favors long and thin. Then there's the battle of the ‘white hots’ (made of pork and veal) versus ‘the red hots’ (pork and beef, with some veal). German American family-run manufacturers in the Upstate New York area such as Zweigle's and Hofmann's Sausage Co. helped develop the distinct styles in America; the Hofmann family began making sausage in Syracuse in 1879.”
And why is this interesting to the Washington Post? Because all of these varieties have arrived in the with the opening of Wegmans supermarkets in Sterling and Fairfax.
So the Post convened a panel of experts – folks who like hot dogs – and fired up the grill to see what kinds of hot dogs are preferred.
What really is interesting is that of the eight kinds of hot dogs tasted – all of which are available at Wegmans – three of them actually were private label products: the top-ranked Wegmans White Bockwurst Style Hot Dog with Natural Casing, the second-ranked Wegmans White Bockwurst Style Skinless Hot Dog, and fifth-ranked Wegmans Red Hot Dogs with Natural Casings.
“Rochester likes its hot dogs short and stout,” the Post writes. “Syracuse favors long and thin. Then there's the battle of the ‘white hots’ (made of pork and veal) versus ‘the red hots’ (pork and beef, with some veal). German American family-run manufacturers in the Upstate New York area such as Zweigle's and Hofmann's Sausage Co. helped develop the distinct styles in America; the Hofmann family began making sausage in Syracuse in 1879.”
And why is this interesting to the Washington Post? Because all of these varieties have arrived in the with the opening of Wegmans supermarkets in Sterling and Fairfax.
So the Post convened a panel of experts – folks who like hot dogs – and fired up the grill to see what kinds of hot dogs are preferred.
What really is interesting is that of the eight kinds of hot dogs tasted – all of which are available at Wegmans – three of them actually were private label products: the top-ranked Wegmans White Bockwurst Style Hot Dog with Natural Casing, the second-ranked Wegmans White Bockwurst Style Skinless Hot Dog, and fifth-ranked Wegmans Red Hot Dogs with Natural Casings.
- KC's View:
- This is a perfect illustration of how companies like Wegmans create differentiated advantages for themselves – carrying regional foods to an extent that few other retailers do, emphasizing a food-oriented culture, and developing private label brands that build the stores’ brand identity.
