It is one of summer’s star foods—found at festivals, fairs, or barbecues. Simple in appearance, quick to prepare, and yet it holds a story that intersects with the industrialisation of food, the ongoing search for new ways to consume meat, and the gastronomic culture of half the world. Outside our borders, it’s a familiar sight on street carts in New York, in football and baseball stadiums in Chicago, in legendary restaurants in Los Angeles, and in countries like Germany and Mexico, where it has become a true cultural symbol. While it goes by different names depending on the region, one has clearly prevailed internationally: the hot dog.
Few foods evoke such a universal image as this humble sandwich, traditionally made with a sausage inside a long bun. Its evolution reflects not only changes in consumer habits, but also in production methods and food technologies, such as cultivated meat.
Origins and Journey to America
Although we now associate it almost instinctively with the United States, the hot dog has its roots firmly planted in Europe. In Germany and Austria, boiled sausages have been part of culinary tradition for centuries. The frankfurter from Frankfurt and the wiener from Vienna are direct ancestors of the sausage we now place in buns. As early as the 13th century, records exist of sausage production in these regions—typically made from pork and spices, and served in bread, making them easy to eat at markets, fairs, and popular celebrations.
It was in the late 19th century that this recipe crossed the Atlantic and arrived in cities like New York and Chicago, adapting to the pace of urban life and finding fertile ground to flourish. One of the earliest records of the modern hot dog is in Coney Island, where Charles Feltman, a German baker, began selling them in 1870.
Since then, it has become far more than just a food item. In fact, it has even been granted its own national day in the United States. It is on the third Wednesday of July that National Hot Dog Day is celebrated. Furthermore, according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC), more than 20 billion hot dogs are consumed in the country each year, particularly during the summer months.
Globally, its presence is equally significant—from Korean tokkebi hot dogs coated in potato, to Latin American street versions or gourmet European adaptations, the hot dog has proven capable of reinventing itself in every corner of the planet—successfully blending tradition with innovation.
Production and Transformation: Meat as the Main Player
Today, in a world increasingly aware of food and environmental challenges, new technologies are emerging to produce meat in different ways. Cultivated meat represents an innovative alternative that replicates the taste, texture, and nutritional value of conventional meat, but in a more efficient and environmentally conscious manner. Thanks to alternative proteins, the hot dog sausage, with all its cultural and nutritional value, can continue to be part of daily life for millions of people, but produced in a way that is more respectful of the planet’s resources.
According to a study by McKinsey & Company, the global cultivated meat market could exceed $25 billion by 2030. Within this context, the cultivated meat hot dog stands out as a flagship product: a bridge between past and future, between tradition and innovation.
At Biotech Foods, we are committed to ensuring that the classic flavour so many people recognise remains intact, while looking firmly to the future. We believe in keeping traditional recipes like that of the hot dog sausage alive, but with a more sustainable approach. Our goal is clear: for enjoying a hot dog to remain a pleasure, for people, and for the planet.
