The week ending April 19 marked the seventh week of multi-digit year-over-year sales gains for hot dogs. Dollar sales increased 29% and volume sales increased 21% over the week of April 19 versus the comparable week in 2019, according to IRI. National brands make up 97% of total hot dog sales and grew dollar sales 29%. With many lunch, dinner and snack occasions having moved from restaurants, campuses, school cafeterias and other foodservice establishments to at home, hot dogs very quickly ramped up as a go-to solution as a kid-friendly, protein dense, versatile and easy-to-prepare solution amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Type
Beef hot dogs represent more than 60% of total hot dog sales and grew the most, at +36%. The prolonged duration of the double-digit increases, particularly during Easter week and this week, going up against Easter 2019 sales, points to a higher everyday demand following the initial stock-up purchases.

Source: IRI, MULO, 1 week $ growth versus year ago

The surge in sales numbers shows shoppers are in the market for all pack sizes, large and small. The most common pack size is eight hot dogs, representing 51% of all sales, which explains the somewhat lower growth rate. Even so, larger pack sizes of 10 and 24 counts have been doing very well these past few weeks, once more pointing to an increased everyday demand.

Source: IRI, MULO, 1 week $ growth versus year ago

Source: 210 Analytics