Amid a tense trade situation and a slowing EV adoption curve, don’t be surprised if automakers change their product plans for the near future. More hybrids, different pricing, reduced model selection … if all of these things are on the table, why not also sausages? In an amusing moment of diversification, Volkswagen is turning its famed currywurst into microwave meals. They’re only officially slated for sale and consumption in Germany for now, but could you imagine if we got it in North America?
In case you aren’t familiar with currywurst, it’s Germany’s chief contribution to fast food, the people’s food of the modern era. Bockwurst, ketchup, curry powder, either on fries or over a bun, simple as. Claimed to be invented in 1949 by Herta Heuwer, albeit without ketchup at the time, it’s become a phenomenon, with an estimated 800 million servings enjoyed every year in Germany. One of the biggest players in the game? Volkswagen. Yep, the car manufacturer.
The Golf is one of the most popular cars in history, but as a popular product, it has nothing on the currybockwurst sausages produced by Volkswagen in Wolfsburg every year—around seven million of the things. Known by part number 199 398 500 A, this office-canteen-specialty-turned-mass-marketed food is holy stuff for Volkswagen fans abroad, and a popular meal within Germany when paired with Volkswagen’s special ketchup.
Speaking of the ketchup, Volkswagen took the bold step of giving away a limited quantity of it in America last year, in collaboration with renowned VW fanatic Jamie Orr. It sold out 90 minutes after our article on it went live. Imagine if the last run of manual Golf Rs was snapped up that quickly, or the First Edition ID.Buzz. With popularity like that, it makes sense for Volkswagen to expand availability of its famous food, and Germany is getting an even easier way to enjoy it.
Starting next month, heat-and-serve Volkswagen currywurst is launching in select supermarkets in Northern and Eastern Germany, with nationwide availability on the docket after that. Admittedly, there is one big adaptation for this format: ditching the traditional curry powder by incorporating it into the sauce. That’s a bit of a shame, but considering Volkswagen has actual food scientists on the project, don’t be surprised if it tastes exactly the same. You will need to provide your own fries and/or bun, but otherwise, it’s the car brand’s iconic meal through and through.
There’s no word yet on whether or not Volkswagen would consider expanding heat-and-serve currywurst outside of Germany, but I can’t help but get the sense that this is exactly the product VW needs for its U.S. portfolio. Something cheaper and easier to chew on than a Jetta that really establishes brand presence in everyday people’s homes. The wildest part? Volkswagen technically can do currywurst in America, it’s just a matter of scale. As the National Post reported in 2018, “According to Volkswagen, when the company has served currywurst in the U.S. in the past, “it has flown the butchers into the country and replicated the production line with local ingredients.” Time to find some extra space at the Chattanooga plant, I reckon.
Top graphic image: Volkswagen
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As someone who considers condiments an abomination, the thought of ketchup on these makes my stomach churn.
But I’ll gladly try a ketchup free variant!
I’ve been lucky enough to eat the currywurst inside the VW Wolfsburg Kantine. It’s definitely good, but it’s more interesting for the novelty that the ketchup and the sausages have a VW logo more than anything else.
I’d still buy this if I could, though.
I’d love to be able to buy this. I’m not a vegetarian (though I’m very pro-vegetable) and I’m a fan of both snausages and of curry, so I expect that I’d enjoy it. Shame there aren’t any really decent microwave fries to go with it though (at least not IME).
They sell them at our annual Christmas village here in the US and they’re a perfectly fine alternative to bratwurst and knackwurst. You could see them as a German alternative to Detroit’s Coney Islands, where the chili sauce is flavored with a healthy dose of cumin and ground beef heart.
I had the currywurst at the Munich BMW museum and just wasn’t very impressed, same with all the other touristy German food I had on the trip. (Think large, overly processed sausages undesirably close in flavor and texture to bland hot dogs)
I’ll visit the VW and Porsche museums some day but I feel like any hype for their food will be met with equal disappointment.
The Porsche Museum is actually pretty good. Agree on the sausage
The BMW museum itself is -fantastic-, highly recommend visiting if one has the opportunity.
I have previously tried to order currywurst by part number from my local dealer with no luck. Hopefully this iteration makes it to our shores
I had a food science major friend in college and hearing her talk about what they were doing was fascinating. Many facets to all that.
Had the chance to have the VW currywurst at Autostadt last year; however nothing beats original Berliner currywurst from an Imbiss…
Sorry hot dogs already exist here. And if you go sausage we have cheddarwurst sausage cheese in the sausage. Try andoullin sausage, boudan sausage, hot Italian sausage, hell the king of sausage kielbasa sorry German sausage is a loser.because every thing else tastes better on a pizza
None of those things are currywurst though.
Wurst possible timing –
R &T headline this week: 4 former VW execs found guilty of fraud in Dieselgate!
Guardian headline this week: Dieselgate emissions killed as many as 16,000 in UK !
Autopian headline: New VW sausage just dropped!
Has anyone considered the extra emissions were caused by sausage and not cheating?
I thought that VW stopped making their own currywurst/bockwurst years ago?
This seams to always trigger my check stomach light.
We had really good currywurst from a stand at the Portland Swap Meet in April, but these guys had never heard of Volkswagen Currywurst. They used home made sauce anyway. Immigration patterns mean you can still get good German food in Oregon.
I parked next to a pretty decent condition Toyota Echo today. I’ve been spending too much time here, because I was pretty excited. “This ole gal is at least 20 years old and probably cost under $11k new!”
I believe aldis sells it in Germany. Aldis, trader Joe’s, and lidl should carry it in the US. The general population would loose its mind. VW is slowly becoming a food company just like IKEA. Maybe there is a cross marketing opportunity there. Or maybe they should outfit some vans as food trucks to go to dealers and drumb up test drive and sale events.
Since Trader Joe’s is owned by Aldi it would be a natural!
For sure, Aldi North and US Aldi’s is Aldi South. You can’t tell trader Joe’s people that though
You know German cuisine is… less than stellar when their national dish is doner kebab.
Where did you get that information?! in a quick search i found two things: one is Sauerbraten, the other is Germany have a variety of national dishes for different regions.
Beside, German cuisine is underrated.
Obligatory: Looks good, but smells like crayons.
Well, Aldi is German, so…
So is Trader Joe’s!
I simply would not trust a company with VW’s reputation for quality to produce something I eat.
Their initial quality’s really good though. I would definitely recommend buying this one new rather than off-lease.
Yeah, I definitely don’t recommend buying used sausage.
Thanks for the laugh. My mind went weird places with that one
The instructions are super easy, too.
Instructions unclear. I tried to add off-brand curry ketchup. VW told me to put my affairs in order right away.
I need this to come here. Or maybe I need it not to, because I do not have the self-control required to eat it in moderation. Either way, this could be awesome for the people who get to have it.