Volkswagen Sausage

Volkswagen sausage. Monstourz / wikimedia / 2011 / CC BY-SA 3.0

The Volkswagen (VW) car company makes a sausage whose official name is “Currybockwurst”.

It’s a bockwurst sausage with some curry flavouring right in the sausagemeat, as the sausage is intended primarily for use in making the dish known as currywurst, though you can use the sausage in other ways as well.

The sausage has cult status amongst some sausage aficionados, who say it’s the Bentley of the sausage world.

As the sausage is already curry flavoured, when used for currywurst it is typically served with a spiced ketchup (specifically, Volkswagen’s spiced ketchup) rather than a currywurst sauce more heavily flavoured with curry.

The skin needs to be removed before eating, as it is tough.

See also: Sausages, German Sausages, Volkswagen Ketchup

Production location for Volkswagen Sausage

Volkswagen has set aside a building in the north-east corner of its huge manufacturing complex in Wolfsburg, northern Germany, as a butchery, ^[1]Volkswagen und die Currywurst. Magdeburg, Germany: Volksstimme. 8 September 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.volksstimme.de/deutschland-und-welt/volkswagen-und-die-currywurst-1000852 and assigned the sausage an official Volkswagen part number:

“Volkswagen’s worldwide headquarters at Wolfsburg in northern Germany, the largest manufacturing plant in the world, even has its own currywurst production line – the spicy snack is item number 199 398 500 A on the official parts list and has been made at the factory for 45 years.” ^[2] Johnstone, Lindsey. Currywurst at 70: The surprising British link to Germany’s street snack. Lyons, France: EuroNews. 9 April 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.euronews.com/2019/09/04/currywurst-at-70-the-surprising-british-link-to-germany-s-street-snack

The butchery also produces other meat products such as the cured pork sausage called “Krakauer”, Bologna sausage, Sausage Bouillon Wurst, Bratwurst, Bregenwurst, Salsice, Girlsbrutal, Caterillar, and the meatloaf called “meat cheese” in German. ^[3]”Ob Krakauer, Fleischkäse, Bouillon- oder Fleischwurst” — Olma, René. Volkswagen-Originalteil mit Ketchup. Auto Motor Sport. 18 January 2012. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/reise/werkseigene-currywurst-von-vw-volkswagen-originalteil-mit-ketchup/ ^[4]Amazing facts about the “currywurst” Volkswagen. Autom Manana. 26 January 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://automanana.com/amazing-facts-about-the-currywurst-volkswagen/

Vegetarian version

A vegetarian version of the sausage is also made:

“Since 2010, the butchers have also produced a wheat-based vegan currywurst (using tofu failed to produce the right consistency) … ” ^[5]Attwood, James. Volkswagen’s currywurst factory: motoring’s strangest production line. Twickenham, England: Autocar Magazine. 1 January 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/volkswagens-currywurst-factory-motorings-strangest-production-line

Where sold

Forty percent of the sausages made are consumed internally in VW’s canteens. ^[6]Hruby, Denise. Volkswagen’s Best-Selling Product Is a … Sausage. Mountain View, California: OZY. 29 September 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.ozy.com/around-the-world/volkswagens-best-selling-product-is-a-sausage/96952/

The other sixty percent are sold in supermarkets, sports stadiums and other venues.

Purchasers of VW cars in Europe get a complimentary pack of the sausages, too: “It’s also given away to Volkswagen customers in that continent when they purchase a new VW.” ^[7]Where can I buy VW currywurst in the US? Elgin, Illinois: Elgin VW. Blog post. 19 March 2020. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.elginvw.com/blog/where-can-i-buy-vw-currywurst-in-the-us/ They are also given out as promotional items at exhibitions or to customers: “German dealers often give packs of the [sausage] to customers as gifts.” ^[8] Johnstone, Lindsey. Currywurst at 70: The surprising British link to Germany’s street snack. Lyons, France: EuroNews. 9 April 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.euronews.com/2019/09/04/currywurst-at-70-the-surprising-british-link-to-germany-s-street-snack

The sausage can be ordered in the restaurants at the Volkswagen automobile theme park (called “Autostadt”) in Hannover. ^[9]Torrisi, Lauren. Edible Product You Never Knew Volkswagen Made. ABC News. 26 June 2012. Accessed August 2021 at https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2012/06/edible-product-you-never-knew-volkswagen-made

The sausage is not sold in North America owing to U.S. and Canadian restrictions on the import of raw meat. VW is authorized to sell cars into North America, but that’s irrelevant when it comes to meat:

“VW isn’t on the list of German establishments permitted to export processed pork products to America.” ^[10]Clarke, John. Americans Can’t Buy VW’s Best Seller, and It’s the Wurst. New York, NY: Wall Street Journal. 2 June 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/americans-cant-buy-vws-best-seller-and-its-the-wurst-11559495613

External sales of the sausage help to subsidize the cost of the 50% subsidy that VW employees get on their in-house canteen meals.

Currybockwurst manufacturing

The sausage is made at a butchery plant at the main Volkswagen location in Wolfsburg. The number of people who work in the butchery varies but in 2020 was around 30 people:

“Currywurst is manufactured by a team of about 30 people in a special section of the main Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg.” ^[11]Where can I buy VW currywurst in the US? Elgin, Illinois: Elgin VW. Blog post. 19 March 2020. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.elginvw.com/blog/where-can-i-buy-vw-currywurst-in-the-us/ ^[12]Attwood, James. Volkswagen’s currywurst factory: motoring’s strangest production line. Twickenham, England: Autocar Magazine. 1 January 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/volkswagens-currywurst-factory-motorings-strangest-production-line

As of 2019, the head butcher was Franco Lo Presti, who had worked there since 1978, becoming head butcher in 2007. ^[13]Attwood, James. Volkswagen’s currywurst factory: motoring’s strangest production line. Twickenham, England: Autocar Magazine. 1 January 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/volkswagens-currywurst-factory-motorings-strangest-production-line

The pigs used to come from a company-owned farm. ^[14]Hruby, Denise. Volkswagen’s Best-Selling Product Is a … Sausage. Mountain View, California: OZY. 29 September 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.ozy.com/around-the-world/volkswagens-best-selling-product-is-a-sausage/96952/ The whole animals were butchered and processed on site.

Now, the sausage plant receives specific cuts of pork from suppliers. The pork cuts used include pork belly, cheek, and speck (aka bacon) and are supplied by farmers in the Wolfsburg region. ^[15]Hruby, Denise. Volkswagen’s Best-Selling Product Is a … Sausage. Mountain View, California: OZY. 29 September 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.ozy.com/around-the-world/volkswagens-best-selling-product-is-a-sausage/96952/

Unlike other sausage makers who leave more fat on to bulk out the sausage weight sold to consumers, VW staff deliberately trim excess fat off:

“The Volkswagen currywurst consists of pork cuts that are specially trimmed to remove excess fat, with the result that the sausage has significantly less fat than a typical bratwurst. The meat is ground and mixed with a secret concoction of spices.” ^[16]Where can I buy VW currywurst in the US? Elgin, Illinois: Elgin VW. Blog post. 19 March 2020. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.elginvw.com/blog/where-can-i-buy-vw-currywurst-in-the-us/

The added spicing is, of course, a large part of what makes the sausage distinct.

The spice mixture is made for them to their specifications by the spice company called “Raps” in Kulmbach and supplied to the butchery in large bags. ^[17] “Ob Krakauer, Fleischkäse, Bouillon- oder Fleischwurst” — Olma, René. Volkswagen-Originalteil mit Ketchup. Auto Motor Sport. 18 January 2012. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/reise/werkseigene-currywurst-von-vw-volkswagen-originalteil-mit-ketchup/

“The [sausage spice] mix is a closely guarded secret, virtually unchanged since 1973 and shared purely on a need-to-know basis: Presti will admit only that it contains salt, pepper, curry and ginger. That said, the bag containing the mix is adorned with pictures of most of the ingredients – although Presti notes that the real secret concerns the quantity of each.” ^[18]Attwood, James. Volkswagen’s currywurst factory: motoring’s strangest production line. Twickenham, England: Autocar Magazine. 1 January 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/volkswagens-currywurst-factory-motorings-strangest-production-line

Other spices in the mix include turmeric, coriander and chile. ^[19]Tweed, David. The VW That Looks (and Smells) Nothing Like a Car. Bloomberg Quicktake. 3 November 2013. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVLvpmDXJIY

After seasoning, the sausagemeat is piped into sausage casings with the words ‘Volkswagen Originalteil’ (“Volkswagen Original Part”) stamped on them. ^[20]Attwood, James. Volkswagen’s currywurst factory: motoring’s strangest production line. Twickenham, England: Autocar Magazine. 1 January 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/volkswagens-currywurst-factory-motorings-strangest-production-line

The newly-formed raw sausages are then smoked for two hours ^[21]”Sie wird zwei Stunden geräuchert” — Die Meister der VW-Currywurst. Magdeburg, Germany: MetallZeitung, IG Metall Niedersachsen/Sachsen-Anhalt. February 2009. Page 28. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.igmetall-nieder-sachsen-anhalt.de/fileadmin/user/Dokumente/metall/2009-02_metall_nds-lsa.pdf, then steamed. For this treatment, they are “transferred to a huge oven to be smoked over beechwood, then steamed for 100 minutes at 176 C (348 F)” ^[22]Attwood, James. Volkswagen’s currywurst factory: motoring’s strangest production line. Twickenham, England: Autocar Magazine. 1 January 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/volkswagens-currywurst-factory-motorings-strangest-production-line ^[23]Clarke, John. Americans Can’t Buy VW’s Best Seller, and It’s the Wurst. New York, NY: Wall Street Journal. 2 June 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/americans-cant-buy-vws-best-seller-and-its-the-wurst-11559495613

Currybockwurst sizes

There are two sizes made for sale in stores.

The large 25 cm size (10 inch) weighs 170 g and is sold in packages of 5, weighing 850 g total. ^[24]Attwood, James. Volkswagen’s currywurst factory: motoring’s strangest production line. Twickenham, England: Autocar Magazine. 1 January 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/volkswagens-currywurst-factory-motorings-strangest-production-line

Volkswagen sausage, 25 cm size (10 inch) size. kiliweb / OpenFood Facts / CC BY-SA 3.0

The smaller 12.5 cm size (5 inch) size weight 85 g and is sold in packages of 6, weighing 510 g total. ^[25]Hier geht’s um die Wurst. Volkswagen-Magazin, Januar 2014.

Volkswagen sausage 12.5 cm size (5 inch) size. Monstourz / wikimedia / 2011 / CC BY-SA 3.0

An in-between, 16 cm length is made for sale in the food stands at the Wolfsburg sports stadium and in some Edeka stores in north Germany ^[26]”Etwa als kompaktere Variante von 16 Zentimeter Länge im Stadion des VfL Wolfsburg oder in einigen Edeka-Märkten im Norden der Republik – jedoch nicht beim VW-Händler.” — Olma, René. Volkswagen-Originalteil mit Ketchup. Auto Motor Sport. 18 January 2012. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/reise/werkseigene-currywurst-von-vw-volkswagen-originalteil-mit-ketchup/

Production figures for Currybockwurst

Production numbers of the sausage varies from year to year but the general trend has been upwards.

• In 2006, 1.7 million sausages were sold. ^[27]Kühling, Sven. Die VW-Currywurst ist Kult: 96.000 Mal in Baunatal verkauft. Kassel, Germany: Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine. 4 March 2016. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.hna.de/lokales/kreis-kassel/baunatal-ort312516/vw-currywurst-kult-6180935.html
• In 2008, 3.5 million. ^[28]Die Meister der VW-Currywurst. Magdeburg, Germany: MetallZeitung, IG Metall Niedersachsen/Sachsen-Anhalt. February 2009. Page 28. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.igmetall-nieder-sachsen-anhalt.de/fileadmin/user/Dokumente/metall/2009-02_metall_nds-lsa.pdf
• In 2011, 4.8 million. ^[29]”In 2011, 4.8 million VW currywursts were sold.” Torrisi, Lauren. Edible Product You Never Knew Volkswagen Made. ABC News. 26 June 2012. Accessed August 2021 at https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2012/06/edible-product-you-never-knew-volkswagen-made
• In 2016, 7.2 million sausages. ^[30]Bulkeley, Andrew. The world’s biggest carmaker had to get a new ketchup supplier for the trademark dish in its plant cafeterias. Workers are not impressed. Düsseldorf, Germany: Handelsblatt. 16 August 2018. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.handelsblatt.com/english/companies/ketchupgate-vw-employees-reject-new-currywurst-ketchup/23583042.html
• In 2017, 6.8 million sausages. ^[31]Ibid.
• In 2019, 7 million. ^[32]Leopold, Sabine. Das Ende der VW-Currywurst? Munich, Germany: Agrarheute. 11 August 2021. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.agrarheute.com/land-leben/ende-vw-currywurst-584293

In 2018, 22,101 of the vegetarian sausages were made. ^[33]Amazing facts about the “currywurst” Volkswagen. Autom Manana. 26 January 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://automanana.com/amazing-facts-about-the-currywurst-volkswagen/

Nutritional Information

The sausage composition used to be “37.5% beef, 44% pork and 18.5% spices and ‘other ingredients’”. ^[34]Clarke, John. Americans Can’t Buy VW’s Best Seller, and It’s the Wurst. New York, NY: Wall Street Journal. 2 June 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/americans-cant-buy-vws-best-seller-and-its-the-wurst-11559495613

The beef component was phased out and replaced with all pork in 1999 owing to the BSE scare that originated in England: ^[35]”1999 wurde nach dem BSE-Skandal der Rindfleischanteil in allen Produkten getilgt.” — Die Meister der VW-Currywurst. Magdeburg, Germany: MetallZeitung, IG Metall Niedersachsen/Sachsen-Anhalt. February 2009. Page 28. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.igmetall-nieder-sachsen-anhalt.de/fileadmin/user/Dokumente/metall/2009-02_metall_nds-lsa.pdf

“The beef was phased out during the 1990s BSE crisis.” ^[36]Attwood, James. Volkswagen’s currywurst factory: motoring’s strangest production line. Twickenham, England: Autocar Magazine. 1 January 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/volkswagens-currywurst-factory-motorings-strangest-production-line

Now the meat is all pork, and has a lower-fat content than other bockwurst sausages on the market:

“[It is] all pork – and no filler. It has fat content of 20%, compared with 35% for most bockwurst.” ^[37]Attwood, James. Volkswagen’s currywurst factory: motoring’s strangest production line. Twickenham, England: Autocar Magazine. 1 January 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/volkswagens-currywurst-factory-motorings-strangest-production-line

The sausagemeat mixture contains no protein powder, MSG, or phosphates. ^[38]Wieczner, Jen. Volkswagen’s Sausages Sell Better Than Its Cars. New York, NY: Fortune Magazine. 19 February 2016. Accessed August 2021 at https://fortune.com/2016/02/19/volkswagen-sausages-wurst-cars/

The ingredients as of 2016 were: pork 62.2%, drinking water, bacon, iodized nitrite curing salt: [salt, preservative: (E 250), Potassium iodate], spice preparation: [spices, dextrose, salt, aroma], cutter aids: [hydrolyzed vegetable. Protein, Stabilizer: (E 331), salt, antioxidant: (E 300)], Cellulose – artificial casing, smoke. [Note: check current ingredients label if food allergies are a concern.]

Currybockwurst Awards

The sausage has, reputedly, won prizes at food fairs in Germany and received prestigious gold medals from the German Agricultural Society (DLG. Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft ), according to many media reports. ^[39]Where can I buy VW currywurst in the US? Elgin, Illinois: Elgin VW. Blog post. 19 March 2020. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.elginvw.com/blog/where-can-i-buy-vw-currywurst-in-the-us/. Note: CooksInfo was unable to find specifics of which awards, and which years, so we can’t independently verify this.

In 2018, Tobias Bernstein, company restaurant manager at the Volkswagen plant in Salzgitter, accepted a special award on behalf of Volkswagen from the GV Praxis media group and the Hamburg Messe Internorga for VW’s sausage:

“A particularly successful sausage secured a Special Award in 2018. The recipe for the Volkswagen Genuine Currywurst has been a closely guarded secret for 45 years. VW sells around 7 million curry sausages in a year, and since 2010 even a vegetarian one. Advantage of the Bockwurst made in-house: It contains only half as much fat as an average Currywurst. Operations manager Tobias Bernstein accepted the Special Award on behalf of the VW Service Factory from Claudia Johannsen, Head of Hamburg Messe.” ^[40]Sieger-Ideen für authentisch-gesunde Küche. Food Service Group. 25 February 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.food-service.de/management/news/serie-marketing.award–winner-2018-bronze-sieger-ideen-fuer-authentisch-gesunde-kueche-42340

Cooking tips

In-house staff at the Volkswagen sausage plant say that, for their money, the best way to cook the sausage is not frying it, but rather baking it at 160 C (320 F) for 25 minutes. [Ed: safe internal cooking temperature for pork sausage is 71°C (160°F) measured with an instant read meat thermometer.] ^[41]”Am besten ist die Wurst im Backofen: 25 Minuten bei 160 Grad.” — Die Meister der VW-Currywurst. Magdeburg, Germany: MetallZeitung, IG Metall Niedersachsen/Sachsen-Anhalt. February 2009. Page 28. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.igmetall-nieder-sachsen-anhalt.de/fileadmin/user/Dokumente/metall/2009-02_metall_nds-lsa.pdf

Storage

Store refrigerated and use by use-by date, or freeze.

History

In-house production of its own sausage began in 1973. It was a cost-saving measure, with the sausages intended only for internal use:

“While Volkswagen has produced food for its employees at the factory since the 1930s, back in 1973 the carmaker decided that it would be more cost-effective to produce the sausages eaten by its employees on-site.” ^[42]Wilde, Dominik. Volkswagen’s best seller is… a sausage. London, England: Motorsport Network. 24 January 2020. Accessed August 2021 at https://uk.motor1.com/news/394488/volkswagen-best-seller-sausage/

VW Wolfsburg sausage production plant on 25 January 1973. Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-F038807-0021. Lothar Schaack / wikimedia / 25 Januar 1973 / CC BY-SA 3.0

It is uncertain what year exactly supermarket sales began in, but it was a local Edeka supermarket in Wolfsburg. The supermarket manager was sure he’d have a ready market for the sausage amongst VW retirees in the city. In March 2007, more stores in the Edeka chain began carrying the sausage. ^[43]”Die übrigen 20 Prozent der Produktion werden vor allem von der Handelskette Edeka vertrieben. Ein Wolfsburger Händler hatte das Produkt als erster in sein Sortiment aufgenommen. Bei rund 60 000 VW-Rentnern in der Umgebung versprach er sich gute Absätze. Seit März 2007 vertreiben nun etliche der 1600 Edeka-Märkte zwischen der holländischen und der polnischen Grenze die VW-Currywurst.” — Garantiert ohne Motoröl: Currywurst von Volkswagen. Frankfurt, Germany: Frankfurter Allgemeine. 4 January 2008. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/wolfsburg-garantiert-ohne-motoroel-currywurst-von-volkswagen-1511611.html

In 2003, a 250 metre long sausage was made to celebrate the launch of the fifth generation of VW Golf car:

“The meat assembly line [ ] produced a 250-meter-long sausage in 2003 to celebrate the introduction of the fifth generation of its Golf sedan.” ^[44]Bulkeley, Andrew. The world’s biggest carmaker had to get a new ketchup supplier for the trademark dish in its plant cafeterias. Workers are not impressed. Düsseldorf, Germany: Handelsblatt. 16 August 2018. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.handelsblatt.com/english/companies/ketchupgate-vw-employees-reject-new-currywurst-ketchup/23583042.html

In 2018, the 45th year of the sausage, special currywurst sausage inspired items were made for the canteens:

“On the occasion of the 45th birthday, an event week was held at Volkswagen in April based around the currywurst. This resulted in various reinterpretations of the popular classic, such as the currywurst burger, which [Tobias] Bernstein and his colleagues developed with the butcher.” ^[45]Yummi: Auszeichnung für die VW-Currywurst. Wolfsburg, Germany: Wolfsburger Allemeine. 16 July 2018. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.waz-online.de/Wolfsburg/Volkswagen/Yummi-Auszeichnung-fuer-die-VW-Currywurst

Sources

Chanana, Aryaman. D​o You Know What Volkswagen’s Best Selling Product Is? London, England: DriveTribe. 14 August 2020. Accessed August 2021 at https://drivetribe.com/p/do-you-know-what-volkswagens-best-cDADPdoRS_2rr2z4MQAXGg?iid=SXIBCS8yS_yRgUWYYl5xvw

Leopold, Sabine. Das Ende der VW-Currywurst? Munich, Germany: Agrarheute. 11 August 2021. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.agrarheute.com/land-leben/ende-vw-currywurst-584293

McConaughey, Woody. Meat taboo in Volkswagen canteen, goodbye famous currywurst. Pune, Maharashtra, India: Netherlands News Live. 10 August 2021. Accessed August 2021 at https://netherlandsnewslive.com/meat-taboo-in-volkswagen-canteen-goodbye-famous-currywurst/216315/

Rodionova, Zlata. Volkswagen sold more sausages than cars in 2015. London, England: The Independent. 19 February 2016. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/vw-volkswagen-currywurst-sausages-emissions-scandal-a6883751.html

Wilde, Dominik. Volkswagen’s best seller is… a sausage. London, England: Motorsport Network. 24 January 2020. Accessed August 2021 at https://uk.motor1.com/news/394488/volkswagen-best-seller-sausage/