Vienna Dog and I Fail, Evidently.

(Commiseration welcomed)

After only 4 months, and after bragging to all of you, it looks as though my hot dog stand in Southern Mississippi has taken it on the chin. I think I was the only real hot dog in the entire state, ever.

My food service is no longer willing to carry my Vienna Beef natural casing dog, citing not enough sales to warrant taking up their precious warehouse freezer space. None of my other local food services can get it for me, and its is far too price-prohibitive to order directly.

Given only two weeks notice (the bums) I'm now faced with putting in another dog, or changing the concept entirely. I had planned to give it a year even if it was struggling (which it was) as I figured it would take some getting used to. I had also considered playing a bit with my pricing and menu. Now, I don't even have that luxury. I can put in a skinless dog, perhaps even a quality name-brand, but none with a casing. I can even get a larger all-beef dog (size was one of the complaints) for about the same price, but this prospect, even if it works, doesn't thrill me.

I'll admit that perhaps there could be other reasons that caused this failure. I only know what I've heard, and the bottom line was that people here somehow expected something more for their money. I'm extremely disheartened, as are my town's new fans of this "real deal dog."

I don't know if there is any advice any of you can offer me, unless you understood my town's demographics and the particulars. But it helps me a little to vent.

r.i.p. little Vienna Beef Wiener. I'm hoping at least a few folks will remember experiencing "the snap," as I did as a kid.

-- smeltfisher

quote:

Originally posted by smeltfisher

(Commiseration welcomed)

After only 4 months, and after bragging to all of you, it looks as though my hot dog stand in Southern Mississippi has taken it on the chin. I think I was the only real hot dog in the entire state, ever.

My food service is no longer willing to carry my Vienna Beef natural casing dog, citing not enough sales to warrant taking up their precious warehouse freezer space. None of my other local food services can get it for me, and its is far too price-prohibitive to order directly.

Given only two weeks notice (the bums) I'm now faced with putting in another dog, or changing the concept entirely. I had planned to give it a year even if it was struggling (which it was) as I figured it would take some getting used to. I had also considered playing a bit with my pricing and menu. Now, I don't even have that luxury. I can put in a skinless dog, perhaps even a quality name-brand, but none with a casing. I can even get a larger all-beef dog (size was one of the complaints) for about the same price, but this prospect, even if it works, doesn't thrill me.

I'll admit that perhaps there could be other reasons that caused this failure. I only know what I've heard, and the bottom line was that people here somehow expected something more for their money. I'm extremely disheartened, as are my town's new fans of this "real deal dog."

I don't know if there is any advice any of you can offer me, unless you understood my town's demographics and the particulars. But it helps me a little to vent.

r.i.p. little Vienna Beef Wiener. I'm hoping at least a few folks will remember experiencing "the snap," as I did as a kid.

-- smeltfisher

Somewhere in my email archives I have name & phone number of east coast rep. for Vienna Beef. Doubt this will help as your problem seems to arise from wholesalers, etc. Let me know via email if you want same. I will be out of town Thurs. & Fri. of this week so I may be a bit late in responding.

Regards --

Bummer dude. Just ate three delicious brats tonight for dinner and I would have patronized your business if I had been in your town. Is there no other option? Like maybe a German or European restaurant nearby who might be willing who might have more clout with the wholesaler. Costco??

Thanks, Adj, but through my initial adventure I've become almost-friends with a very big-wig at Vienna - the Regional Sales Mgr. for the entire east. He, despite mild warnings, helped me to get the dog, and even visited when the stand was in its first hey-day. He had suggested I widen my menu choices, which may or may not have worked. But the problem is not Vienna, but someone who is willing to handle them.

quote:

Originally posted by Adjudicator


Somewhere in my email archives I have name & phone number of east coast rep. for Vienna Beef. Doubt this will help as your problem seems to arise from wholesalers, etc. Let me know via email if you want same. I will be out of town Thurs. & Fri. of this week so I may be a bit late in responding.

Regards --

Reading your lack of a decent hot dog in the area is a major bummer. Cheers to you for trying to do the community good! But have you checked with some local butchers to see if they sell a decently cured hot dog (smokehouse) with natural casing? There's a chance you may come across something made in your neck of the woods that may be worthwhile! (And maybe the butcher will give ya some sort of discount if you put his signage up on your stand)...? Either way, good luck and appreciate your efforts!

There are two other companies in Chicago producing a natural casing hot dog.
www.davidberg.com Owned by Vienna Beef.
www.redhotchicago.com Grandson of Vienna Beef.

CSD

Sorry to hear of your misfortune.

Sorry to hear of the situation. I am checking into getting Vienna Beef. There are two places that are selling the Vienna brand around me. I am a small operation to say the least. I have been trying to get the establishments that are currently selling the dog to order for me as well. The more volume they order the better price they get. I am curently using Bests Kosher. They taste great, very comparable to Vienna Beef. The 8 to 1's run about .37 a dog. People seem to like them. I would like to get some of the bigger Vienna Beefs, but it is still up in the air. A local Pizzaria is selling Chicago dogs with Vienna Beef dog, but only on Wednesday! What is the world coming to? I found the same problem here in Indiana. People do not even know what a decent beef dog is. They are used to over cooked, GREEN looking mixed meat dogs with mystery,"coney sauce" on them. I started advertising with a small road sign and stirred a little curiosity, as well as fast courteous customer service. Its starting to work for me. Just a thought.

Chicago style,
I went to the Red hot Chicago site. Looks impressive. Have you tried they're dogs?

do a search for this item. i seem to remember some discussion about it a month or two ago, and it was mostly negative.

quote:

Originally posted by Scallion1

do a search for this item. i seem to remember some discussion about it a month or two ago, and it was mostly negative.

Scallion, that posting back in May was about Big City Reds, not Red Hot Chicago.

CSD

quote:

Originally posted by myway

Chicago style,
I went to the Red hot Chicago site. Looks impressive. Have you tried they're dogs?

I've tried their dogs and they're good. David Berg is better. Vienna is still the best.

CSD

quote:

Originally posted by smeltfisher

(Commiseration welcomed)

After only 4 months, and after bragging to all of you, it looks as though my hot dog stand in Southern Mississippi has taken it on the chin. I think I was the only real hot dog in the entire state, ever.

My food service is no longer willing to carry my Vienna Beef natural casing dog, citing not enough sales to warrant taking up their precious warehouse freezer space. None of my other local food services can get it for me, and its is far too price-prohibitive to order directly.

Given only two weeks notice (the bums) I'm now faced with putting in another dog, or changing the concept entirely. I had planned to give it a year even if it was struggling (which it was) as I figured it would take some getting used to. I had also considered playing a bit with my pricing and menu. Now, I don't even have that luxury. I can put in a skinless dog, perhaps even a quality name-brand, but none with a casing. I can even get a larger all-beef dog (size was one of the complaints) for about the same price, but this prospect, even if it works, doesn't thrill me.

I'll admit that perhaps there could be other reasons that caused this failure. I only know what I've heard, and the bottom line was that people here somehow expected something more for their money. I'm extremely disheartened, as are my town's new fans of this "real deal dog."

I don't know if there is any advice any of you can offer me, unless you understood my town's demographics and the particulars. But it helps me a little to vent.

r.i.p. little Vienna Beef Wiener. I'm hoping at least a few folks will remember experiencing "the snap," as I did as a kid.

-- smeltfisher

Well considering the state you are in, do yourself a favor and add BBQ to the menu. I had to do something here in Texas because sales were low. I added bbq and sales trippled. I still sale some dogs and sausages but the money is in bbq .

Surely someone carries the Boar's Head natural casing dogs down that way. Or are they cost-prohibitive too?

quote:

Originally posted by chicagostyledog

quote:

Originally posted by Scallion1

do a search for this item. i seem to remember some discussion about it a month or two ago, and it was mostly negative.

Scallion, that posting back in May was about Big City Reds, not Red Hot Chicago.

CSD

my bad, sorry

Can you print out your menu and the type of customers you were selling too. Also post your hours and location with a description.

I agree with the posters who say try a local sausage maker or another type of dog. Corn dogs may go over better in Mississippi than Vienna dogs (just a hunch).

How far are you from the hurricane disaster areas? I would think about moving my operation into the areas with all the relief workers. I bet you would sell as many dogs and cold drinks as you could produce. Something to think about anyway.

quote:

Originally posted by smeltfisher

Thanks, Adj, but through my initial adventure I've become almost-friends with a very big-wig at Vienna - the Regional Sales Mgr. for the entire east. He, despite mild warnings, helped me to get the dog, and even visited when the stand was in its first hey-day. He had suggested I widen my menu choices, which may or may not have worked. But the problem is not Vienna, but someone who is willing to handle them.

quote:

Originally posted by Adjudicator


Somewhere in my email archives I have name & phone number of east coast rep. for Vienna Beef. Doubt this will help as your problem seems to arise from wholesalers, etc. Let me know via email if you want same. I will be out of town Thurs. & Fri. of this week so I may be a bit late in responding.

Regards --

Just got back from Atlanta area. With all of the commotion printed earlier this year about Vienna Beef products being for sale at "all" Super-Target locations; I stopped by the Stone Mountain, GA Super Target this A.M. I checked both in the meat dept. & deli; they had never heard of "Vienna Beef".