• The Chicago Tribune/AP, Thursday, June 12, 2008 11 AM

Kraft hopes the reformulation of its Oscar Mayer brand all-beef hot dog -- its first in 20 years -- and a massive promotional campaign to attract new customers with a zestier, meatier recipe will make it the undisputed leader of the stagnating frank market. Right now, Sara Lee's Ball Park Franks also claims the No. 1 position based on separate readings of market research and sales data.

Experts say the frank fight may become more difficult as the economy sours and hot dog consumption -- at least among adults -- hits its lowest level since the mid-1980s. "You can say, at best, long-term, it's flat," says Harry Balzer, a vp with NPD Group. "(But) it's still a valuable market."

Kraft is also spending the summer promoting its line of snack-sized hot dogs that launched in April by sending its new "Mini Weinermobile" on a nationwide marketing tour along side the full-scale model. Meanwhile, Sara Lee is touting its angus beef franks, turkey franks and whole-grain buns that it announced in May. With products like that, it's not just kids the companies hope to woo.

"Both of us are evolving with consumers," says Chuck Hemmingway, brand director for Ball Park.

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