Volkswagen’s Other Specialty: Curry Sausage

June 3, 2016 5:00 am
ILLUSTRATION - Curry sausages with 'Volkswagen Originalteil' (lit. 'original part') written on them lying on a kitchen table in Hanover, Germany, 19 February 2016. The curry sausage production at Volkswagen again excelled the car production in 2015. 7.2 million curry sausages were produced at Volkswagen's butcher shop in Wolfsburg in the past year. Photo by: Julian Stratenschulte/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
ILLUSTRATION - Curry sausages with 'Volkswagen Originalteil' (lit. 'original part') written on them lying on a kitchen table in Hanover, Germany, 19 February 2016. The curry sausage production at Volkswagen again excelled the car production in 2015. 7.2 million curry sausages were produced at Volkswagen's butcher shop in Wolfsburg in the past year. Photo by: Julian Stratenschulte/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
Julian Stratenschulte/picture-al

A food culture staple in Germany for decades, the currywurst pork sausage, smothered in spicy ketchup and topped with curry powder, has been a favorite snack of the masses. They’re sold at diners, railway stations, and at Volkswagen’s headquarters in Wolfsburg. But VW has taken things a step further, producing its own line of the popular sausage. Master butcher Francesco Lo Presti has worked for more than 15 years perfecting his own currywurst recipe, which dates back to 1973. Each day, 30 kitchen staffers participate in the industrial-scale production of 30,000 sausages. The sausages are offered by VW salesmen as a treat for prospective clients, and they’re also available at corporate marketing events. They’ve even made it onto the shelves of German supermarket chain Edeka. And just like its cars, VW’s sausages are popular with consumers: In 2015, Volkswagen sold about 7.2 million curry sausages, twice the number sold in 2008. Take a look at VW’s currywurst production line below. —Relaxnews

Volkwagen Currywurst
Volkswagen currywurst sausages with the lettering “Volkswagen genuine part” are waiting to be packaged at German car manufacturing giant Volkswagen’s sausage manufacturing plant, at the VW headquarters in Wolfsburg. (John Macdougal/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Volkswagen currywurst
A worker pushes a rack of Volkswagen currywurst into a “smoking” oven at German car manufacturing giant Volkswagen’s sausage manufacturing plant, at the VW headquarters in Wolfsburg. (John Macdougal/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Volkswagen currywurst
Employees package Volkswagen currywurst sausages at Volkswagen’s sausage manufacturing plant, at the VW headquarters in Wolfsburg. (John Macdougal/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
A close-up of the Volkswagen currywurst. ( Julian Stratenschulte/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)
Volkswagen currywurst
Director of VW’s food division Martin Cordes eats a plateful of Volkswagen currywurst, at the VW headquarters in Wolfsburg, central Germany, on April 21, 2016. (John Macdougal/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images

The InsideHook Newsletter.

News, advice and insights for the most interesting person in the room.