Twins hot dogs to be made in Albert Lea
Published 1:33 pm Monday, March 8, 2010
The Minnesota Twins announced Monday it will offer hot dogs made by Schweigert Meats of Albert Lea when it moves to Target Field this season.
The Twins and Delaware North Sportservice said the Original Twins Dog made by Schweigert Meats is from the same recipe as the hot dogs served in the team’s first ballpark, Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington.
In addition to the Original Twins Dog, Schweigert, a subsidiary of Cargill Inc., will provide three other types of hot dogs at Target Field, according to a press release.
First, there will be the quarter-pound all-beef Twins Big Dog, which will replace the hot dog formerly known as the Dome Dog. It will be served at portable grills and select concession stands throughout the stadium.
There will also be the Dugout Dog, an old-fashioned pork and beef hot dog in a natural casing. It will be vended in the stands by retro-aired vendors during all home games after being steamed in vending boxes and then placed in a bun when ordered by a fan.
The Dinger Dog, an extra-long pork and beef hot dog, is the fourth hot dog offered at select Hennepin Grille locations at Target Field.
“We are fortunate to be able to offer our fans a variety of hot dogs for the same great value they have come to expect,” said Dave St. Peter, president of the Minnesota Twins in the release. “We’ve made it a priority to incorporate local restaurants and food concepts at Target Field, and we’re pleased to add Schweigert Meats to our hometown lineup.”
Schweigert has Minnesota roots dating back to 1937. The company moved to Albert Lea in 1983 and was bought by Cargill in April 2008.
“The Schweigert team in Albert Lea is thrilled their brand is the official hot dog of the Twins and so are the 5,000-plus Cargill employees in the state,” said Mark Klein, spokesman for Cargill. “We estimate that one million hot dogs could be consumed this season.”
David Barocco, vice president of sales and marketing of the Cargill Value Added Meats Retail division, described the decision as “an honor.”
“Our quality meats and hot dogs have been a staple of Minnesota sports for decades,” Barocco said. “It’s an honor to bring back the original hot dog served at Metropolitan Stadium and provide Twins fans with four great-tasting hot dog options.”
The Twins and Sportservice also announced Monday the continuation of Dollar-A-Dog Days at Target Field during the 2010 regular season.
The Original Twins Dog will be sold for $1 every Monday home game, with the exception of opening day. The promotion will be limited to two hot dogs per person and be capped at 20,000 hot dogs per game.