Chef Dominque Leach who owns the Chicago restaurant Lexington Betty Smokehouse with her wife Tanisha Griffin, teamed up with Vander Farmers, a family-owned company and a ource of F1 American Wagyu in the Midwest, to formally launch her own line of WAGYU DOGS nationally. The premium gourmet product received the USDA stamp of approval to distribute in a retail setting and are available now online for nationwide shipping through Lexington Betty's online store.
The release marks the first of multiple BBQ products to be announced for national distribution in 2023 by Chef Leach and Vander Farmers. Additionally, the LBS x Vander Farmers team are pledging a percentage of sales of all Wagyu Dogs sold for the first month of the launch to Chicago's 501C3 charity, Coffee, Hip Hop & Mental Health founded by Christopher LeMark, to help further mental health advocacy work across the city.
The Lexington Betty Smokehouse x Vander Famers WAGYU DOG, which will retail for $18.99 per pack of 8, completely breaks the mold on the traditional hot dog. Made from premium F1 Wagyu beef (50% Japanese Black Cattle, 50% Holstein-Friesian Dairy Cow), the uncured and uncased dog has a heartier density and flavor without losing the beautiful snap you come to expect from a gourmet sausage. With a slightly salty-smokey and sweeter flavor profile than a normal hotdog due to the inherent and delectable marbleization of Wagyu, these dogs complement Chef Leach's famous BBQ sauce, can be dressed up with Tex-Mex ingredients like pico de gallo and jalapeños, or make for a show-stopping twist on the classic Chicago dog.
Online orders sell for a SRP of $56.97 (8 dogs per pack).
Vander Farmers, located in Sturgis, Mich., prides itself on producing premium meats through humanely raised cattle, radical transparency, and sustainable practices.
