Save Boca Brats!

Boca Bratwursts are a meatless vegetarian product (not vegan because of egg whites) that is probably most well known for its inclusion at the Madison Brat Fest in Wisconsin. (The World's Largest Brat Fest)

There are only a small number of meatless vegetarian brats available on the market and I for one think that Boca brats are the best tasting of those available. However, Boca and Kraft (now the parent company of Boca) have decided to discontinue several of their meatless vegetarian products including their BOCA NATURAL BRATWURST!

Certainly all over but in particular, in the Midwest and even more specifically in Wisconsin... many of us think this is great mistake. Hopefully we can get attention from all over, though!

According to a letter from the Director of Marketing at Boca Foods, the decision was apparently made in the Fall of 2008. Some stores continued to carry and receive stock for a short time still. Now, though, it has finally reached the point that it seems there are none to be found.

Madison Brat Fest (The World's Largest Brat Fest) has offered Boca brats as an alternative to their Johnsonville brats for years now. A Brat Fest event promoter assured me that they will indeed be available for this years event (2009) despite the discontinuation. But it does in fact look like this year will be the very last year that the Madison Brat Fest will have the Boca brat. So as of now, the 2009 Madison Brat Fest will be your last chance to ever have a Boca brat.

The Boca letter also reads in part, "We have been experiencing difficulty in servicing our business over the past two months due to dramatic inventory reductions. While we were optimistic that we could manage through these problems, it has become evident that more significant steps need to be taken."

I'm not exactly certain what that refers to but a Kraft representative also told me that sales were down for this product. Although, I could not locate any specific figures. You would think that in the Midwest and in particular, Wisconsin... that there would be more popularity among vegetarians for a meatless vegetarian brat product. Especially one that is better than the few others out there... that I have tried, at least.

According to Brat Fest's own website there were 7,500 Boca brats sold at the 2008 event! The Brat Fest event promoter I spoke with confirmed that number and told me that there were 6,880 sold in 2007. So Boca brat popularity seems to have grown at Brat Fest, at least from 2007 to 2008.

Boca brats are also better for you than others. "The Tofurky beer brat, according to its nutrition label, has 280 calories, 140 from fat. Johnsonville brats have 290 calories, 230 from fat. Boca brats have 140 calories, 60 from fat."

*************************
Let's send a message to Kraft and Boca that we want our Boca brats back! Sign this online petition, join the Facebook group here http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=85260367137 and eat as many Boca brats at Brat Fest this year as you can! (without causing harm to yourself, hehe) And spread the word to others so that we can set a Boca brat record at Brat Fest this year! Attention and popularity could be all it takes to get the wonderful Boca brat back into production.
*************************

Sources:
-Direct communication with Scott J. Smith, Brat Fest Event Promoter, Madison Festivals, Inc.
-Direct communication with Kim McMiller, Associate Director, Consumer Relations, Kraft Foods, Inc.
-Letter from Thomas D. Lopez, Director of Marketing, Boca Foods:
http://goodfoods.coop/news/archives/boca/document_view?month:int=9&year:int=2008
http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=94127
-Nutritional Information:
http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/tct/2006/05/25/0605250484.php

More Information:
http://www.bratfest.com
http://www.bocaburger.com
http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com