Volkswagen sold a staggering 8.5 million currywurst sausages in 2024 – far more than the 5.2 million cars it moved off dealer lots. While that’s an amusing statistic, it also highlights the automaker’s ongoing struggles. The company saw a 30% drop in profit last year, largely due to declining sales in China and growing competition from local EV brands like BYD.

VW has been making its signature currywurst since 1973, originally as a meal for factory workers.

But demand quickly grew, and now the company ships them to supermarkets, football stadiums, and even some dealerships. The sausages are such a core part of Volkswagen culture that they even have an official part number: 199 398 500 A. Each sausage is stamped with VW’s branding, too.

“More than 8 million Volkswagen original currywursts marks a new sales record for us,” VW’s chief human resources officer, Gunnar Kilian, said.

The process behind VW’s currywurst is arguably as precise as its car manufacturing. A team at the Wolfsburg plant carefully seasons high-quality pork with a secret spice mix, stuffs it into casings, and smokes it over beechwood for 100 minutes. The signature flavor earned the sausages a devoted following across 12 countries.

Meanwhile, the automaker is trying to regain momentum in the car business. It recently extended job security guarantees in Germany, but it also announced plans to cut 35,000 jobs by 2030, The Guardian shared. VW’s executives even took an 11% pay cut as part of broader cost-saving efforts. 

Despite the setbacks, the company expects a 5% revenue boost in 2025 and is betting big on a new, budget-friendly EV priced at around $22,000, set to launch in 2027.