Joey Chestnut, a participant in the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4, stands next to Nathan’s mascot Frankster before the official weigh-in ceremony in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, USA, on July 2, 2021.
Angus Mordant | Reuters
There will be one less dog in the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest this year.
Major League Eating announced Tuesday that it is parting ways with 16-time champion Joey “Jaws” Chestnut ahead of this year’s competition, hosted by Nathan is famous.
Chestnut was previously offered a four-year, $1.2 million contract with MLE to compete in the hot dog competition, a source familiar with the matter told CNBC.
The decision to end the relationship came after Chestnut decided to represent a competing brand that sells plant-based hot dogs, the organization told CNBC in a statement. The New York Post reported that the brand was Impossible Foods, but the company did not immediately comment.
Impossible Foods offers plant-based hot dogs that the company says are healthier and more environmentally friendly than the traditional meat version because they contain half the saturated fat of the animal version and produce 84% fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
For nearly two decades, participants, including Chestnut, have operated under the same “hot dog exclusivity terms,” the MLE said in a statement.
“Joey is a great advocate and friend, and he is loved in Coney Island and around the world. So I hope that come July 4th, when we celebrate Independence Day, he changes his decision and promotes a vegetarian hot dog instead of ours,” Richard Shea, president of Major League Eating, told CNBC.
The MLE said it worked with Nathan’s to accommodate Chestnut’s requests, including allowing him to participate in a competitive, unbranded hot dog eating contest on Labor Day that will be streamed by an unnamed major platform .
Joey Chestnut holds the Guinness World Record for eating the most hot dogs in 10 minutes, a title he won at the annual hot dog eating contest in 2021.
Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, New York is a Fourth of July tradition and airs nationally on ESPN. It’s also a marketing strategy for Nathan’s Famous, whose signature offering, the hot dog, is in decline.
Particularly with the rise of health-conscious eating habits and the increasing importance of the wellness trend for consumers, the American staple hot dog is one of many processed foods that have seen declining sales.
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2024-06-11 21:19:43
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