Joey Chestnut, a contestant in Nathan’s famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest, stands next to Nathan’s mascot, Frank Star, prior to the official weigh-in ceremony in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA on July 2, 2021.
Angus Mordaunt | Reuters
Nathan’s famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest will be without one this year.
Major League Eating announced Tuesday that it was parting ways with 16-time champion Joey “Jaws” Chestnut ahead of this year’s tournament. Nathan’s Famous.
Chestnut was previously offered a four-year, $1.2 million contract by MLE to take part in the hot dog competition, a source familiar with the matter told CNBC.
The decision to end the relationship came after Chestnut chose to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs, the group told CNBC in a statement. The New York Post reported that the brand was Impossible Foods, but the company told CNBC it could not confirm the partnership.
Impossible Foods offers a plant-based hot dog that the company claims is healthier and more environmentally friendly than traditional meat-based hot dogs, with half the saturated fat and 84% fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
MLE said in a statement that contestants including Chestnut have operated under the same “hot dog exclusivity clause” for nearly two decades.
“Joey is a great champion and friend, beloved not only at Coney Island but around the world, so we hope he’ll be there on the Fourth of July to celebrate Independence Day and change his mind about promoting his veggie hot dogs instead of our hot dogs,” Major League Eating president Richard Shea told CNBC.
MLE worked with Nathan’s to accommodate Chestnut’s requests, which included participating in an unbranded rival hot dog eating contest streamed on major platforms on Labor Day, the company said.
Joey Chestnut is the Guinness World Record holder for the most hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes, winning the title at the 2021 annual hot dog eating contest.
The Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest in Coney Island, New York, is an annual Fourth of July tradition that is broadcast nationally on ESPN and is also a marketing ploy for Nathan’s, which has seen sales of its signature hot dogs fall.
In particular, the American staple hot dog is one of many processed foods seeing sales declines due to rising health-conscious eating habits and the growing importance of health trends to consumers.
