From CNBC: 2024-06-11 16:47:02

Joey Chestnut, 16-time champion of the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, is parting ways with Major League Eating ahead of this year’s competition. Chestnut chose to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs, leading to the end of his relationship with MLE. The organization confirmed that Impossible Foods, a maker of plant-based products, is the brand Chestnut chose to promote. Impossible Foods claims its plant-based hot dogs are healthier and more eco-friendly than traditional meat versions.

The decision to end the relationship with Chestnut comes after the MLE extended a $1.2 million, four-year contract offer to him to compete in the hot dog-eating contest. Chestnut holds the Guinness World Record for eating the most hot dogs in 10 minutes. The MLE stated that Chestnut is a great champion and friend, loved in Coney Island and around the world, and they hope he reconsiders his choice to promote a veggie hot dog rather than Nathan’s Famous.

For nearly two decades, contestants, including Chestnut, have been under the same “hot dog exclusivity provisions.” Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, New York, is a Fourth of July tradition and is broadcast nationally on ESPN. The competition is also a marketing strategy for Nathan’s Famous, whose hot dog sales have been declining with the rise of health-conscious eating habits and the wellness trend in the market.



Read more at CNBC: Joey Chestnut out over plant-based partnership