The Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest will be missing one key ingredient this year, and it's not extra buns. The contest's 16-time champion, Joey Chestnut, will not be competing because of a branding conflict, . From 2007 to 2014, Joey Chestnut was undefeated in the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.
He didn't win in 2015, but he's been the victor every year since 2016. Championships aside, Chestnut also holds the world record for most hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes with 76 hot dogs and buns eaten. Chestnut isn't just about the hot dogs, either.
The competitive eater has scarfed down apple pies, Buffalo wings, donuts, and grilled cheese sandwiches. He even won the inaugural earlier this year. However, hot dogs are what have the champion in hot water ahead of the contest he is most associated with.
The organization that runs the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, Major League Eating (MLE), confirmed to ESPN that Chestnut won't be participating because of a sponsorship deal with a hot dog brand that is not Nathan's. The other brand deal is reportedly with Impossible Foods. The conflict behind Joey Chestnut's falling-out with Nathan's Famous Impossible Foods is a plant-based meat producer best known for its burgers and successful co-branded fast food items like the and the .
The company announced in 2023 that it intended to release plant-based hot dogs in 2024. If the brand has secured Chestnut as a spokesperson, it could be a major win for the brand and the plant-b.
