Sixteen-time Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest champion Joey Chestnut will not be able to relish in another mustard belt victory this year.
Chestnut is working as a representative for Impossible Foods, which sells a variety of plant-based meat, including hot dogs. A spokesperson for Major League Eating, which Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs sanctions to host its annual July 4 hot dog eating contest, said the organization was “devastated” that Chestnut opted to represent a rival brand instead of competing in next month’s competition.
“MLE and Nathan’s went to great lengths to accommodate Joey and his management team, agreeing to the appearance fee and allowing Joey to compete in a rival, unbranded hot dog eating contest on Labor Day,” a statement from MLE reads. “For nearly two decades we have worked under the same basic hot dog exclusivity provisions. However, it seems that Joey and his managers have prioritized a new partnership with a different brand over our long-time relationship.”
A spokesperson for Impossible Foods told the Washington Examiner that it loves Chestnut and will support him “in any contest he chooses.”
“It’s OK to experiment with a new dog,” the spokesperson said. “Meat eaters shouldn’t have to be exclusive to just one wiener.”
A representative for MLE said Nathan’s would not allow Chestnut to advertise for a rival hot dog brand, thus preventing him from competing, according to a report.
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Chestnut is most known for his achievements in the annual contest, including his record 76 hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes, which he achieved in July 2021. He has won every event since 2016, winning last year’s competition with 62 hot dogs eaten.
The competitive eater is described as the greatest in history on his MLE page, a statement the organization has deemed an “empirical fact.” Other records Chestnut has achieved in competitive eating include eating 141 hard-boiled eggs in eight minutes and consuming over four 3-pound apple pies in eight minutes.
