Some brands don’t just sell food—they sell July. For over a century, Nathan’s Famous has been less about the hot dog itself and more about the spectacle, the tradition, and that one chaotic day every summer when grown adults willingly punish their digestive systems on live television. Now, that legacy has a new owner.
The Coney Island hot dog brand that built a century-long reputation on a single stand and a single product has been sold for about $450 million to Smithfield Foods, a food processing company based in Smithfield, Virginia.
The longtime producer is reportedly acquiring Nathan’s Famous at a price of $102 per share. The buyer already has deep ties to the brand, having produced Nathan’s packaged products in the U.S. and Canada since 2014.
That existing relationship is one reason the deal does not come with major changes attached.
The Contest Isn’t Going Anywhere
Smithfield said it plans to continue hosting the annual Fourth of July hot dog-eating contest at Nathan’s original location in Coney Island. The event, which has become one of the most recognizable summer events in the country, will stay put outside the Surf Avenue stand where it began.
The contest has helped turn Nathan’s into more than a restaurant chain. It is a cultural fixture, broadcast nationally and closely associated with competitive eating icons. Reigning champion Joey Chestnut has not yet commented publicly on the sale. Neither has Miki Sudo, who has dominated the women’s competition in recent years.
Founded in 1916, Nathan’s Famous grew from a single hot dog stand into a global brand, largely by keeping its image tightly controlled while expanding through licensing and packaged foods. Under Smithfield’s ownership, that strategy appears set to continue.
The ownership is changing. The hot dogs are not. And on July 4, the countdown will still start at sixty.
Sources: Smithfield, Brooklyn Daily Eagle, CBS News