Kobayashi / Hofmann partnership details
Syracuse.com and DMagazine have articles about Takeru Kobayashi’s press conference this morning where his partnership with Hofmann Hot Dogs was officially announced. Some notes:
- Takeru Kobayashi will own 50% of a new division Hofmann has created to produce a Kobayashi-branded hot dog.
- Hofmann is planning to open a restaurant in Dallas, possibly as soon as September. (Cowboys legend Roger Staubach is another Hofmann part-owner, so that might be the reason for the location.)
- Kobayashi will compete in a hot dog contest against a “ferocious competitor” at the Great New York State Fair on August 25.
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anonymous said
July 19, 2012 @ 2:34 pm
Used to like Hofmann hot dogs. Now I’ll never buy them again, as I don’t want any fraction of the money going to that greedy bastard. I suspect that Wegman’s brand is made by them too.
Anonymous said
July 19, 2012 @ 3:03 pm
Awesome!!!! Congrats Kobi!
DaxtheGinger said (Registered April 23, 2011)
July 19, 2012 @ 3:05 pm
Who is this marketed too? What’s the angle going to be? Eat fast eat more and get fat Emerica, find em at Wallmart.
Anonymous said
July 19, 2012 @ 9:42 pm
That’s a big stake to just give to somebody who doesnt have any skin in the game. I dont know what that says about their expectations.
Anonymous said
July 19, 2012 @ 10:58 pm
I can see it now. How does that little bastard have his own hot dog. I want my own hot dog. Rename Nathans dogs, Chesnut dogs or Joey dogs…& I want 51%!
As Joe Biden might say, ‘this is a big f&ckin deal’.
Anonymous said
July 19, 2012 @ 11:43 pm
They should open a location in Japan. Maybe they give a shit?
Anonymous said
July 20, 2012 @ 1:56 am
There is no hate, there is no jealousy… This is the same thing as Justin Beiber or Beyonce. No one denies they are talented artists, but after awhile you get tired of hearing them already and you change the channel. I see Koby becoming that artist. We get it. He can eat. Now can we change the channel?
Rhonda Evans said (Registered March 6, 2008)
July 20, 2012 @ 7:27 am
1:56, I think you’re on to something, as far as viewpoints FROM competitive eaters TOWARD top gurgitators, but I don’t think actual CE fans get tired of hearing about the best eaters. Some of it is out of jealousy, as well as resentment, however, which can be good, if it serves as an impetus to get other eaters to keep striving for better performances.
Regarding my first point, as an example, Tiger Woods (USGA) and Alex Ovechkin (NHL) get loads of press, but as a fan I can never hear enough about, or see enough of, either one. As a matter of fact, if I hear Tiger isn’t playing in a tournament, I won’t even watch it. And if it were not for “The Great 8,” I wouldn’t have started watching hockey at all.
Fans are attracted to passionate sports / celebrity figures with outstanding talent.
(And I’m attracted to passionate NONsports figures, as long as they HAVE a good figure.) 😉
anonymous said
July 20, 2012 @ 9:26 am
I’ll buy a pack for sure.
Anonymous said
July 20, 2012 @ 11:16 am
I got tired of Tiger Woods too. There is too much of a good thing. Kobi is like that Call Me Maybe song. It was catchy at first. Now I want to shoot the speakers everytime it comes on. Maybe years from now it’ll come on and I won’t hate hearing it as much, but it won’t happen anytime soon. Since I am I fan of CE and not an eater I can honestly tell you that you are wrong Rhonda.
Anonymous said
July 20, 2012 @ 11:35 am
No. That’s why he’s here in the US. People in Japan DON’T give a shit about him. They are all talented, have “unusual skills”, and compete to win. They understand what honor is. They would never protest events, bad mouth other eaters, or demand more than they deserve. When they loose it’s considered dishonorable and some used to end their lives over a loss of honor. If that was the case Kobayashi would have killed himself after the whole Nathan’s fiasco. Or let him go up against REAL eaters and see what he’s got. Challenging Indy eaters is like having a contest against kindergardeners. Take payouts from babies. Its as complicated as going to SI or Wendy Williams and eating against yourself. Joey, Pat, Tim, Sonya… Even Jamie Mc and Matt Stoniest could probably wipe the floor with him at this point. Maybe he’s getting too old. He’s like the Bret Michales of CE. Cool 20 years ago, but so desperate to “maintain his fame” and make money that he’ll brand his own line of rock n roll dog toys. In this case its packs of hot dogs. There are too many TALENTED eaters to be focusing on one guy who makes up his own contests, picks the judges, and always wins them. I guarantee you he’d loose against Joey. Especially after coming in 10.5 dogs behind his Nathan’s record. He’s numbers are getting lower and they reward him with branding a dog after him? Yeah right.
anonymous said
July 20, 2012 @ 12:44 pm
More $$ in his pocket none in ours Who the fu== cares?
anonymous said
July 20, 2012 @ 12:51 pm
@11:35 AM – Lose, not loose! And didn’t Joey eat 68 and “the little Asian guy” eat 58.5? According to my calculator (because I shouldn’t trust my brain to calculate that correctly), isn’t that 9.5 HDBs?
And I agree with 12:44 PM…
Speedy said
July 20, 2012 @ 1:06 pm
I’m happy for him. And you could be happy for him, too. Just relax and quit taking this so seriously. Have a little fun.
Rhonda Evans said (Registered March 6, 2008)
July 20, 2012 @ 1:43 pm
To each his own, but I’m very happy for the guy.
hmmm said
July 20, 2012 @ 2:50 pm
Good for your Kobi! Too funny to hear all the haters come out of the woodwork. Same people that said it was a terrible idea for him to leave the MLE. Pretty sure Nathan’s never had plans to make a Kobi dog. Dishonor? For disagreeing with a bullshit contract that gives the eaters next to nothing while $heas line their pockets? Clearly your idea of honor is distorted. Haters gonna hate!
anonymous said
July 20, 2012 @ 3:15 pm
Next to nothing – $20000 for doing four events a year is your idea of nothing?!??
Anonymous said
July 20, 2012 @ 4:38 pm
Holy cow… when it comes to Kobi the envy/jealousy train is fully loaded. Try and be somewhat human and be happy for him or anyone who has reached a level of success in a “sport”. I wish all people would be as bad a person as Kobi is according to some posters on Eatfeats… the world would be a better place. The majority of the world thinks he is a cool guy and I complete agree.
Speedy said
July 20, 2012 @ 5:27 pm
Anony 4:38, I believe the silent majority on this site is goodhearted and supportive of each other. Congrats again Kobi!
Anonymous said
July 20, 2012 @ 11:07 pm
For 1135. Are you kidding! Kobi would wipe the floor up with everyone in most contests and not even Chestnut can come close to him in wings. Look at wing bowl. He has the record. Kobi is the best now, before, and forever!
Mega Munch said
July 21, 2012 @ 3:15 pm
Koby is raking in the dough (exactly how much is hard to say) and he’s free to compete in whichever contests he chooses. He’s his own boss and he’s living the American Dream. I thinks it’s time to put all this “Koby was stupid not to sign the IFOCE contract” talk to rest and start giving the man the props he deserves.
Anonymous said
July 21, 2012 @ 7:22 pm
UR right on mega munch.
anonymous said
July 21, 2012 @ 9:26 pm
TAmazing how spoiled and.selfish.some people are. Kobi makes money with the IFOCE or without the IFOCE. Many.IFOCE eaters never made a dime with the organization. He should thank the sheas for all the money he made wioth them in the past . IFOCE gave him the exposure et needed to become the legend he is today. I never heard of Hoffman hotdogs.
Anonymous said
July 22, 2012 @ 12:52 am
Did somebody really bring up Wing Bowl? Haha THAT makes Kobi better than Chestnut? That means Squibb is twice as good as Chestnut? He won 3 times and broke Chestnuts record. So if you are going to count that as proof of CE success than you are saying that The Super Squibb was the top wing eater of all times three years running? That makes Kobi the greatest against Jaws?
Big Ben said
July 22, 2012 @ 1:01 am
I’m siding w/5:27. Most of the peeps here are good hearted. We don’t write racest comments, make hate videos against other eaters, or hide behind anonymous as our name. You don’t have to regester, but you don’t have to hide. Ever notice most of the quality eaters don’t even comment on these conversations. Kobi, Joey, Tim, Jon, Sonya, Bob… Never a word. Stand up pro eaters. good for Kobi. If he can lay his head down at night w/a stack of money under it- good on him. Same goes for the rest of us.
neilthem said (Registered January 14, 2011)
July 22, 2012 @ 9:46 am
anonymous said “Used to like Hofmann hot dogs. Now I’ll never buy them again…”
July 19, 2012 @ 2:34 pm
————————————–
Are you jealous, insecure, or just having anger management issues?
Since when does a desire to work hard and succeed = greed??
neilthem said (Registered January 14, 2011)
July 22, 2012 @ 9:58 am
Anonymous said
July 20, 2012 @ 1:56 am
There is no hate, there is no jealousy… “…He can eat. Now can we change the channel?”
===========================================
Just in case you are missing the point, this deal represents a massive step up and forward for the Kobayashi marketing and branding organization on a potentially global basis. Even my dogs know he can eat (glad you figured that out); that’s not even close to the headlines here. HINT: Most people outside of upstate NY have not yet heard of the Hofmann brand, but they know who Kobayashi is. Not unlike the Purdue Chicken coup many years ago, some very smart people have figured out there are currently no national brand leaders in the hot dog category- mainly regional players. 2nd HINT: It would be very lucrative to fill the national hot dog brand void, but you need a strategy. That is what’s unfolding. Just wanted to mention that and yes, please change the channel.
hmmm said
July 22, 2012 @ 2:33 pm
“Amazing how spoiled and selfish” ??? Why for watching his own interests? Kobi did far more for the $heas financially than the other way around financially. If anything the Sheas should be thanking Kobi for putting the MLE on the map. Their restrictive contract encouraged his choice to bounce.
anonymous said
July 22, 2012 @ 3:27 pm
People soon forget how much seiken did for the sheas . They owe him money and lots of it
Forgot said
July 22, 2012 @ 9:37 pm
Please remind me.
Anonymous said
July 23, 2012 @ 11:01 am
This is so funny- I don’t even know half the names on here. Maybe y’all should support Kobi less n work on ur own careers. He prob don’t know who y’all are n nobody else ever will if y’all spend ur days sticking up for him. He’s getting ahead and y’all are still nobody’s! ROFL! I guess it is true, the real eaters don’t come on here. Have fun complaining or defending this horses ass. I’m getting back the the eating y’all. Later suckers!!!
Speedy said
July 23, 2012 @ 11:36 am
This is a fun hobby, not a career.
Megan said
September 4, 2012 @ 7:29 pm
I’d like to correct this, I work for Hofmann’s. Kobayashi is a great athlete, and he does not own 50% of Hofmann’s he owns 2% and he owns 50% of the Kobayashi brand thats being developed by Hofmann. Hofmann sees his potential as an athlete, a business man, and further his business career. People are always so quick to judge and just want to hate. Why can’t anybody ever be happy for someone else’s achievements, we just want to knock them down? Thats whats wrong with this country.