Nathan's Famous Ramps Up for Hog Dog Season

CHICAGO, June 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Raise the flag and light the grill - it's hot dog season across America!

"You can't have summertime without hot dogs.  They're part of America's culinary DNA," says Janet Sweeney, marketing director for Specialty Foods Group, which makes Nathan's Famous hot dogs sold in supermarkets nationwide.  "We have to really gear up for July 4th because it's America's biggest hot dog eating holiday."

The company will turn out more than 1.5 million Nathan's Famous hot dogs each day leading up to the Fourth.  

Adding to the hot dog excitement this season is the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Sweepstakes on Facebook (http://on.fb.me/kaGlxG), which gives consumers a chance to win a trip for four to the 2012 Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest held each year in Coney Island, NY.  Additional prizes include hundreds of coupons for free packages of Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs.  The sweepstakes runs through July 15, 2011.

Last year's sweepstakes winner, Melissa Reed from Doylestown, PA, is heading to New York with three friends for a "girls' weekend" in Coney Island.  She'll be an honorary judge at the world-renowned eating contest.

During the competition, 20 competitive eaters face-off to see who can gobble up the most hot dogs in 10 minutes.  Reigning champion, Joey Chestnut, who downed 54 hot dogs and buns last year will be back to defend his title this July 4th.  Regional events determine who gets a seat at the contest table.

Nathan's Famous hot dogs are just that – famous for their quality and great flavor that has made them a culinary icon.  President Theodore Delano Roosevelt served them to the King and Queen of England in 1939; everyone from  Al Capone to Joe DiMaggio to former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani have enjoyed and lauded the attributes of Nathan's Famous hot dogs.

Nathan's Famous hot dogs are produced and distributed to retail stores nationwide by Specialty Foods Group (SFG), a leading U.S. producer and marketer of a wide variety of premium branded and private-label processed meat products. SFG products are available through a wide-range of outlets including national and regional supermarkets, independent food retailers, delicatessens, club stores, convenience stores and foodservice distributors.

SOURCE Specialty Foods Group