The Iconic Brand Behind New York-style Hot Dogs
NEWS
By ELIAS NASH
As per the Huffington Post, there are about 5,000 food carts in New York, and while a majority of them sell New York-style hot dogs, they significantly feature Sabrett hot dogs.
Their carts are instantly recognizable by their blue and yellow striped umbrellas. According to New York Times Cooking, Sabrett is America’s sixth-largest hot dog distributor.
Sabrett’s history is a tale of two companies. The first one, originally named Sabre Meat Company, was founded in 1926 by Samuel Ogus and Fritz Frankel.
While their business took a major leap when Nathan’s contracted them as a hot dog supplier, Sabrett truly reached iconic status when its hot dog carts hit the streets.
The second company belonged to Gregory Papalexis, who initially supplied hot dog buns to various New York eateries before venturing into sausage production.
His business, House O’ Weenies, was a massive success, and in 1964, he established Marathon Enterprises, eventually acquiring Sabrett.
Currently being overseen by Papalexis’s sons-in-law, Sabrett’s New Jersey factory pumps out a whopping 800,000 to 1.2 million hot dogs per day.