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Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
In the midst of war, an American hot dog icon has found a foothold
'Overall, it's delicious,' Pozniak said after his first bite of the so-called New York hot dog, with mustard, ketchup and sweet pickle relish. 'I usually prefer more classic sauces like Tabasco or the standard ketchup and mayonnaise — that's what I'm used to. This pickle relish surprised me, but in a good way.' Hot dogs are ubiquitous in Ukraine. But for a long time, the market has been dominated by a kind of hot dog encased in a tubular panini and described, for a reason no French person seems to know, as the 'French' dog. The story of how Nathan's dogs — settled in their open, messy buns — found a foothold in the country is in many ways a reflection of how much Ukraine has tilted toward the West in past decades. Advertisement There are now 27 Nathan's Famous outlets in Socar gas stations in Ukraine. Despite the war, as much as possible, the lights have stayed on. Business is not booming, but it is OK. Advertisement A Nathan's Famous hot dog status honoring its Ukrainian and American heritage, in Kyiv. BRENDAN HOFFMAN/NYT More than almost anyone, Oleksiy Dronov, 48, is responsible for bringing Nathan's to Ukraine. The owners of Socar wanted a special kind of hot dog in their stores, which are a far cry from the typical American gas station establishment. (The flagship Socar carries Veuve Clicquot Champagne, aged filet mignon and caviar-flavored potato chips.) Most important, the dog had to be all beef, to meet the Muslim dietary requirements of the corporate headquarters in Azerbaijan. Dronov, who worked on the project for Socar, looked at hot dog chains in Denmark and Germany. One of Dronov's bosses had been to New York and tasted Nathan's Famous, which was founded in 1916 by a Polish immigrant to New York and his wife. 'He was under the legend already,' Dronov explained. In 2019, Dronov sent three emails to a generic Nathan's address on the company website, but the company wasn't interested. Then, he sent another email with a picture of a new billboard near his house advertising hot dogs at KFC. He asked Nathan's: If KFC was entering the market, why aren't you? Eventually, Dronov made contact with Oliver Powers, the vice president of franchise operations at Nathan's, and Socar signed a deal. Nathan's also made big plans for Ukraine: franchises and eventually free-standing Nathan's restaurants. But the timing was not great. Socar opened its first Nathan's Famous outlet during the pandemic, a time of masks and hypersanitariness, things that are terrible for hot dog sales. Then, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Powers was in Florida. He sent a text to Dronov: 'I hope you are OK.' Advertisement Oleksiy Dronov, who helped bring the Nathan's Famous hot dog to Ukraine, pictured in Kyiv on May 9. BRENDAN HOFFMAN/NYT Dronov replied: 'I'm in Kyiv, they're shooting on the outskirts of the city, some small groups are invading and being stopped.' He added, 'I wish I had a gun,' and appended the Ukrainian version of a smiley-face emoji. Powers told him to stay safe. They continued to trade messages throughout the toughest part of the war in Kyiv. On Feb. 28, Powers wrote: 'Are you OK, are you hanging in?' 'Yep, boss,' Dronov said. 'But since today, we can't really sell Nathan's.' Related : Many Socar stations were closed, emptied of gas. Imported products such as hot dog buns were running low. In those early days of the war, Dronov started volunteering, delivering food to older people. On March 4, the same day that Russian forces took over Ukraine's largest nuclear power plant, Dronov messaged Powers. 'Hi, Boss. I have a question,' he wrote. 'Our importer can't make logistics. Can we put on some plastic covers on the Nathan's light boxes and temporary switch back to local sausages available? In order to feed the people?' Powers, normally more of a stickler for Nathan's Famous rules, replied: 'Sure. Glad to see you are OK.' Powers is still friends with Dronov and other Ukrainians who helped Nathan's come to Ukraine. In an interview, he reflected on his experience. 'Everybody says to me, how do you have these relationships internationally with all these people? And you just sell hot dogs?' he said. But he added: 'When you work together, the one thing I've learned, we all have the same problems. We deal with the same issues.' He paused for a second, musing on the war. 'I hope it ends soon,' he said. Advertisement Eventually, Nathan's resumed selling hot dogs, the war became a fact of life and Dronov become a volunteer for the war effort. From a visiting U.S. team, he learned how to perform tactical medicine on the battlefield, and then he learned to teach tactical medicine to Ukrainians. These days, he spends much of his time doing that. Ivan Pozniak, an airline pilot, tried his first Nathan's Famous hot dog alongside his wife Zana Kobelska, on April 23. BRENDAN HOFFMAN/NYT As for Nathan's in Ukraine, gone are the dreams of holding a hot dog eating contest at the flagship store every Fourth of July like the one in Coney Island, which in 2021 featured a man who ate 76 Nathan's Famous hot dogs in 10 minutes. In Ukraine, the government has discouraged big gatherings like that. In 2023, Nathan's in Ukraine tried to celebrate the Fourth of July with an online hot dog eating contest. Only about 30 people entered, though, and the winner ate just five hot dogs in three minutes. For that celebration, the store ordered the hot dog statue, along with a large American flag. Someone put the small Ukrainian and American flags in the hot dog's hands. The statue and the flags have endured, unlike the online hot dog eating contest. At the flagship, most of the workers are women, as the men are away at the front. Ukrainian soldiers sometimes sit at the tables, eating Nathan's hot dogs while in uniform. Pozniak's wife, Zana Kobelska, 37, stops at the flagship whenever she can find an excuse. Before the war, working as a flight attendant, Kobelska said, she had visited the United States maybe 50 times. She said she had liked America all her life. 'But right now, because of the politics of Trump, it's not good, as it's not a democratic way,' she said. Advertisement Kobelska burst into tears and apologized. 'I still think that America is the best partner for Ukraine,' she said. But she said she felt a twinge when she walked past the Nathan's hot dog statue. She wanted to remove the American flag the statue was holding — not to throw it away or do anything bad with it, but just to put it somewhere else. She worried that maybe it did not belong alongside the Ukrainian flag anymore. This article originally appeared in .
New York Times
5 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
In the Midst of War, a Tale of Hot Dogs
The hot dog statue wore tennis shoes and held a Ukrainian flag in its left hand and an American flag in its right. (The hot dog had hands.) Standing outside the flagship store of the Ukrainian gas station chain Socar, the statue displayed a sign advertising 'Nathan's Famous' hot dogs in the same green curlicue script that promotes the chain at its original location in Brooklyn's Coney Island and Nathan's outlets everywhere. On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Ivan Pozniak, a 35-year-old airline pilot, walked past the statue and into the store connected to the gas station. He was about to try his first Nathan's Famous hot dog. 'Overall, it's delicious,' Mr. Pozniak said after his first bite of the so-called New York hot dog, with mustard, ketchup and sweet pickle relish. 'I usually prefer more classic sauces like Tabasco or the standard ketchup and mayonnaise — that's what I'm used to. This pickle relish surprised me, but in a good way.' Hot dogs are ubiquitous in Ukraine. But for a long time the market has been dominated by a kind of hot dog encased in a tubular panini and described, for a reason no French person seems to know, as the 'French' dog. The story of how Nathan's dogs — settled in their open, messy buns — found a foothold in the country is in many ways a reflection of how much Ukraine has tilted toward the West in past decades. There are now 27 Nathan's Famous outlets in Socar gas stations in Ukraine. Despite the war, as much as possible, the lights have stayed on. Business is not booming, but it is OK. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Middle East Eye
18-04-2025
- Business
- Middle East Eye
Syria seeks Azerbaijan's help to develop oil and gas fields
The presidents of Syria and Azerbaijan discussed how Baku could play a role in restoring Syria's oil and gas sector in their first-ever meeting in Turkey last weekend, sources familiar with the issue told Middle East Eye. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, where they held talks on how to move forward after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria. One source familiar with the discussions told Middle East Eye that the Syrian government is interested in getting Azerbaijan's state oil company, Socar, to help develop oil and gas fields in northeastern Syria, an area largely controlled by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) armed group. Earlier this month, Azerbaijan, a close ally of Israel, hosted deconfliction meetings between Turkish and Israeli officials, after Israel's military struck three military bases in Syria out of concern that Turkey's forces might seize them. 'Syria wants to counterbalance every regional player. Having both Turkey and Azerbaijan involved in operating the oil and gas fields would provide a sense of assurance regarding Israel,' said a second source familiar with the Syrian government's thinking. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters In January, Elchin Ibadov, CEO of Socar's Turkish arm Socar Türkiye, expressed the company's readiness to participate in Syria's energy sector. 'If Socar Türkiye is assigned a role aligned with the shared strategic interests of our countries - Azerbaijan and Türkiye - and there is demand for this energy, then it is our duty to fulfill it,' he said. In March, SDF leader Mazloum Abdi and Sharaa signed a unification deal that effectively granted the Damascus government control over the energy fields. However, Sharaa's government has yet to physically take over the sites. A regional official familiar with the SDF-Damascus agreement said Damascus plans to divide the income generated from the fields, with 70 percent allocated to the central government and 30 percent reserved for local needs. A Turkish official noted that if Azerbaijan and Syria develop a closer working relationship, it could help Damascus alleviate Israeli concerns about the new transitional government, which Israeli officials have described as 'terrorists'. US lobbied Turkey and Israel to hold military deconfliction talks on Syria Read More » According to the Syrian news outlet Enab Baladi, Syria currently produces 110,000 barrels of oil per day, a sharp decline from the 385,000 barrels per day produced in 2010 before the civil war broke out. Of this, 100,000 barrels come from fields under SDF control, while 10,000 barrels are produced by the new Syrian administration. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimated in 2015 that Syria possessed 2.5 billion barrels of proved oil reserves. For natural gas, Enab Baladi reports that the country produces 9.1 million cubic meters per day, down from 30 million cubic meters per day in 2010. The new government currently produces 8 million cubic meters, while the SDF controls 1.1 million cubic meters. In 2015, the EIA estimated Syria's gas reserves at 240 billion cubic meters, including both wet and dry gas. Following the fall of the Assad government in December, most global energy companies withdrew from Syria. However, earlier this year, the EU and the UK lifted some sanctions on the energy sector, including those affecting several banks and state-owned oil companies. The US also eased restrictions by issuing General License No. 24 (GL24), which permits transactions with Syrian governing institutions under their new rulers. It also authorises the sale, supply, storage, or donation of energy - including petroleum, petroleum products, natural gas and electricity - within Syria. The licence is valid for six months and is set to expire on 8 June, with the possibility of renewal depending on the situation on the ground. The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Washington toughened its conditions for further sanctions relief, asking Sharaa's government to crack down on some armed groups and expel Palestinian political parties from the country. Sanctions had previously forced 11 international companies - responsible for 49.6 percent of Syria's total crude oil production in 2010 - to abandon operations in the country. MEE has asked for comments both from the Azerbaijani and Syrian authorities. An MEE correspondent contributed to this report.
Reuters
07-04-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Socar Trading appoints Natig Mustafayev as chief executive
LONDON, April 7 (Reuters) - Natig Mustafayev has been appointed chief executive of Azeri oil and gas group Socar's Swiss trading subsidiary, Socar Trading, the state-owned Azeri company said on Monday. Mustafayev took up the position on Monday, replacing Mariam Almaszade, who has been in the role since 2018. The Reuters Power Up newsletter provides everything you need to know about the global energy industry. Sign up here. Almaszade will now move to a senior advisory role at parent Socar Group. Mustafayev joined Socar Trading in September 2024 as the company's chief commercial strategy officer, and previously worked at Credit Suisse and U.S. asset manager Barings. "We are committed to expanding SOCAR Trading's global footprint and diversifying our portfolio across both products and geographies," Mustafayev said in the company's statement.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Azerbaijan Construction Industry Report 2025: Output to Grow at an AAGR of 3.3% During 2026-2029
The government plans to build eight solar power plants and wind farms by 2027, with a total investment of AZN4.8 billion ($2.8 billion) from local and foreign sources. These projects, with a combined capacity of 2GW, will produce 5.3 billion kWh of electricity annually, saving 1.2 billion cubic meters (m3) of gas and cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 2.5 million tonnes. Among other recent developments, UAE's state-owned energy company Masdar and Socar Green, which is a subsidiary of Azerbaijan's state owned oil company, Socar, secured funding of AZN272 million ($160 million) for two solar plants, in November 2024. Dublin, March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Azerbaijan Construction Market Size, Trends, and Forecasts by Sector - Commercial, Industrial, Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities, Institutional and Residential Market Analysis to 2029 (H1 2025)" report has been added to offering. Construction industry in Azerbaijan to expand by 4.8% in real terms in 2025, supported by investments in oil and gas, renewable energy, and transport infrastructure projects, coupled with rising foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country. According to the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA), the country attracted AZN7.7 billion ($4.5 billion) in FDI during the first nine months of 2024, marking a year-on-year (YoY) growth of 2.3%. Of the total, 79.3% went to the oil and gas sector. Improving tourism activities in the country will also boost investments in the industry this year. According to the CBA, Azerbaijan's tourism services turnover rose by 42.7% YoY in the first nine months of 2024, reaching AZN4.8 billion ($2.8 billion). Moreover, the number of foreign visitors to Azerbaijan rose by 29.1% YoY over the same period. In December 2024, the parliament of Azerbaijan approved the state Budget for 2025, with a total expenditure of AZN41.4 billion ($24.3 billion). Under the state budget, AZN8.5 billion ($5 billion) was allocated for economic activity expenses, and AZN4 billion ($2.4 billion) for the construction and rehabilitation of the liberated territories. The education and healthcare sector will receive AZN4.9 billion ($2.9 billion) and AZN1.99 billion ($1.2 billion) respectively in the 2025 Budget. The government has also allocated AZN366.2 million ($215.4 million) to housing and communal services, including capital repair of residential buildings and other services under the state the remainder of the forecast period, the construction industry is expected to register an annual average growth rate of 3.3% between 2026-29, supported by investments in transport and renewable energy infrastructure projects, coupled with the government's plan to increase the share of renewable energy in the total installed electricity-generation capacity to at least 35.5% by 2030; the government also plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35% by 2030 and 40% by 2050, compared to the 1990 level. The government plans to build eight solar power plants and wind farms by 2027, with a total investment of AZN4.8 billion ($2.8 billion) from local and foreign sources. These projects, with a combined capacity of 2GW, will produce 5.3 billion kWh of electricity annually, saving 1.2 billion cubic meters (m3) of gas and cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 2.5 million tonnes. Among other recent developments, UAE's state-owned energy company Masdar and Socar Green, which is a subsidiary of Azerbaijan's state owned oil company, Socar, secured funding of AZN272 million ($160 million) for two solar plants, in November 2024. The projects, which are collectively worth AZN1 billion ($600 million), comprising the 445MW Bilasuvar and 315MW Neftchala plants. They will be funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The construction of the project started in June 2024, with completion scheduled by Historical (2020-2024) and forecast (2025-2029) valuations of the construction industry in Azerbaijan, featuring details of key growth drivers. Segmentation by sector (commercial, industrial, infrastructure, energy and utilities, institutional and residential) and by sub-sector Analysis of the mega-project pipeline, including breakdowns by development stage across all sectors, and projected spending on projects in the existing pipeline. Listings of major projects, in addition to details of leading contractors and consultants Reasons to Buy Identify and evaluate market opportunities using our standardized valuation and forecasting methodologies Assess market growth potential at a micro-level with over 600 time-series data forecasts Understand the latest industry and market trends Formulate and validate business strategies using the analyst's critical and actionable insight Assess business risks, including cost, regulatory and competitive pressures Evaluate competitive risk and success factors Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive Summary2 Construction Industry: At-a-Glance3 Latest news and developments4 Project analytics5 Construction Market Data6 Risk Profile7 AppendixFor more information about this report visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. CONTACT: CONTACT: Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@ For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900
