Wetzel’s Pretzels, the Pasadena-based soft pretzel bakery chain familiar to consumers across the West, is setting its sights for growth in 2019 in the Philadelphia and South New Jersey area this year.
On January 30 and 31, Doug Flaig, Wetzel’s Pretzel’s vice president of franchise development, will be hosting exploratory meetings with qualified multi-unit operators in Philadelphia and South New Jersey, a company statement said.
“Wetzel’s Pretzels’ menu items sit at a fantastic intersection of being quick, affordable snacks that are made from scratch with limited ingredients, exactly what today’s consumers are looking for,” Jennifer Schuler, Wetzel’s Pretzel’s CEO, said.
The brand born from the Southern California lifestyle has cultivated fans for more than 20 years, thanks to its scratch-made pretzels, fresh lemonade and craveable Cin-a-Bitz. The planned expansion builds on that fan passion and the brand’s ability to cultivate fans from coast to coast, according to the statement.
The statement said Wetzel’s targeted growth plans for the Philadelphia and South New Jersey area come on the heels of another banner year for the company, which included consistent, industry-leading sales growth, as well as being recognized as a growth concept by publications like Entrepreneur Magazine and Franchise Times.
The company’s leadership views Philadelphia and South New Jersey as fantastic growth opportunities, thanks to the area’s strong GDP growth, new business tax incentives and high density population, according to the statement.
The brand currently has two open locations in Philadelphia, which give Wetzel’s Pretzels an existing market presence. It’s now looking at Philadelphia Mills, Philadelphia Premium Outlets and Springfield Mall as possible new locations, along with Moorestown Mall and Cherry Hills Mall in New Jersey.
Beyond traditional mall buildouts, Wetzel’s Pretzels is also capitalizing on various nontraditional locations, with various build-out options such as baking and non-baking kiosks, and remote units that can supplement a traditional in-line location.
Anyone interested in learning more about Wetzel’s Pretzels can contact Doug Flaig to schedule an initial discussion at (805) 616-9799 through doug@wetzels.com.
Alternatively, operators who are looking to expand or diversify their holdings can visit Wetzel’s Pretzels’ franchise site, www.wetzelsfranchising.com or call (626) 432-6900.