Product Handling: Dover, PA | Smitties Pretzels (2024)

FAQs

What does Pennsylvania have to do with pretzels? ›

Lancaster, PA is known for being home to America's first commercial pretzel bakery, which was established in 1861 in Lititz. As a result, pretzels have become a staple food here and the county is home to numerous family-owned and national pretzel bakeries.

The rise of pretzels in the region is attributed in part to their popularity with Civil War soldiers who passed through the area. In the twentieth century, the first automated pretzel machine was developed in Reading, Pennsylvania.

Here in PA, we produce and eat more pretzels than anywhere else in the country. About 80% of all the pretzels made in the US are made right here, with 45 pretzel companies calling Pennsylvania home.

Refrigerating soft pretzels can turn them soggy and affect their flavor. Freezing pretzels, however, will help retain their texture and softness. You can freeze most food that's properly stored indefinitely, and the food will still be safe to eat. The only issue is the food's quality and taste will suffer.

And today, just 88 years later, Reading is the pretzel capital of the world. An article in the Lancaster “Volksfreund” of July 30, 1879, states that “the first pretzel in the United States is said to have been baked in the city of Lancaster by one Scherle in the year 1827.

Why You Should Never Put Pretzels in a Bag in Philadelphia (No, This Isn't a Joke!) Philadelphia's unique no-bag pretzel tradition stems from a Prohibition-era law aimed at curbing alcohol consumption by targeting bar snacks.

How does all this make Philly the pretzel capital? The first commercial pretzel factory in America opened in 1861 in Lititz, Pa. Since then, the Southeastern Pennsylvania region, including parts of South Jersey, has grown to be the dominant pretzel producer in the country.

Over time, the pretzel became a staple and an integral part of Pennsylvania's culture and economy. The state is now known as the pretzel capital of the world, with Pennsylvanians consuming a whopping 12 times more pretzels than the national average.

Philly Born, LA Bread

When the pandemic shut Hollywood down, actor and Philadelphia native Adam “Shappy” Shapiro longed for nothing more than a taste of the soft Philly-style pretzels that he grew up loving. So he decided to take matters into his own hands, spending months perfecting his pretzel recipe.

About. The Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, founded in 1861, is the first commercial pretzel bakery in America; and the Sturgis Family is the oldest pretzel baking family in America.

What is the snack capital of the world in Pennsylvania? ›

Snack Food Capital of the World – York County

Martin's started in 1941 and is located in south-central Pennsylvania where they produced potato chips. The kettle-cook'd potato chips were created in 1974 and popcorn was added in 1994.

The Anderson Pretzel Factory in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is founded. Today, it calls itself the world's largest, producing 65 tons of hard pretzels daily. The Reading Pretzel Machinery Company in Reading, Pennsylvania, introduced the first automatic hard pretzel twisting machine.

Purchasing a Philly Pretzel Franchise Franchise

Franchisees interested in opening a Philly Pretzel location will need $55,000 in liquid capital, with a total investment of between $135k and $295k, as well as a net worth of at least $300,000. Third-party financing is available.

We ship exclusively with UPS and transit times vary depending on the destination and the temperatures there. Please see the map below for the estimated number of days it takes to ship UPS Ground from Philly Pretzel Factory. once it leaves our facility.

Philadelphia soft pretzels are distinguished from all others by their shape (a figure-8, not loopy with a thick center and thinner ends), their texture (chewy, not crunchy), and their distribution method (look for them on street corners, not supermarkets). They come lightly salted, or, on request, as “baldies.”