Did you know that April 26th is National Pretzel Day? Now you have another reason to eat this wonderful baked good. While the origin of the typically knot-shaped baked good is shrouded in mystery, southern German and Swiss German immigrants introduced the pretzel to North America in the late 18th Century. Nowadays, Americans can’t get enough of them.
According to market research firm Statista, over 181.13 million people in the United States ate pretzels throughout 2020. Even more surprising, 15.05 million people ate six or more bags. If you are looking for the perfect pretzel to snack on, whether bite-sized pieces, hard or soft pretzels, or small snack bags for the kids, these brands can satisfy whatever munchies you may have any time.
Utz Brands, Inc. (Tii:UTZ)
Established in 1921, the Utz company has been providing a range of pretzel products to consumers across the country -- peanut butter pretzel bites, sourdough nuggets, pretzel rods under their Bachman brand – to name a few. Since the company turned 100 this year, Utz is giving a year’s supply of Utz snacks, including pretzels, to 100 lucky winners who enter its contest by July 16, 2021. Shares of Utz brands are up some 128% for the trailing 12 months ended April 23, 2021.
J & J Snack Foods (Tii:JJSF)
J&J Snack Foods is well-known for its Luigi’s brand of Italian ice as well as its Whole Fruit frozen fruit bars. The snack foods provider also offers a line of SuperPretzel soft pretzels, Labriola artisan and pretzel breads, and Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels. In addition to pretzels offered at retail stores, J&J Snack foods also sell many products through their food service line. So, the next pretzel you bite into at the restaurant or movie theater may come from J&J Snack Foods. The company’s finances were negatively impacted as traffic in the key foodservice venues that comprise nearly 66% of J&J’s sales operated at substantially reduced and limited capacity during the pandemic. As a result, first-quarter sales decreased 15% to $241 million from $282.9 million in last year’s first quarter. Net earnings also declined, totaling $1.8 million in the quarter compared with $17.1 million last year.
Nabisco - Mondelez International (Tii:MDLZ)
A subsidiary of Mondelez International, Nabisco owns the Mister Salty brand of pretzels. Often known as handi-snack products, these pretzel rods come with a separate compartment filled with cheese sauce for dipping. It is the perfect snack to stow away into a lunch sack for the kids when going to school or in your lunch bag when heading to the office. Mondelez International shares are up 15.7% for the trailing 12 months ended April 23, 2021.
Rold Gold - PepsiCo, Inc (Tii:PEP)
A family business acquired by Frito-Lay in 1961, Rold Gold is all about the pretzels. Now a subsidiary of PepsiCo, Rold Gold offers small hard pretzels in flavors that include savory butter, zesty buffalo, honey wheat and cheddar. Those feeling culinarily creative can even take advantage of recipes on PepsiCo’s website that incorporate Rold Gold Pretzels, including Grilled Chicken Flat Bread with Pistachio Pesto and Butternut Squash Mac ‘n’ Cheese.
Snyder’s of Hanover - Campbell Soup Company (Tii:CPB)
Snyder’s of Hanover is another brand that focuses on providing a wide selection of pretzel products for people who love this twisted baked snack. Its products include twisted pretzel sticks, pretzel rounds, traditional pretzels, flavored pretzel pieces, chocolate-covered pretzels, braided twists, pretzel sandwiches, and gluten-free pretzels. Flavors include sea salt, garden vegetable, pizza-flavored, hot buffalo wing and jalapeno ranch – to name a few. Now a Campbell Soup subsidiary, Snyder’s was acquired by the packaged food giant in 2018 in a $4.9 billion deal.
So, break out your favorite bag of pretzels and dip while seeking out these favorite brands. Whether you love traditional pretzels, bites, hard or soft varieties, you will be able to satisfy all your cravings.