The Pretzel Company’s Small Business Story

This Small Business Saturday, we’re taking a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come, the challenges we’ve faced, and the incredible community that helped us get here. It’s a story of resilience, twists, and of course, pretzels.

A Dream That Started With a Twist

How did two brothers with a love for food end up baking the best soft pretzels in the country? It all began at a local bar, munching on bland, flavorless pretzels. Fueled by a few beers and big dreams, the idea for York City Pretzel Company was born.

In December 2014, we opened our doors in Downtown York, PA—the Snack Food Capital of the World. With a 1,200-square-foot space, a third-hand oven, and our literal moms pitching in, we started twisting pretzels by hand and baking them fresh daily. Within months, Zagat Philadelphia declared our pretzels “worth the drive,” and we quickly outgrew our space.

By 2020, 60% of our revenue came from wholesale accounts, supplying pretzels to restaurants across the region. But then the pandemic hit.

Pivoting During the Pandemic

In March 2020, we made the difficult decision to close our doors and furlough most of our staff. With wholesale accounts shuttered and retail foot traffic gone, we knew we had to reinvent ourselves. Enter The Pretzel Company.

With help from our local Main Street organization, Downtown Inc's, Downtown Bloom Grant and a GoFundMe campaign, we pivoted to e-commerce. On June 1, 2020, we launched The Pretzel Company, shipping our hand-twisted, baked-fresh pretzels nationwide. Looking back at our Bloom Grant application, we chuckled at this line:

“In our initial soft launch of advertising and shipping from The Pretzel Company nationwide, we’ve seen that a $100 investment in Facebook advertising netted us $300 in sales.”

Today, our daily online advertising spend exceeds $4,500—more than the total grant we initially received. From that modest start, we’ve shipped hundreds of thousands of pretzels to all 50 states, earning thousands of five-star reviews from pretzel-lovers coast to coast.

Growing With the Community

What began with two brothers, three friends, and a professional baker has grown into a team of more than two dozen. Our kids and our newly-retired dad still lend a hand. We’ve upgraded our ovens, moved to a larger facility, and introduced new technology like a flow wrapper to ensure our pretzels arrive fresh and perfect.

But at our core, we’re still the same small, family-owned business, hand-twisting each pretzel with care and baking them fresh daily. We’re proud to call York, PA, home and carry forward its legacy as the Snack Food Capital of the World.

Why Shopping Small Matters

When you shop small, you’re not just buying a product—you’re supporting families, dreams, and traditions. You’re investing in businesses like ours that adapt, grow, and thrive because of your support.

This Small Business Saturday, we want to say thank you. Thank you to the local community that believed in us from the beginning. Thank you to the organizations that helped us pivot during a crisis. And thank you to every customer who has ordered from The Pretzel Company, turning a small York bakery into a nationwide success story.

Looking for the perfect holiday snack or gift? Our hand-twisted, baked-fresh pretzels are the ideal way to spread joy this season.

Support Small. Snack Big. Shop Now: www.thepretzelcompany.com

From all of us at The Pretzel Company, thank you for making every twist count. Happy Small Business Saturday!