This is a rendering of Pretzelmaker’s drive-thru stores.
FAT Brands is revamping its 32-year-old pretzel brand, introducing the playful tagline, “Bite-sized fun, full-sized flavor.” The parent company has been working on Pretzelmaker’s rebrand since the end of 2022.
“What inspired it really was the mood for a consistent, but modern, updated look for the brand,” Chief Brand Officer Mason Wiederhorn said. The rebrand launched at the end of August.
Another part was inconsistencies with the brand’s logo and overall identity, Wiederhorn said. The website now is modern, lively and fun, with yellow and pink being the dominant colors. The website update is also a response to demand for online ordering options.
“We wanted to put a new foot forward, especially as we look to lean further into the ‘bites’ focus for our menu, and just give it a fresh look and do something fun,” he said.
FAT Brands owns 15 restaurant franchises, including Johnny Rockets, Hot Dog on a Stick and Twin Peaks.
Related: FAT Brands Among Top Stock Gainers Through Summer
Pretzelmaker’s new tagline is “Bite-sized fun, full-sized flavor.”
Pretzelmaker is keeping the same recipes its customers are used to, but the brand is emphasizing its pretzel bites, of which there are many flavors. The franchise has original flavors, like garlic or cinnamon sugar; pretzel dog bites and mozzarella-stuffed pretzel bites. There’s seven different dipping sauces, too, ranging from sweet to savory.
Related: Smoothies, Mini Meals Dominate 2022’s Top 500 Snack Category
Other brand updates include store uniforms and packaging. Plus, Pretzelmaker is remodeling “a bunch” of stores, Wiederhorn said.
“We’ve been developing a bunch of new formats for brands, we’ve been looking at drive-thru locations, we have a couple open now and a couple more that are on the way,” Wiederhorn said.
The 150-plus-unit franchise has closed stores the past three years—13 in 2019, 19 in 2020 and 8 in 2021, according to the brand’s most recent Item 20. The investment required to open a Pretzelmaker franchise ranges from $200,200 to $322,000.
The pretzel category has proven successful for several brands, such as Wetzel’s Pretzels and Auntie Anne’s, which had systemwide sales of $221 million and $682 million in 2021, respectively.
Pretzelmaker has a diverse base of franchisees, which is possible because of Pretzelmaker’s ability to “fit into a lot of different locations,” Wiederhorn said. “We just really want people that are passionate about the snacks side of the business, and people that are looking to grow and be a little bit flexible in terms of where locations are going.”