Central Penn Business Journal: Philly Pretzel Factory plans growth, including in central Pa.

Pennsylvania-based Philly Pretzel Factory already has 153 open stores, and is planning to grow even more in the near future.

“The company expects to open 25 to 30 locations this year, followed by "big growth" next year and beyond, Monaghan said. That could mean 75 new stores per year. By 2020, Philly Pretzel Factory hopes to grow to 500 locations.”

Currently the brand has locations in 12 states, but hopes to eventually be in all 50, in various types of locations.

“There is the traditional strip mall shopping center location, the smaller version inside an existing retailer such as Wal-Mart and a kiosk model found inside entertainment or transportation complexes,” Monaghan said. “The latter can include amusement parks, zoos and airports, train stations or bus terminals.”

Philly Pretzel Factory doesn’t stick to the model of some of its competitors that focus on mall locations. Instead, the brand provides catering services and focuses on large volume purchases.

Promotions like free pretzels for National Pretzel Day, which they’ve for eight years, and now free Pretzel Dogs for National Hot Dog Day have helped the brand grow. The company plans on slowly growing its menu to include meal replacements snacks at lunch or dinner.