Pretzels, Inc. ha
s announced plans to construct a state-of-the-art production facility in Lawrence, Kansas. The new 150,000-square-foot facility will create a significant number of new jobs and increase the company's capacity across a range of products. It is expected to be operational in late 2021.
Chris Gutierrez of the Kansas City Area Development Council touts the region to potential employers. “We are marketing KC as the snack capitol of the world,” he said. “The area offers a multitude of advantages for manufacturers: Proximity of raw materials, distribution efficiency, and a heartland work ethic.”
Pretzels, Inc. joins powerhouses PepsiCo and Dot’s Pretzels in the KC area.
Pretzel sales in the USA total a billion dollars, with Snyder’s of Hanover garnering almost half the market. Pretzels, Inc. is a leader in private label manufacturing, which makes up the second-largest segment of the market. Rold Gold, made by PepsiCo, weighs in at 73 million pounds of annual sales. Utz, also of Hanover, is followed closely by Dot’s Pretzels, who doubled their sales last year with the addition of a second facility in Kansas.
"We are very excited to expand our production footprint and to continue serving our customers with superior capabilities and geographic reach," said Greg Pearson, chief executive officer of Pretzels, Inc. "This new facility exemplifies Pretzels' commitment to support the growth of our diverse and expanding customer base with industry-leading quality and efficiency across a variety of traditional and innovative products. We look forward to becoming a member of the community in Lawrence and the broader Kansas City metro area as we expand our operations and employee base."