Why it matters:
- Demand for healthier foods is expected to help drive a 3.1% compound annual growth rate for pretzel sales over the next five years, according to Grand View Research.
- Uncle Jerry’s Pretzels do not use any additives, oils, sugars, or preservatives, which allows it to make fist-sized pretzels that are only 90 calories each.
- The company is expanding into new geographic markets through both direct-to-consumer sales and its retail distributor partners.
Uncle Jerry’s Pretzels are full of twists and turns, which is just the opposite of the straight-and-narrow path that has led the small, family-owned company through almost four decades of success.
“We have always pitched ourselves and marketed ourselves as a better-for-you snack food that doesn't have any additives, oils, or sugars, and we don't use any preservatives,” said Misty Skolnick, Co-Owner of Uncle Jerry’s Pretzels and the daughter of the company’s founder, Jerry Skolnick. “That hasn't changed. What Uncle Jerry’s fundamentally is has remained the same.”
The company makes its traditional Pennsylvania Dutch-style pretzels at its bakery in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and sells them in grocery stores across the country, as well as directly to consumers through its website.
The pretzels, which Skolnick describes as being “about the size of your fist,” are baked in small batches using only five ingredients: water, flour, yeast, sourdough starter, and salt and are shipped directly to customers. The simple formulation means that each pretzel has only 90 calories, or less than a fourth of the calories that some mass-produced pretzels have.
Uncle Jerry’s positioning as a better-for-you brand dovetails with consumer trends around health and wellness, which has been helping buoy the pretzel market overall. The U.S. pretzel market was estimated at $2.27 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 3.1% from 2025 to 2030, according to a report from Grand View Research.
“One of the primary reasons for this growth is the rising demand for healthy and convenient snacks,” another Grand View Research report concludes. “Consumers are increasingly seeking more nutritious snack options due to rising concerns about obesity and related health issues.”
[Read more: Cooking Convenience Trends Are Driving Sales for Food and Beverage Companies]
Uncle Jerry’s Pretzels logs 35% sales growth year to date
In the first few months of 2025, Uncle Jerry’s sales have increased 35% year over year, outpacing the U.S. pretzel market. The pretzels are available in several Whole Foods Market regions around the country and local chains such as MOM’s Organic Market, Kings Food Markets, and ShopRite. About a third of the company’s sales are direct to consumers through the company’s website.
I always used to joke that my approach to growing the business was like throwing spaghetti against the wall. Now I think maybe that’s changing a little bit. I really try to use a lot of data — I think data is your friend when you’re trying to grow a business.Misty Skolnick, Co-Owner of Uncle Jerry’s Pretzels
In order to reach its retail customers, Uncle Jerry’s works with a handful of smaller distributors. Skolnick said these smaller distributors are a better fit for the company than the larger organic food distributors in the market.
Although the core ethos of Uncle Jerry’s Pretzels has remained offering better-for-you pretzel snacks, the company has created multiple variations of its product, including dark, whole wheat, oat bran, low-salt, and several chocolate-covered variations, among others.
The pretzels are still rolled by hand at the company’s bakery facility, which employs several of the local Mennonite people who live in the area. The bakery includes a single production line and an old hearth oven.
In order to maintain quality and freshness, the company produces all of its pretzels as they are needed and doesn’t store them at its facility.
“The shelf life is six months, but we ship them right away,” said Skolnick. “That’s another thing that makes us different from other brands. We don’t warehouse our products, so what ends up on a customer’s doorstep is fresh.”
Sometimes this artisanal approach means that shipments can take a little longer than orders that are produced in a factory-style operation, however.
“We just thank customers for their patience and try to explain why it might take a little bit longer to get their pretzels, which is because they are handmade,” said Skolnick.
During busy periods, such as the year-end holiday season, Uncle Jerry’s runs extra shifts at the bakery to keep up with demand.
[Read more: Mushrooms Emerge as Growth Opportunity Across the Grocery Landscape]
Plans for new markets and new products, like gluten-free and ‘everything bagel’ pretzels
Eventually Skolnick said she’d like to expand the business to include gluten-free pretzels, which would require a separate, dedicated production area to avoid contamination. She’s also considering introducing high-protein formulations, and she’s keeping an eye on other dietary health trends that the company might be able to leverage.
In addition, she’d like to bring back an “everything bagel” flavor that was popular with customers. Lately, however, the price has been too high for the seasoning, which was baked right into the dough, she said.
Uncle Jerry’s is also extending its geographic reach. One of its distributors is expanding in the Southern United States, and Skolnick said she’s hoping to get into some retail stores in that region, such as Earth Fare and The Fresh Market. Currently, the company works with a distributor that has an extension in California, where Uncle Jerry’s has also had strong success growing its sales.
Leveraging new marketing opportunities as GLP-1 weight loss drugs take flight
Skolnick said she also sees opportunities for growth as consumers increasingly seek out low-calorie foods, particularly in connection with the rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. Consumers are looking for great-tasting snacks in smaller portions, she said, and driving more awareness of the Uncle Jerry’s brand to these potential customers is a top priority for the company.
Throughout the company’s early years, the brand mostly grew by word of mouth, Skolnick said, but she has since brought some digital savvy to the company’s marketing. Now, Uncle Jerry’s leverages Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to get its message out, and it also sends multiple emails each month to customers.
Pay-per-click advertising through companies including Google and Meta is also helping drive e-commerce orders, she said, and is also creating awareness in new markets.
“I always used to joke that my approach to growing the business was like throwing spaghetti against the wall,” said Skolnick. “Now I think maybe that’s changing a little bit. I really try to use a lot of data — I think data is your friend when you’re trying to grow a business.”
Getting direct feedback from customers also helps Uncle Jerry’s make adjustments as it grows, she said. The company sends out consumer surveys periodically and follows up with customers who place large gift orders to help it tweak that aspect of its operations and continually improve its customer service.
As a small company with a very simple operating model, Skolnick said she feels that it can be an advantage when it comes to making changes to meet customer demands.
“We can be a little more agile in how quickly we respond to different trends and needs,” she said.
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