Ben's Soft Pretzels
Ben's Soft Pretzels is a privately held, family-owned Indiana-based franchise company founded in 2008 that sells hand-rolled, fresh-baked jumbo soft pretzels through 185+ locations across 12 U.S. states, serving individual consumers via malls, stadiums, theme parks, universities, retail stores, and e-commerce.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersElkhart, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Ben's Soft Pretzels does
Ben's Soft Pretzels is a privately held, family-owned quick-service franchise company founded in 2008 and headquartered in Goshen, Indiana. The company specializes in hand-rolled, fresh-baked jumbo soft pretzels made with imported German pretzel salt and sells them through a franchise-based model spanning 185+ locations across 12 U.S. states. Distribution is venue-diversified — mall kiosks, in-store bakeries inside Walmart and Meijer, major college football stadiums (Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Alabama, Wisconsin, Florida State, TCU), the Indiana Pacers' Gainbridge Fieldhouse, theme parks (LEGOLAND New York), water parks (Splish Splash), universities, and zoos — supplemented by food trucks and catering services. The customer base is primarily individual consumers, with enterprise venue partnerships functioning as channel hosts rather than direct purchasers.
The core product portfolio includes the Original Jumbo Pretzel, Pretzel Bites, Pretzel Dogs, Specialty Pretzels with various toppings, Pockets (sandwiches), Prizza (pretzel-crust pizza), Pretzel Sticks, and 12+ gourmet dipping sauces. Revenue is generated through retail pretzel sales at franchise and company locations, initial franchise fees and ongoing royalties, e-commerce merchandise (DIY Baking Kits, Amish Cinnamon Roll kits, branded gear), gift card sales through Square, catering orders, and wholesale distribution of DIY kits through all 176 Gordon Food Service Stores. The technology stack is assembled from third-party platforms — Square's integrated commerce platform for POS, loyalty (Ben's Club), and gift cards; Incentivio for mobile and online ordering; and Lightspeed for the e-commerce store — with no proprietary technology platform or disclosed AI/ML capabilities. Leadership comprises Co-Founder and CEO Scott Jones and Co-Founder Brian Krider, with Rich Trowbridge as Director of Marketing; the company operates with 251–500 employees and shows no public-market listing, institutional investment, or M&A activity.
Ben's Soft Pretzels firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ben's Soft Pretzels
- Legal name
- Ben's Soft Pretzels Franchising Corporation
- Website
- https://benspretzels.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Ben's Soft Pretzels is a privately held, family-owned Indiana-based franchise company founded in 2008 that sells hand-rolled, fresh-baked jumbo soft pretzels through 185+ locations across 12 U.S. states, serving individual consumers via malls, stadiums, theme parks, universities, retail stores, and e-commerce.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ben's Soft Pretzels industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Quick-Service Pretzel Bakery
- NAICS
- Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (3118), Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515)
- SIC
- Bakery Products (2050), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pretzels & Salted Snacks (CRADABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Pretzels & Savory Baked Snacks Manufacturing (AFAKAIAD), Bakery Grab-and-Go (Pastries, Packaged Desserts, Takeaway Bread) (CRAHAKAJ)
Keywords
Where Ben's Soft Pretzels is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Elkhart
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Ben's Soft Pretzels business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Pretzel Sales: Direct sales of fresh-baked pretzels and pretzel products at franchise and company-owned locations including malls, stadiums, universities, water parks, and retail stores.
- E-commerce Merchandise: Online sales of take-home pretzel baking kits, Amish cinnamon roll kits, and branded merchandise through the company's e-commerce store.
- Gift Card Sales: Sale of digital and physical gift cards through Square's platform.
- Franchise Fees and Royalties: Revenue from franchise partners through initial fees and ongoing royalties based on sales.
- Catering Services: Catering orders for events including party platters and pretzel sticks, delivered fresh to customer locations.
- DIY Kit Distribution: Distribution of pretzel baking kits through Gordon Food Service retail locations (176 stores).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Amish Baking Products |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels7 records
Ben's Soft Pretzels product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ben's Soft Pretzels is a family-owned quick-service restaurant and franchise concept that hand-rolls and bakes fresh soft pretzels, pretzel dogs, bites, pockets, and pretzel-crust pizzas for sale through 185+ franchised bakery locations across the United States. Beyond in-store sales, the company operates catering services, food trucks, an e-commerce store selling DIY baking kits and branded merchandise, and a mobile loyalty rewards program called Ben's Club.
Product overview
Ben's Soft Pretzels is a family-owned soft pretzel franchise company offering handcrafted pretzel products through multiple service channels. The core product portfolio includes Original Jumbo Pretzels, Pretzel Bites, Pretzel Dogs, Specialty Pretzels, Pockets (pocket sandwiches), Prizza (pretzel crust pizzas), Pretzel Sticks, and an extensive selection of 12+ dipping sauces. The company operates through 185+ physical locations (including stand-alone bakeries, mall kiosks, Walmart and Meijer in-store locations, sporting venues, and theme parks), catering services, food trucks, and an online merchandise store. Additional services include the Ben's Club loyalty program with mobile app integration, gift cards, and DIY Pretzel Baking Kits sold through Gordon Food Service Stores and the online shop. The company was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Goshen, Indiana.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ben's Club: Loyalty rewards program offering free pretzels, points per dollar spent, and birthday rewards.
- Ben's Food Trucks
Products and services
- Original Jumbo Pretzel The flagship hand-rolled, fresh-baked jumbo soft pretzel made with imported German pretzel salt, sold as the 'World's Greatest Soft Pretzel' at franchised Ben's locations. Targeted at individual consumers seeking premium snack food at malls, stadiums, theme parks, and retail venues.
- Pretzel Bites Bite-sized soft pretzels offered in Original, Pepperoni and Cheese, and Jalapeno and Cheese varieties, sold at Ben's franchised bakeries for snacking or sharing.
- Pretzel Dogs All-beef hot dogs wrapped in warm soft pretzel buns with cheese, available in Original, Everything, and Jalapeno varieties, sold at Ben's locations.
- Specialty Pretzels Premium-topped soft pretzels in Pepperoni and Cheese, Everything, Jalapeno Cheese, Dutch Almond, and Bacon and Cheese varieties, sold at Ben's locations.
- Pockets Pocket sandwiches filled with proteins such as Italian, Philly Cheese, Chicken Bacon Ranch, Ham & Cheese, Turkey and Swiss, Hawaiian, 3 Cheese Mini, and Meatball, sold at Ben's locations.
- Prizza Soft pretzel-crust pizzas in 8" or 16" sizes with toppings such as Chicken Bacon BBQ Ranch, Pepperoni, Cheese, Sausage, Meatball, Chicken Bacon BBQ, and Philly Cheese Steak, sold at Ben's locations.
- Pretzel Sticks Soft pretzel sticks sold in a shareable 6-pack format at Ben's locations, also offered through catering.
- Dipping Sauces A selection of 12 gourmet dipping sauces — Vanilla Icing, Spicy Mustard, Yellow Mustard, Ranch, Garlic, Sweet Mustard, Cheddar Cheese, Cream Cheese, Nutella, Sriracha Cheese, Nacho Cheese, Caramel, and Marinara — sold alongside pretzel products at Ben's locations.
- Catering Service Catering service for small to medium events such as graduation parties and weddings, featuring party platters of Buggy Bites with sauce and Pretzel Stix with sauces delivered fresh to customer locations.
- Food Truck Services Mobile food truck operations serving a limited menu of fresh-baked pretzel products at large events, sports games, fairs, and festivals.
- Ben's Club Loyalty Program Mobile-app-based loyalty rewards program in which members earn 10 points per $1 spent, receive a free pretzel on signup, and redeem points for free menu items at participating locations.
- DIY Pretzel Baking Kits At-home pretzel baking kits containing secret recipe mix, imported German pretzel salt, cinnamon and sugar mix, baking soda, yeast, and directions, sold in 2-pack ($17.99) and 6-pack ($47.99) formats online and through Gordon Food Service Stores.
- Online Merchandise Store Company-operated e-commerce store selling branded merchandise, take-home baking kits, Amish cinnamon roll kits, and Ben's Gear apparel.
- Gift Cards Digital and physical stored-value gift cards sold through Square, redeemable at participating Ben's Soft Pretzels locations across the United States.
- Ben's Soft Pretzels Franchise
Quantifiable outcome
- Loyalty members spend 40% more per visit and return 64% more frequently
Companies that use Ben's Soft Pretzels
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Ben's Soft Pretzels technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature1 record
Ben's Soft Pretzels partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- SquarecoreBen's Soft Pretzels partnered with Square to implement an integrated commerce platform across more than 185 locations. The platform improved customer engagement and operational efficiency, with measurable outcomes including 40% higher spending and 64% more frequent visits from loyalty members.
- Levy RestaurantscoreLevy Restaurants, a leading hospitality and food service company, partnered with Ben's Soft Pretzels to serve their iconic soft pretzels at LEGOLAND New York Resort. Levy serves Ben's products at the park, offering guests a snack option throughout their adventure.
- Splish Splash Water ParkcoreBen's Soft Pretzels partnered with Splish Splash Water Park (New York's Largest Water Park) for the summer 2024 season. Pretzels are available at multiple locations within the park beginning on Opening Day, Saturday, May 25.
- Gordon Food Service StorescoreBen's Soft Pretzels partnered with Gordon Food Service Stores to expand their World Pretzel Domination plan. All 176 Gordon Food Service Stores sell Ben's DIY Pretzel Baking Kits manufactured in Northern Indiana.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ben's Soft Pretzels competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- FAT Brands: Public multi-brand restaurant franchisor that owns Auntie Anne's. Comparable as a parent/franchisor business model, but operates at vastly greater scale and across many concepts beyond pretzels.
- Cinnabon: Mall- and travel-plaza-anchored baked-goods franchise. Comparable on venue mix (malls, airports, travel hubs) and quick-service bakery/snack positioning, even though the core product (cinnamon rolls) differs from pretzels.
- Great American Cookies: Mall-anchored baked-goods franchise with cookies, brownies, and similar grab-and-go offerings. Comparable on venue mix (malls, food courts) and franchise-driven unit economics, even though core product differs.
- Mrs. Fields: Established mall-based baked-snack franchise. Comparable in venue strategy (malls, non-traditional locations) and impulse-purchase bakery-snack positioning, though with a different core product (cookies).
Direct peers
- Philly Pretzel Factory: East Coast-anchored soft pretzel franchise with comparable product offering (hand-rolled pretzels, dipping sauces) and franchise model. Overlaps with Ben's in non-traditional venues and catering/event occasions.
- Wetzel's Pretzels: Direct soft pretzel franchise competitor with a similar mall and high-traffic venue strategy and product line centered on hand-rolled soft pretzels. Competes head-to-head for franchisees and venue partners in the same venue types as Ben's.
- Pretzelmaker: Mall-anchored soft pretzel franchise competitor with a similar grab-and-go positioning. Closely comparable on venue mix (malls, food courts) and core product offering of soft pretzels and dipping sauces.
- Auntie Anne's: Largest U.S. soft pretzel franchise, also operating primarily in malls, airports, stadiums, and other non-traditional venues. Directly competes with Ben's for franchisees, venues, and consumer occasions with a much larger system footprint.
Emerging players
- Nestlé Toll House Café by Chip: Franchised baked-goods/snack concept operating in malls and entertainment venues. Comparable on mall/entertainment-venue franchising model and cookie/baked-snack grab-and-go positioning.
- Jamba: Franchised snack/beverage concept frequently co-located in malls, airports, and non-traditional venues alongside Ben's. Comparable as a venue-tenant adjacency rather than a direct menu competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ben's Soft Pretzels social profiles
Digital presenceBen's Soft Pretzels financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ben's Soft Pretzels leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Ben's Soft Pretzels funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ben's Soft Pretzels M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ben's Soft Pretzels
What does Ben's Soft Pretzels do?
Ben's Soft Pretzels is a family-owned quick-service restaurant and franchise concept that hand-rolls and bakes fresh soft pretzels, pretzel dogs, bites, pockets, and pretzel-crust pizzas for sale through 185+ franchised bakery locations across the United States. Beyond in-store sales, the company operates catering services, food trucks, an e-commerce store selling DIY baking kits and branded merchandise, and a mobile loyalty rewards program called Ben's Club.
Is Ben's Soft Pretzels a public or private company?
Ben's Soft Pretzels is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Ben's Soft Pretzels founded?
Ben's Soft Pretzels was founded in 2008. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Ben's Soft Pretzels based?
Ben's Soft Pretzels is headquartered in Elkhart, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ben's Soft Pretzels make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Retail Pretzel Sales are the primary driver. The others are E-commerce Merchandise, gift Card Sales, franchise Fees and Royalties, catering Services and DIY Kit Distribution.
Who are Ben's Soft Pretzels's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are FAT Brands, Cinnabon, Great American Cookies and Mrs. Fields. Direct peers are Philly Pretzel Factory, Wetzel's Pretzels, Pretzelmaker and Auntie Anne's. Emerging players are Nestlé Toll House Café by Chip and Jamba.
Does Ben's Soft Pretzels have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ben's Soft Pretzels.
What industry is Ben's Soft Pretzels in?
Ben's Soft Pretzels's product category is Quick-Service Pretzel Bakery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADABAI, Pretzels & Salted Snacks, with a secondary code of AFAKAIAD, Pretzels & Savory Baked Snacks Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 722513 and its SIC code is 2050.