Philly Pretzel Factory is expanding in Florida
The chain’s first Sunshine State location, in the Orlando area, is slated to open later this year.
You may be able to get an authentic Philly soft pretzel on your family’s next trip to Disney World.
Several Philly Pretzel Factory stores are coming to the Orlando area, according to a statement from the Bensalem-based company, with the chain’s first Florida location slated to open later this year.
The Sunshine State shops will sell all the fan favorites, including not only traditional soft pretzels but also pretzel dogs, mini-cheesesteak bites, and spicy pretzel sausages.
Derek Lewis, former PepsiCo president and franchise owner of several central Florida Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks locations, is spearheading the project in partnership with Philly Pretzel Factory executives.
“Soft pretzels are woven into Philadelphia’s cultural fabric, and I’ve craved their distinctive taste since childhood,” Lewis said in a statement. In the middle of Florida, “we’re creating a complete Philadelphia food experience that delivers world-class taste and quality to our guests.”
Dan DiZio, CEO and cofounder of Philly Pretzel Factory, said Lewis “will be instrumental in introducing our brand to new communities.”
Currently, the company’s closest location to Orlando is 377 miles away in Columbia, S.C., according to its website.
As part of the partnership, Philly soft pretzels will also be sold at some Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks locations, including the flagship store in Atlanta.
“When you talk about Philly food culture, you’re talking about cheesesteaks and soft pretzels,” said Big Dave’s founder Derrick Hayes Sr., a West Philadelphia native. “Now our customers can experience both under one roof.”
Philly Pretzel Factory was founded in 1998 by DiZio and his onetime college roommate Len Lehman. Over the past 25 years, the company has grown. It now has 170 stores nationwide, and calls itself “the world’s largest Philly-style pretzel bakery.”
The pretzel giant isn’t the only Philly food brand that has expanded south.
Wawa announced plans last year to build 70 new stores, including its first locations in Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina. It currently has dozens of locations in Florida, and the company has said it eventually expects the store count there to surpass the number in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey respectively.
PrimoHoagies, the Gloucester County-based sandwich shop, recently expanded west and south. In the past three years, it has opened stores in New Orleans and Fort Lauderdale, Gainesville, and Tallahassee, Fla.