Why This Multi-Unit Franchisee Invested in Pretzelmaker®

For multi-unit Pretzelmaker® franchisee Mark Frandle, the decision to buy his first franchise in Mason City, Iowa, boiled down to one thing: his love of pretzels. “For me, it’s all about the pretzels,” he said. “I strongly believe that Pretzelmaker’s pretzels are superior to all the other pretzels on the market. Ours are softer, sweeter and overall so much better.”

Frandle first learned about Pretzelmaker, the iconic pretzel brand with 234 locations spread across 10 countries, through a friend who co-owned a Pretzelmaker franchise with a business partner. “His partner wanted out, so I decided to jump in as his new partner,” Frandle said. “We ended up growing our footprint to include 13 stores.”

As a former banker, Frandle felt well-equipped to handle all financials, but he was looking for a partner with previous business experience. “Partnering with my friend, who already knew how to run the business successfully, really eased my mind,” said Frandle.

Franchise growth

Fast forward to 2021, and Frandle is now the sole owner of 10 Pretzelmaker stores — two in Iowa, one in Nebraska, four in Minnesota, two in Wisconsin and one in Georgia, plus the original location which he ultimately took over.

Now an experienced business owner, Frandle has learned that delegation is the key to success. “I have really great managers who I trust implicitly. I communicate with them daily and travel to see them once every couple of months,” he said.

Still, even with strong managers, problems can arise. “I deal with challenges on a daily basis,” Frandle said. “Managing the day-to-day is the hardest part of the business.”

Corporate support

Luckily, Prezelmaker is backed by Global Franchise Group (GFG), the multi-brand franchisor behind leading snack brands including Hot Dog on a Stick**®** and Great American Cookies**®,** among others, so when Frandle has problems he can’t resolve on his own, he knows where to turn.

“GFG helped us quite a bit during COVID,” Frandle said. “They kept us up-to-date on government programs that were available to us, and their franchise business consultants provided us with constant support. During the height of the pandemic, all of my 10 locations were closed for 55 to 60 days, but we still had to pay rent and bills. It was an exceedingly challenging time.”

Thankfully, with the support of GFG, Frandle and other Pretzelmaker franchisees were able to meet the challenge.

“Despite the fact that many Pretzelmaker storefronts are located in high-traffic venues that were largely impacted by the pandemic, we were able to navigate as a brand to make it out on the other side,” said Paul Damico, CEO of Global Franchise Group. “Now, not only is Pretzelmaker bouncing back but it's poised for growth and continued innovation in 2021.”

Renewed demand

Frandle not only made it through, but he’s also seeing renewed demand and sales. “The difference is unbelievable,” he said. “Customers are coming right back. I think a lot of people are looking to get out of the house and return to a sense of normalcy, and our products offer a little taste of that.”

While all of Frandle’s Pretzelmaker locations are boasting a strong start to 2021, his most successful location is in St. Cloud, Minnesota. “It’s been there for 25 years and is in a well-established mall. That in itself is a great little hub because there’s nothing for an hour in any direction,” said Frandle. “When we reopened after COVID closures, it was like Christmas every day. The demand was incredible and it was heartwarming to see how much the community missed us and our pretzels.”

In addition to his traditional store model, Frandle is intrigued by the brand’s new Fresh Twist concept, which offers Pretzelmaker’s beloved hand-rolled pretzels, pretzel bites and pretzel dogs and adds breakfast and late-night menu options, allowing it to be competitive in both traditional and non-traditional venues across the country.

“It’s a new direction for Pretzelmaker, and one that allows them to compete in airports, sporting arenas and colleges,” said Frandle. “Universities are a tough venue to get into, but it’s intriguing.” Pretzelmaker is currently working with higher education development firm OnCampus Brands to market and connect Fresh Twist to college and university dining programs and auxiliary services across the country.

Pretzelmaker franchisees like Frandle also have the opportunity to grow within the Global Franchise Group family, whose quick-service brands, in addition to Pretzelmaker, include Great American Cookies®, Hot Dog on a Stick®, Round Table Pizza® and Marble Slab Creamery®.

“At one point, I also had a Great American Cookies franchise,” said Frandle. “What I learned from that experience is that I’m a pretzel guy, not a cookie guy, but it was a great experience nonetheless. At the end of the day, you have to find what your passion is and stick with it.”