Marketing

Wetzel's Pretzels to cruise in Rose Parade

Provided

December 3, 2021

Wetzel's Pretzels will cruise into 2022 with its inaugural float entry into the upcoming Rose Parade.

The Pasadena, California-based pretzel brand will celebrate the new year with a float titled California Cruisin', which shares Wetzel's fun, light-hearted spirit and cool, SoCal vibes, according to a press release.

Embodying the Rose Parade's theme of "Dream. Believe. Achieve," the Wetzel's float represents the ideals of the American Dream and how driven individuals can achieve ambitious, life-changing goals. Starting with a dream of enhancing the snack category in a fresh, fun way, founders Bill Phelps and Rick Wetzel followed their entrepreneurial passion, launching the company in their hometown of Pasadena and opening their first bakery in Redondo Beach in 1994.

"As a hometown, Pasadena-based brand, we've watched the parade pass right by our headquarters' office in Old Town. We're thrilled to be a participant this year as the theme 'Dream. Believe. Achieve.' connects deeply with our mission and is something I find so meaningful and motivating about leading a franchise organization," Jennifer Schuler, CEO of Wetzel's Pretzels, said in the release. "We're proud to have established a profitable business model, which enables our franchisees to achieve their dreams of not only building a successful business, but also creating generational wealth for their families. In many cases, our franchisees are first-time business owners or first-generation Americans and when they take a chance on their dreams, they create vibrant local businesses that serve the community with pretzels and create jobs. Our first-ever entry into the Rose Parade® celebrates this dream coming full circle, from its humble beginnings here in Pasadena where our founders started that dream, to a national brand that supports hundreds of entrepreneurs achieving their dreams of business ownership."

To celebrate, guest's who enter the code "PARADE" in the Wetzels' app will receive a free pretzel reward to be redeemed in the New Year and will be entered for a chance to win exclusive Wetzel's Rose Parade merch and free pretzels for a year.

"At Wetzel's, we strive to be that delightful moment in someone's day, giving them the opportunity to relax, recharge and connect with others while enjoying a scratch-made pretzel straight from the oven," Kim Freer, chief marketing officer of Wetzel's Pretzels, said in the release. "As we turn the calendar page, it seems fitting that California Cruisin' provides a welcome reminder that it's not about the destination, but rather, enjoying the journey."