Philadelphia, PA - Suppose you've ever wondered why Philadelphia is the pretzel capital of the world. In that case, it may be because it's responsible for 80% of the nation's pretzel production. Just, one of the reasons, Philadelphia is an integral part of the American food industry and has an unmistakable love of freshly-baked pretzels. In fact, Philadelphia has more pretzel franchises than any other place.
Philadelphia Produces 80% Of The Nation's Pretzels.
Pretzels are one of the nation's most popular food, and a recent survey showed that the average Pennsylvanian consumes about twelve times more pretzels than the national average.
Pennsylvania is also the center of American pretzel production, producing both hard and soft bread pretzels. In fact, Pennsylvanians consume more pretzels than the national average, and Philadelphia's hard pretzels are even more popular than the soft variety.
While Pennsylvania is the center of the large scale pretzel industry, there are also a few, small artisan pretzel bakeries and artisanal brands across the state.
Pretzels are so popular - that they're everywhere in Philly! You'll find them at convenience stores like Wawa, bars, and restaurants - you name it!
In fact, the Pennsylvania's pretzel industry is so vital that the state has declared April 26 as National Pretzel Day. In 2003, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell declared April 26 as National Pretzel Day.
Philadelphia Consumes 12 Times As The Average American.
Philadelphians are pretzel enthusiasts. They eat nearly twelve times the number of pretzels as the average American. These fried dough snacks come in many forms.
Typical varieties include SuperPretzels sold at supermarkets and roadside hucksters at traffic lights. Some Philadelphians also buy bulk pretzels to give as employee gifts and hawk them at stoplights. In addition to street vendors, many local businesses purchase pretzels from regional Walmarts.
Federal Pretzel Baking Company employs eight to ten twisters who turn out nearly 23 pretzels per minute, 24 hours a day. The Federal Pretzel Museum was founded in 1993 to honor the city's soft pretzels. Its philosophy was that the pretzel deserved a day of honor in the national food culture.
The first commercial pretzel bakery was opened in Lititz, Pennsylvania, in 1861 by Julius Sturgis. Some people believe that the recipe was passed on by a traveling baker named Ambrose Rauch. Julius Sturgis sent pretzels to his brother William in Andersonville prison.
In fact, Philadelphians talk about soft pretzels like soulmates. They talk about them on street corners and in food carts. They top them with mustard. So, next time your in Philadelphia, don't forget to try a pretzel, they're everywhere.
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Joy Franklin
Food and Event Writer
My joy is aimed at food and foodie lovers. I enjoy covering trends, issues, and all things Philly
