CUMRU TWP., Pa. – April is serving up something salty, and a little bit special.
National Pretzel Day is this weekend, but one local company isn’t waiting to celebrate. They’ve been twisting up fun all month long.
69 News Reporter Sydney Kay has the story from Cumru Township, which is recognized as the Pretzel Capital of the World.
Becca Mack with Tom Sturgis Pretzels, Inc. in Cumru Township said the company is giving away bags of pretzels in its retail store this week. On Saturday, customers can come in and get 4-piece chocolate-covered pretzels.
The company is selling Tom Sturgis pretzel tins on its website for 10% off on its mail order.
Mack said many people don’t realize that the company, which was founded in 1946, makes its pretzels right at the Cumru Township site, as well as having a retail store. She said the pretzels are still made using the original Sturgis recipe, though now the company is using modern technology rather than hand-twisting the pretzels.
The little pretzels are still being made on stone hearth bricks in the company’s oven, which gives them their extra special flavor, Mack said.
Mack said she has been at the company for 16 years, and she enjoys working there. She is the Marketing Director as well as the HR person.
She said many of the company’s employees live in the area, and many have become lifelong friends.
Tom Sturgis Pretzels, Inc. General Manager Becky Schmaldienst said customers come from all over to check out the store, including those who drive down from New Jersey and New York to pick up pretzels a few times a year.
She said the company makes about 10,000 pounds of pretzels a day. That amounts to about 2 to 2.5 million pretzels, she said.
The company ships to locations all over the country from its mail-order website.
Tom Sturgis Pretzels, Inc. sells more than just pretzels. It also offers pottery, jewelry, Christmas ornaments, and more.
The store is open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It is closed Sundays.