Wetzel's Pretzels Announces Kim Freer as New Chief Marketing Officer

PASADENA, Calif., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Wetzel's Pretzels (Wetzel's), known for inspiring handheld happiness with its mouth-watering, portable snacks, announced today the appointment of Kim Freer as Chief Marketing Officer. Recognized as a proven leader in the restaurant industry, Freer brings a wealth of franchise marketing experience across a portfolio of nationally recognized brands. In her new role with the iconic pretzel brand, Freer will support its continued growth, with enhancements to its menu, ease of ordering and digital infrastructure.

"I've always admired Wetzel's Pretzel's for its crazy good food and distinctive voice. It's a beloved, established brand that continues to innovate and iterate. We're making our fresh made and fresh squeezed menu items available in a variety of flavors, and adapting our concept into various formats," said Freer. "Fans continue to rave about their Wetzel's experience, so we're on a mission to make enjoying a hot pretzel even easier and more convenient than ever before."

Freer joins an experienced leadership team at Wetzel's Pretzels, bringing her skills in managing marketing for thousands of Subway restaurants during its height. She led brand marketing for Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza during a period of immense growth, from store 26 to 345, including 41 states and six countries. Most recently, she served as CMO at Yoshinoya Japanese Kitchen, where she launched off-premise sales channels, including the brand's first mobile app and loyalty program, resulting in record sales.

"As a former Chief Marketing Officer at Wetzel's Pretzels, this role has a special place in my heart, and I know that we can expect big things from Kim," said Jennifer Schuler, CEO at Wetzel's Pretzels. "Not only is Kim joining Wetzel's during a time of great growth, but we're excited to tap her experience and continue to bring pretzels to the people in inventive new ways."

And Wetzel's is only getting started. As the concept continues to outpace its competitors in annual sales volume, it's also shown its flexibility, adapting to a variety of location needs to meet guests wherever they are. Wetzel's can now be enjoyed at tourist areas, convenience stores, Walmarts, transit destinations and via food trucks, as well as its more traditional mall locations.

About Wetzel's Pretzels

Providing a fun, fresh take on soft pretzels, Wetzel's Pretzels was founded in 1994 by Bill Phelps and Rick Wetzel in Redondo Beach, California. Drawing fans to its mouth-watering, portable snacks that are hand-rolled, baked fresh and served hot from the oven, word quickly spread about the delicious West Coast brand. Today, Wetzel's Pretzels has grown to more than 300 bakeries, including premier locations like Disney Springs® at Walt Disney World® Resort, Downtown Disney® District at Disneyland® Resort and Universal CityWalk,^TM continuing to cultivate fanatics around the world with its SoCal vibes and "gram-worthy" snacks. It's cult-like following includes famous fans like Ben Affleck, Billie Eilish, Jimmy Kimmel and Kim Kardashian. As the nation's leading pretzel chain, the franchise has received numerous accolades, most recently being named to the 2021 Top Food Franchises and the Culture100 by Franchise Business Review. For additional information about the Wetzel's franchise opportunity, visit https://www.wetzelsfranchising.com.

SOURCE Wetzel’s Pretzels