The History of Snyder’s of Hanover Pretzels

In the early 1920s, Grandma Eda and Edward Snyder II began selling potato chips that they fried in a kettle at their summer home door-to-door, at fairs, and at farmer’s markets. Their son, William V., and his wife, Helen, simultaneously began making angel food cakes for local merchants. In 1924, the family joined forces as Snyder’s Bakery. They made a wide variety of goods there until the 1940s, when automated snack production took over. Soon, Snyder’s began using aluminum foil bags to extend the shelf life of products, allowing the company to sell in distant markets, including New York. In the early 1960s, the Hanover plant was sold to Hanover Canning, headed by Alan R. Warehime, a relative of Harry Warehime, who had been producing Olde Tyme Pretzels in Hanover as far back as 1909. Around the same time, Snyder’s purchased the Bechtel Pretzel Company, which was founded in 1947 by Bill and Helen Bechtel, and incorporated it into Snyder’s Bakery. Notably, Bill Bechtel developed the original recipe for the Sourdough Hard Pretzel, a snack that is still enjoyed by consumers today! Michael Warehime joined the company in 1966 and led it to unprecedented levels of success. Nineteen years after the original purchase, Snyder’s of Hanover was "spun off" from the company’s canning operations, and Snyder’s thrived under this new arrangement. In 1989, the original Hanover pretzel bakery burned down due to an equipment malfunction, but was later rebuilt on a much larger scale. (Today, Snyder’s pretzels are still made there and the facility now includes a large research and development area, too.) In 1992, Snyder’s introduced flavored pretzel pieces for the first time with the Honey Mustard & Onion flavor coming first, followed by Buttermilk Ranch and Cheddar Cheese a year later. In 1995, Olde Tyme Pretzels, which were first made way back in 1909 by Harry Warehime, won the Automatic Merchandiser’s Product of the Year Award. In 2004, Pumpernickel & Onion Pretzel Sticks were introduced and in August 2010, Snyder’s introduced Certified Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks. This release was followed up in 2013 with two new gluten-free flavors: Hot Buffalo Wing and Honey, Mustard & Onion. Several more products and flavors were added to the Snyder’s lineup throughout the 2010s, including Peanut Butter Filled Pieces in 2016. Today, Snyder’s of Hanover pretzels remain a beloved snack choice all across America and Snyder's is still one of the most recognizable names in the snack aisle.