Dan DiZio is the co-founder of Philly Pretzel Factory and responsible for growing the company into the nation’s largest Philly-style pretzel bakery franchise. It is due to his vision and perseverance that Philly Pretzel Factory is where it is today, leading to national visibility with appearances on Undercover Boss and Bloomberg Television’s Taking Stock with Pimm Fox.
When he was 11, DiZio would ride his bike to the corner of Southampton and the Boulevard in Philadelphia to sell pretzels provided by his neighbor’s wholesale soft pretzel bakery. The young entrepreneur would sell 1,000 pretzels a day at five for $1, leaving his home at 6 a.m. and not returning until 6 p.m. After splitting the profits with the supplier, DiZio would pocket $100. This experience not only provided the inspiration for Philly Pretzel Factory but also helped build the drive and dedication in DiZio that would lead him to success in the future.
Those days are long behind him, as DiZio teamed up with college buddy Len Lehman in 1998 to create the first blueprint of the Philly Pretzel Factory. Today, the brand has grown from one location in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia to a 135-plus-unit franchise. With more than 29 stores currently in development, the brand is expanding their growth vision to include specialized build-out options and co-branded units. Now found in airports, zoos, amusement parks and Walmarts, Philly Pretzel Factory offers a kiosk-option to allow franchisees to take advantage of smaller spaces in non-traditional areas in addition to their traditional stand-alone store build out. More and more franchisees are additionally seeing the advantage of working with a complimentary frozen treat offering through a co-branding option with another successful Philadelphia franchise: Rita’s Italian Ice. With a variety of options for the franchisee to embrace the brand in addition to a quality and beloved product, Philly Pretzel Factory’s successful track record has kept them as a leader in the soft pretzel industry.