Article

Pretzel truck delivers Auntie Anne's brand to more snacking occasions

Auntie Anne's has discovered food trucks to be a great tool for strengthening its brand and making it more accessible to customers.

August 28, 2019 by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

While Auntie Anne's, the global pretzel retailer, has operated food trucks since 2013, current foodservice trends have given new importance to the company's mobile option.

Snacks — Auntie Anne's specialty — have taken on greater importance to consumers. Less than half (43%) of consumers in 2018 said they ate three meals a day with a few snacks between meals, compared to 53% who said so in 2016, according to Technomic. In addition, nearly one-third (30%) of all consumers in 2018 said snacking between meals is part of a healthier diet.

Equally important, however, is the growth of off-premise dining, which has driven the growth of takeout meals, online ordering and, of course, food trucks.

"We've been very fortunate in that (mall) space, but now it's time for us to move on and much like the rest of the restaurant industry, off-premise is definitely a buzzword for us," Heather Neary, president, told Food Truck Operator in an email interview. "So while we rely on foot traffic to drive sales at our stores, we also recognize that our locations are sometimes limiting in terms of how people can get to us. We addressed that by bringing pretzels to the people." 

Bringing pretzels to the customer

"From a business perspective, food trucks are just one avenue that we are using to bring pretzels to the people," she said. "Our pretzel trucks allow us to bake fresh pretzels on-site at events and their popularity amongst our franchisees — and more importantly, our guests — is growing rapidly."

"This extension of our brand allows us to reach our guests outside of traditional locations," Neary added. "While we are in more than half of the malls in America and dozens of airports, we wanted to provide our guests with another avenue to satisfy their cravings."

The food trucks also support Auntie Anne's catering business. Customers can book a pretzel truck on the Auntie Anne's website.

"This diversified option allows people to have their beloved Auntie Anne's pretzels at experiences such as corporate events, weddings, birthday parties, sporting events, festivals, etc.," Neary said. "When we can 'meet' our guests at their life events, it's impactful, and that's our goal — to become ingrained in the lives of our loyal followers, those who choose Auntie Anne's."

"Simultaneously, the pretzel trucks are increasing brand awareness by serving as a moving billboard for the brand in the communities we serve," she said.

Fully equipped stores on wheels

The pretzel trucks offer the same food and beverage equipment as the traditional stores. The pretzels are baked fresh every 30 minutes on the truck, just as they are in the stores, following the same baking procedures. There are typically three to five employees working on the truck. Auntie Anne's design and construction team works with the franchisee and an approved truck builder.

"One of our most important lessons has been the need for operational efficiency in the interior layout of the truck and flexibility," Neary said. "It is close quarters working inside a truck, and many of our trucks offer our full menu portfolio, so ensuring that the interior build out is optimal to the flow of operations and has space for all supplies, is key."

Diverse serving occasions

The trucks serve customers at parks, fairs, music festivals, college campuses and stadiums. A franchisee in Milwaukee takes the truck to Milwaukee Bucks games, while one in Atlanta goes to Georgia Tech football games, and one in Los Angeles serves at the Rose Bowl, Neary said. The trucks can also serve special events, such as weddings, corporate events and birthday parties.

The menu and pricing can be tailored to the type of event.

The pretzel truck serves as a brand ambassador for Auntie Anne's.

"For example, large events such as the Rose Bowl pre-game tailgate or huge community festivals will have to factor in things like how we can serve thousands of attendees in a very short window of time, and also what other food and beverages are available at that event," Neary said. "This means we may focus on original and cinnamon sugar pretzels to speed up our service, and we're mindful of what other beverage options are available at the event — if we're right next to a hand squeezed lemonade truck, we may not serve lemonade."

For smaller events, such as weddings, graduation parties or corporate picnics, hosts pay upfront to have a customized menu for a specific amount of time to a set number of guests. 

"Additionally, the hosts may opt to offer an optional product adding to the uniqueness of that event — such as heart-shaped pretzels or pretzels in the shape of the couple's initials at weddings," Neary said. "There are a lot of variables that go into specific events, but that's why our food trucks are so versatile and offer so much flexibility.

"A pretzel truck is a great opportunity for a first-time single-unit franchisee, allowing them to get their feet wet before moving on to operate more traditional locations," she said. "They also serve as a great addition to an established franchisee's portfolio."

The company promotes the truck through digital advertising and national partnerships, all of which supplement word of mouth.

"Our hashtag, #Ifoundthepretzeltruck is a great way for guests to keep track of us around the country and it's also a great way for us to interact with our guests," Neary said in a recent QSRWeb podcast. "In a way that's unique to the brand and that's been a really meaningful initiative for us." 

"After 30 years it's really important that we continue to innovate and remain top of mind for all of our guests and we just want to make sure that we are where the people are," Neary said in the podscast. 

Photos courtesy of Auntie Anne's.

About Elliot Maras

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Elliot Maras is the editor of Kiosk Marketplace and Vending Times. He brings three decades covering unattended retail and commercial foodservice.