LANCASTER, Pa., June 5, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- If there wasn't reason enough already, Auntie Anne's® is giving America yet another reason to get excited for summer. As the world's largest hand-rolled soft pretzel franchise, Auntie Anne's will introduce Mini Pretzel Dogs at its more than 1,000 U.S. store locations on June 10, 2013. The bite-sized snacks, which are miniature versions of the popular Original Pretzel Dog, are prepared with the same fresh-baked pretzel wrapped around an all-beef Nathan's Famous® hot dog product that guests have come to know and love.
Available system-wide, these portable and sharable treats are available as a regular 8-count serving size. A larger 12-count serving size may be available at participating stores. Prices vary per store, and the average price point for the regular size is $3.89. The product will continue to be a required menu item throughout the end of the year.
"Like our Pretzel Nuggets, the Mini Pretzel Dogs are a delicious portable treat for the on-the-go shopper, and they're perfect for pairing with our seven different kinds of dips," said Heather Neary, Auntie Anne's chief marketing officer. "After a successful menu test in 2012 that exceeded our sales expectations and earned overwhelmingly positive customer feedback, we decided to make Mini Pretzel Dogs a fulltime addition to our roster. We look forward to another successful new product launch."
Auntie Anne's began offering Pretzel Dogs in 2004 as it expanded its convenient, on-the-go snacking menu items. Since then, multiple variations of the Pretzel Dog have been introduced, including the Jumbo Pretzel Dog, Cheese Pretzel Dog and Jalapeño Pretzel Dog. The newest addition to the Pretzel Dog product line-up provides guests with the ability to dip them in their favorite savory sauce such as cheese, marinara, or sweet mustard and easily pop'em in their mouth.
The Mini Pretzel Dogs join Auntie Anne's extensive menu of hand-rolled pretzel products, including the Sweet Almond, Cinnamon Sugar and the newly-introduced and tasty Honey Whole Grain. Guests can also pick up the portable Pretzel Stix or Pretzel Nuggets in Original or Cinnamon Sugar flavors. Additionally, Auntie Anne's refreshing signature lemonade, fruity Lemonade Mixers and signature frozen drinks complement its pretzel selections.
About Auntie Anne's
At its 1,350 locations around the world, Auntie Anne's mixes, twists and bakes pretzels to golden brown perfection all day long in full view of guests. Auntie Anne's can be found in malls, outlet centers, and Walmarts as well as in non-traditional spaces including universities, airports, travel plazas and military bases. It projects 100 new store openings in the U.S. throughout 2013 and continues to seek entrepreneurs interested in owning Auntie Anne's locations. For more information, visit Auntie Anne's Franchising website, Facebook page, Twitter or YouTube account. Product imagery is available upon request.