California-based hot and fresh pretzels brand, Wetzel’s Pretzels, has opened its first Asian location at the Ario Kameari Mall in Tokyo.

The company has partnered with master franchisee Takafumi Kawasaki, a veteran in the Japanese-based franchise sector.

Kawasaki and Wetzel’s have a strategic plan to open 10 Wetzel’s Pretzels in Japan over the next two years. Additionally, the company has signed agreements with or is in discussions with master franchise candidates to develop stores in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and China within the next two years.

Wetzel’s’ first Asian location follows the same business model, and offers the same products as each Wetzel’s Pretzels in the US with one small change: the pretzels are 30 per cent smaller to accommodate regional attitudes toward food and portion size.

“Great flavor, value and products know no borders,” said Bill Phelps, CEO and co-founder of Wetzel’s Pretzels on the Asia foray. “There is a tremendous opportunity for growth in Asia. It’s simply a matter of selecting how we want to move forward, and determining which business partners are the best fit for our brand.”

Bill Phelps and Rick Wetzel launched Wetzel’s Pretzels in 1994 in Redondo Beach, California. Today, Wetzel’s Pretzels has grown to more than 250 fresh bakeries across the US and around the world, including premier locations at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

GB