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AUNTIE ANNE’S THE WORLD’S BIGGEST PRETZEL STORE CHAIN OPENS ITS 20th, 21st and 22nd UK STORES, THE LATEST BEING IN QUEENSGATE SHOPPING CENTRE, PETERBOROUGH

21 September 2012

 

Auntie Anne’s pretzels are the best in the world and they have just opened at the Queensgate Shopping Centre in Peterborough, creating nine local jobs.  With 1200 stores worldwide and now 22 in the UK & Ireland, thousands of people enjoy its tasty pretzels every day. Almost two million Auntie Anne’s pretzels will be sold over the next 12 months in the UK and Ireland.  This new opening follows closely on from the new store launches at the Centrale shopping centre in Croydon, which opened in May and more recently in The Mall, Arndale Centre, in Luton.

All three new stores offer the full range of Auntie Anne’s Pretzels and Pretzel Stix. With several sweet and savoury flavours available, they are expertly hand rolled with fresh ingredients by highly trained staff. Initial sales in all three new stores have been amazing, outperforming all expectations.

Robert Burton, MD UK & Ireland said:  “It’s clear that like thousands in the UK and across the world new customers at these premium shopping centres are enjoying our fresh and tasty pretzels. With this latest opening we are proud to be in the very prestigious Queensgate Shopping Centre alongside many other premium retail brands, our fifth store in the UK with Hammerson, the landlord for Queensgate. We hope that our customers continue to visit us when they want a great quality, delicious freshly made snack.”

The Franchise owners at Peterborough, Robert and Margaret Granicz, have invested in and opened the new franchise, and have hired nine new staff from the local area.  This Auntie Anne’s franchise is their second and they have already committed to a third store in Birmingham.

The Franchise owner in Luton is Titilola Balogun, who already owns and operates the very successful existing store in The Harlequin, Watford, and is looking to expand to a third store.  Her sister Tola Olorunshola opened the Croydon Auntie Anne’s store, supported by her brother Dele. 

The extensive hand-rolled pretzel menu’s includes sweet pretzels such as Cinnamon Sugar, Chocolate, Almond, Raisin and Vanilla Sugar pretzels, whilst the savoury options include Original, Garlic, Sour Cream and Chive, Sesame, Jalapeño, Cheese, as well as Pepperoni.

Alongside the traditional soft dough pretzels, customers can also sample the other bread based products such as the Auntie Anne’s ‘Pretzel Dogs’ made with Herta hot dogs, wrapped in the trademark dough and baked until golden brown.  As all products are prepared fresh on site, special dietary requirements (such as no salt, no butter and low fat options) can be catered for on request.

For the full experience the staff at any of these new stores will recommend one of the full ranges of dipping sauces to compliment your pretzel experience. The stores also serve lemonade, freshly squeezed on site every day, Dutch Ice (a form of slush drinks) Coca-Cola® minerals and coffee.

Additional Information

The new store at Queensgate Shopping Centre, Peterborough, is one of many new and planned Auntie Anne’s in the UK & Ireland, which will culminate in at least 30 operating stores by Christmas 2012.  It’s the fifth launch in Hammerson-owned shopping centres; the others are in Brent Cross, The Oracle shopping centre in Reading, High Cross in Leicester and Centrale, Croydon.  Auntie Anne’s is also delighted to work the Capital and Regional Properties who own the incredibly busy Mall, Arndale Centre, in Luton, and hope this will be the first of many with them.

These new locations feature the latest high quality design, which identifies Auntie Anne’s as one of the leading snack bread-based food retailers in the country and the largest pretzel retailer in the UK.

In the UK the business is owned and operated by the Master Franchisor, Freshly Baked Limited, which operates primarily a franchise model, following on from the highly successful worldwide sub franchise programmes that have been rolled out in several countries over the last 15 years.

Auntie Anne’s Inc, which operates 1200 stores in 21 countries, was acquired in 2010 by Focus Brands, a global food franchise business (www.focusbrands.com).  Focus Brands now operates six major brands in 3300 locations in 50 countries, the largest of which is Auntie Anne’s.  The other brands are Cinnabon (800 stores), Carvels Ice Cream (450), Schlotzsky’s (350), Moe’s (500), and Seattle’s Best Coffee.  Focus Brands International expanded by 185 stores in 2011 and is committed to opening another 330 over the next five years.


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