PASADENA, CA — Women and ethnic minorities have a more accessible pathway to franchise ownership with Wetzel’s Pretzels through the brand’s Access to Equity program.
“Historically there’s been an inequality among those who’ve obtained managerial and ownership roles and those who have not,” Jennifer Schuler, Wetzel’s CEO. “Our goal is to foster a more inviting environment here at Wetzel’s with ownership that reflects the diverse tapestry of the communities where we live and work. We hope our focus on this important issue will inspire others across the restaurant industry, and beyond, to join us.”
The Access to Equity initiative strives to eliminate barriers and provide program participants access to capital, business education and mentorship opportunities.
“While our pretzels are a delicious treat, they represent something bigger to our franchisees, and that is a dream of entrepreneurship coming to fruition,” Schuler added. “We’ve been hard at work designing this program to both level the playing field and elevate conversations within our system and across the industry about diversity and inclusion. Our franchisees make it possible to ‘Bring Pretzels to the People,’ so our top priority is providing them with the connections to capital, education and support they need to succeed.”
The company currently has 370 bakeries.
