Today we’d like to introduce you to Eben Cobb.
Eben, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I worked in corporate America for 27 years and decided I wanted to do something different that I could build. I started a quest to acquire a franchise and looked at various opportunities. I did not want something the would require a lot of grease or frying. Also, I wanted to focus on just a few product offerings and not 100 different selections. I got a chance to look at pretzels. Flour, water, and yeast, I said okay that sounds like a plan. Flew to Philadelphia met with owners and other corporate employees. Met or called some of the other franchisees and decided to launch in November of 2018.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road has definitely not been easy, introducing a new product to a new area presents its own set of challenges. Product awareness always helps. Without it, you have to find ways to get the product into customers’ hands and, ultimately, their mouths to try them. Although there are limited pretzel companies in the area, I’m competing with any and all comfort foods. Pretzel products are inexpensive choices so volume is important for my mere existence. Party Trays, which we offer, were starting to become popular increasing sales, along with wholesale business to sporting venues. I thought that I had turned a corner after a little over a year, then COVID 19 arrived depleting my wholesale business because sporting venues were closed. Large gatherings were banned along with stay at home mandates that took a toll on Party Trays and walk-in traffic. The plan is to reach new customers everyday, which over times, causes brand recognition. Customers from the north east coast, which are use to the brand are starting to find me and tell more of their friends and family that have also migrated to the area.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We sale pretzel products to include Pretzel hotdogs and Spicy Sausage, both all beef. Pepperoni Melts, which is a pizza on a pretzel. We also have Mini-Cheesesteak Pretzels, which, is steak and cheese, stuffed inside a pretzel. Cinnamon rivets that are bite-sized sweet pretzels. A large selection of sweet dips and mustards. We also have frozen lemonades that are delicious. Our niche is to provide high-quality products at economical prices, offering value for your dollar. With that in mind, we are hoping that our customer’s purchase large quantities to, in turn, take our products and share it with friends, family, and aquantances. We are most proud that we hand to twist and bake our products fresh everyday. The thing that sets us apart is not only can we provide large quantities, we can do it and serve them hot out of the oven. Our competitors do not have the capacity to fill orders of 100, 500, or even 1,000 pretzels with notice of 24 hours or less.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
This area continues to expand so it is ideal for businesses old and new. There is a market for my product just need to continue expanding our circle of influence. The biggest hurdle for this area, besides labor, is the square footage cost for retail space. That in itself creates cashflow challenges for a new unestablished business. Small business owners generate sales tax and provide jobs to the community. It would help if there was a rent subsidy for the small business owner that could encourage landlords, though property tax incentives, to reduce rent for a certain period. Allowing the small business owner to get some traction in the market without weighty expenditures.
Pricing:
- One pretzel for $1.75 or your can get 5 pretzels for $5
- 10 for $9 all the way up to 100 pretzels for $45
Contact Info:
- Address: 3300 E. Broad St. Suite 160
Mansfield, TX. 76063
(next door to Kroger) - Website: phillypretzelfactory.com/mansfield-tx
- Phone: (972) 34TWIST (89478)
- Email: ppfmansfield@gmail.com
- Instagram: @ppfmansfield
- Facebook: @ppfmansfield
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