Pride of Dakota Helps Catapult Companies Like Dot’s Pretzels to Big-Time Accomplishments

In partnership with: North Dakota Department of Agriculture

In an effort to help a family member in Arizona who needed some simple gifts for clients during the Christmas season in 2011, Velva resident Dot Henke placed a sampling of the buttery pretzel twists she’d been experimenting with in her kitchen into small bags topped with pretty red bows.

“It wasn’t just one or two clients calling to thank me,” Henke says. “The phone rang off the hook, and they wanted to know where they could buy more.”

The following spring, Henke took samples of her new product to the Pride of Dakota (POD) showcase in Williston.

“That made us think, ‘Wow, we might have something special,’ with the reactions of the consumers,” Henke says. “POD was my speed dial for questions. They were my go-to. If they didn’t know, they would guide me in the right direction.”

Salty Sensation

Henke never set out to turn Dot’s Pretzels into an international company. Her goal, she says, was simply “to have fun and fill in some free time.”

Slowly, she grew her business the old-fashioned way: through trial and error, via word of mouth from loyal customers who couldn’t get enough of her growing line of products. She worked hard, attending POD showcases and craft shows, sending sample boxes to North Dakota stores and continuing to tweak the unique recipe for the seasonings she added to the quality baked pretzels purchased from a supplier.

Within a decade, the snack’s unique blend of butter and spices had whet appetites in all 50 states.

By the time The Hershey Company purchased the business in 2021, what had begun as a small local business had evolved into one of the fastest-growing scale pretzel brands in the country, representing more than half of the category’s growth in 2020. The deliciously seasoned pretzels – Original, Honey Mustard, Southwest and other flavors – are still made in North Dakota.

Henke is officially retired, though she still enthusiastically talks up the pretzel products every chance she gets.

“To me, Hershey’s bought because we had a fantastic product and consumers loved Dot’s Pretzels,” Henke says. “Why would you not want to be a part of such a great company?”

See more: North Dakota Farmers Are Champions of Conservation

Taking Pride

Dot’s Pretzels is only one of many success stories born from the POD statewide branding program. Created in 1985 by former North Dakota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Kent Jones, a small group of businesses and the NDDA’s marketing staff, the POD initiative and logo were designed to help local business owners start or expand their ventures by proudly labeling their products “Made in North Dakota,” among other things.

The program initially focused on food, with grocery stores raising awareness through special promotions. Today, companies ranging from artisans and service providers to gift manufacturers and publishers also gain support in selling their products through the POD program.

“Pride of Dakota is a way to bring awareness to shoppers that the product they are about to buy is made, manufactured, processed or produced in their home state of North Dakota.”

– Katie Huizenga, NDDA Pride of Dakota specialist

In addition, membership benefits now include annual Holiday Showcases, other networking opportunities and free business education conferences.

“What started with 20 companies is now averaging 530 Pride of Dakota companies every year,” says Katie Huizenga, NDDA Pride of Dakota specialist.

See more: From Pasture to Plate: North Dakota Meat Producers’ Successes

Only businesses with items made or assembled by an owner, employee or company volunteer qualify for membership.

“Pride of Dakota is a way to bring awareness to shoppers that the product they are about to buy is made, manufactured, processed or produced in their home state of North Dakota,” Huizenga says.