Bachman Pretzels

Bachman is a historic American snack brand with roots dating back to 1884 when Joseph S. Bachman, an Austrian immigrant, founded the company in Reading, Pennsylvania. Initially starting as a small bakery with a single horse-drawn delivery cart, the brand grew into a powerhouse of the Northeastern U.S. snack market, particularly known for its pretzels and Jax cheese curls.

Over the decades, the brand underwent several ownership changes, including a period under Culbro Corporation before being bought back by local entrepreneur Joseph Francis Welch in 1980. This return to its Reading roots solidified its identity as a local heritage brand. In a major industry shift in 2012, The Bachman Company sold its core brands, intellectual property, and its Ephrata manufacturing facility to Utz Quality Foods.

Today, Bachman products are manufactured and distributed as part of the Utz Brands portfolio. While the original Bachman family company rebranded to Savor Street Foods and transitioned into contract manufacturing at their Hyde Park plant, the Bachman brand itself remains a prominent label under the ownership of Utz Quality Foods, maintaining its legacy as a classic American pretzel brand.