Pretzels, Inc. Appoints Greg Pearson Chief Executive Officer

BLUFFTON, Ind., April 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Pretzels, Inc. ("Pretzels" or the "Company"), a leading producer of pretzels, filled pretzels and extruded snacks, announced today that Greg Pearson has been appointed Chief Executive Officer.  Mr. Pearson succeeds Chip Mann, who will continue to serve the Company as the Executive Vice President of Sales and as a member of the Company's board.

Mr. Pearson brings more than 18 years of professional experience in the food industry to his new role at Pretzels. Most recently, he served as Head of Marketing and prior to that was the VP/GM of Private Brands at Chewy.com ("Chewy"), a leader in e-commerce pet supplies.  Before Chewy, Mr. Pearson served as the VP/GM of the Pasta Business Unit of Conagra Foods/Treehouse Foods.

Robert Strauss, a board member of Pretzels, said, "We are delighted to welcome Greg to the Pretzels team. Greg is a highly talented executive who has an impressive history of leadership roles within both private and nationally branded food companies.  His demonstrated track record of driving significant value creation across both sales and operations is a great fit for Pretzels, and we look forward to leveraging his expertise as we execute on numerous growth initiatives."

Mr. Strauss continued, "On behalf of the board, we would like to thank Chip Mann for his past, present, and future leadership. Chip's contributions and dedication have been instrumental in building unparalleled relationships with our customers, employees, and community. We are excited for the growth of the sales team under Chip and his continued board membership."

Mr. Mann said, "This is an exciting time for Pretzels, and I believe that Greg is the right person to lead this great company into the future.  The company's strong reputation for providing the highest levels of quality and customer service, combined with its leading product innovation and commitment to food safety, have positioned Pretzels for rapid growth.  I look forward to working with Greg and feel we've built an exceptional team to pursue exciting and transformational growth initiatives."

Mr. Pearson said, "I am humbled by the opportunity to join this well-respected company that is fully committed to the success of its customers. I am excited to accelerate the existing growth trajectory by continuing to invest in our customers' success with industry-leading products, capabilities, quality and service. I look forward to working with Chip, the board and our wonderful employees to build on the strong foundation formed by the Mann and Huggins families."

Prior to joining Treehouse Foods, Mr. Pearson spent 12 years at General Mills. Mr. Pearson holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, where he graduated with distinction. Mr. Pearson also earned a B.A., magna cum laude, from Carleton College in Minnesota.

ABOUT PRETZELS, INC.

Founded in 1978, Pretzels, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of pretzels and extruded snack products.  Based in Bluffton, Indiana with an additional facility in Plymouth, Indiana, the Company manufactures and distributes traditional, peanut butter filled, flavored, seasonal, and gluten-free pretzels, as well as extruded snack products, to a diverse, blue-chip customer base that includes leading grocers and national brands.