How Dot’s Homemade Pretzels Went From Small-Town North Dakota to Online Everywhere

 

On today’s episode of the Food & Beverage Podcast, host Daniel Litwin got his hand caught in the cookie jar…or more accurately a bag of Dot’s Pretzels. Litwin sat down with Dorothy Henke, better known to the world as “Dot” and founder of Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels, to discuss her journey to founding the North Dakota-based snack food company.

“To be accepted like we’ve been accepted in the Midwest and now further out now is unbelievable,” Dot said with a distinctive North Dakota accent. Her pretzel company, like many mom and pop success stories, wasn’t purposely launched to be a national brand.

“It was nothing that we were going to intentionally do at all,” Dot said. “I just made up a logo, put the logo on the bag, and put a little red bow on these packages.”

First beloved by her family, Dot sent a batch of her pretzels to her family member in Arizona as a hometown, homemade creation for her and her clients. When she sent the homemade pretzels to her clients, her phone rang off the hook with people wanting to know where to purchase them.

Soon, word got around as more people tried Dot’s distinctive pretzels around town at Arizona flag football games and back home at the Pride of Dakota show. Word of mouth and product sampling became her first and primary methods of marketing, as retail stores slowly took on orders as consumers asked for the product.

On the podcast, Dot broke down the branding and business decisions behind her company, her experience entering the e-commerce world of selling her pretzels online and how failures along the way helped her become the success she is today.

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Food & Beverage Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @FoodMKSL
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Career
How to Build a Purpose-Driven Career in the Age of AI and Acceleration
October 9, 2025

In a world reshaped by AI, global connectivity, and relentless technological advancement, the pace of disruption has never been greater. Careers are being reinvented as industries transform, and individuals everywhere are being challenged to find meaning, adaptability, and creativity in their professional paths. According to Deloitte’s 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, 86% of…

Read More
youth
Fashion, Identity, and Digital Life Collide: Why Brands Must Listen, Collaborate, and Co-Create With the Next Generation of Youth
October 8, 2025

As the lines blur between fashion, identity, and digital life, brands are racing to understand how today’s youth are reshaping culture and commerce. Pacsun’s new Youth Report 2025, produced in partnership with GlobalData, offers one of the most detailed portraits yet of Gen Z and Gen Alpha—two generations united by self-expression but divided by…

Read More
talent
Grow Your Own Talent: How McDonald’s and Skilltrade Are Building a Culture of Lifelong Learning
October 7, 2025

The world of work is changing faster than ever. Automation is reshaping jobs, new technologies are rewriting what “qualified” means, and a new generation of workers is redefining what they expect from employers. From fast food to healthcare, companies are realizing they can’t just hire talent — they have to build it. They’re starting to…

Read More
The Tesla Test-How AI is Changing How We Search Video
The Tesla Test: How AI is Changing How We Search Video
October 7, 2025

In this episode of Secured, Mike Monsive sits down once again with Idan Koren, EVP of Marketing at Verkada, to discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming the landscape of physical security, operational efficiency, and the broader business of technology. The conversation begins with Verkada’s groundbreaking integration of natural language search in video surveillance —…

Read More