Miller Baking Company

Companies based in Milwaukee

Miller Baking Company

Company type| Commercial Bakery
Founded| 1923 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Headquarters|

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

USA

Products| Pretzilla
Owner| Brian Miller
Website| pretzilla.com

Miller Baking Company is an American, privately owned company that specializes in a line of bakery products known by the brand name Pretzilla. The company is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

## History

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Miller Baking Company was founded in 1923 as Miller's Bakery,[1] a storefront kosher bakery. Richard Miller purchased the firm in 1970 from an unrelated family with the same Miller surname. During his time, the firm grew into a supplier of fresh bakery products to local Milwaukee outlets. Through 2017, these bakery products included donuts, rye, challah, Ciabatta, sourdough, and many more. He built the company's headquarters in downtown Milwaukee in 1976.

The current owner, Brian Miller, took over management of the firm from his father in 1997 and introduced the Pretzilla brand of soft pretzel products.[2][3]

The Pretzilla brand was released initially in 2007 as a pretzel bun for hamburgers or sandwiches.[4] The brand has seen significant growth and in 2017 made up about 90 percent of the firm's revenues.[4] Sales of Pretzilla products in 2017 were up 40 percent.[4]

## Management and Operations

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Brian Miller is the owner and CEO of Miller Baking Company.[5] As of 2018, the firm employed 120 people, the vast majority living in the Milwaukee area.[4]

In July 2012, Miller Baking was running out of space at its downtown facility. It purchased a second building in Milwaukee, primarily for freezing and shipping product.[6][7][8]

In January 2018, Miller Baking announced it sold its fresh route bakery business, so all its manufacturing would focus solely on the firm's Pretzilla brand of products.[9]

In November 2020, Miller Baking announced it had been sold to Benestar Brands, a portfolio company of Highlander Partners, L.P. and producer of snack product brands Mac's, Cazo de Oro, Turkey Creek, PORQ, and Chicas Chips. [10]

## Products

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Historically, the company produced more than 175 products.[2][11] Miller Baking introduced the Pretzilla soft pretzel bun in 2007 and was initially making about 35 pounds of the dough daily. It trademarked the name and the tagline – "Tastes so big, other buns may go extinct" – in 2010.[6] As of 2018, the company now produces more than 12,000 pounds of Pretzilla dough per day.[4]

This line of products consists of pretzel bun-style rolls including hamburger buns, mini-buns for sandwiches such as sliders, sausage buns, and Pretzilla bites, a separate line of snacks made from the company's proprietary pretzel bun recipe.[12] Most Pretzilla products are kosher,[13] vegan, allergen-friendly, and clean label. The Bites with Cheese Dip are not kosher.[13] In addition, all Miller Baking production facilities are nut-free.[14]

This line of products has been featured in several news and media outlets, including inclusion in a January 2018 episode of the popular cooking show Top Chef,[15] as well as being showcased in The New York Times within a feature on the restaurant Tetsu.[16]

In January 2018, Miller Baking Company made the announcement that it will discontinue all non-Pretzilla products and focus solely on the Pretzilla brand.[13]

## References

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1. ^ Godcharles, Frederic Antes (1933). Biographical. American Historical Society, Incorporated.
2. ^ a b Jaques, Damien (February 21, 2011). "Pretzel logic: Miller Baking scores with its unusual rolls and buns". On Milwaukee. OnMilwaukee.com. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
3. ^ Docter, Cary (April 25, 2014). "Ready to devour a pretzel roll from Miller Baking Company?". Milwaukee: Fox 6 Now.
4. ^ a b c d e Overfelt, Maggie. “Whole Foods, Costco success story: 95-year-old business bets it all on the pretzel bun”, "CNBC.com" February 23, 2018
5. ^ ""About Brian"". Archived from the original on June 18, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
6. ^ a b Engel, Jeff (September 19, 2013). "Pretzilla vs. the nation: Miller Baking business rises fast off soft pretzel bun". Milwaukee Business Journal. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
7. ^ Daykin, Tom (September 10, 2012). "Miller Bakery buys building as Pretzilla sales rise". Journal Sentinel. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
8. ^ Leary, Patrick (January 5, 2018). "Miller Baking adding second production site, 30 jobs". Milwaukee Business Journal. Milwaukee Business Journal. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
9. ^ Taschler, Joe. “Miller Baking expanding Pretzilla production”, "Journal Sentinel Online" January 17, 2018
10. ^ [1],"AP News" November 3, 2020
11. ^ Fredrich, Lori (July 19, 2017). "The Bacon Co. pop-ups are all about the pig". On Milwaukee. "...piled atop a custom-made Hawaiian style roll from Miller Baking Company."
12. ^ "Pretzilla Owner Brian Miller Discusses Product Offerings". Deli Market News. August 1, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
13. ^ a b c “Miller Baking to focus on pretzel bread” "The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle" February 12, 2018
14. ^ "Attributes". Miller Baking Company.
15. ^ “ICYMI: As seen on last night’s episode of Top Chef! Cheftestant Chris Scott’s Sausage Slider on a Pretzilla Bun!”, Facebook January 12, 2018
16. ^ Fabricant, Florence. “Tetsu, Japanese Comfort Food from Masa Chef, Opens” "The New York Times, Off the Menu" November 17, 2017

## External links

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* Pretzilla