My affair with Utz’s Country Store Pretzel Stix began a few years ago, down an extra-wide snack aisle in my local mega-store. Fortunately I don’t salt my food, because since that fateful day shopping the aisles of Costco, I have singlehandedly eaten more than a dozen 55 ounce bottles full. (3.4lbs)
Really, 10,000 pretzel stix? probably – maybe more….
Before I tell you what’s wrong with this latest 55 oz. batch of Utz’s Country Store Pretzel Stix I’d like to share something interesting about these big Utz’s pretzel containers. The large plastic jug has a unique property. Regardless of location, room temperature or how many pretzels remain; when you remove the lid and reach inside the air inside the pretzel jar feels cooler.
The Utz’s Country Store Pretzel Stix are, by far, the most ‘impossible to eat just one’ snack item for me. I can easily consume 1/3 of a tub in one Netflix session. That’s about 1lb. in a few hours. I don’t know if it’s the perfect saltiness, the ideal crispy crunch or a delicious combination but these Utz pretzel stix are better than most. (Including other Utz’s)
Ironically, I often drive all the way to Costco to purchase a $5 cache of these delicious Utz’s pretzels.. $20 in gas… plus Costco always gets me for unplanned purchases.
Faced with a shortage, I would probably pay $25 for these pretzels – which makes me wonder – WHY are these so perfect that other pretzel rods pale in comparison? These are downright addictive-good!
Six days it took to polish off this last supply – But there was something different about this shipment. Something different, something unusual – something interesting.
So what’s the problem with my Utz?
The pretzels, and I know because I have personally handled and consumed thousands upon thousand of them, are cut about 6″ long. One after another, each one just like the other – every one the same. In each container there are individual pretzels with a little more salt – btw: these pretzels are nicely salted! …and there are individual pretzels with a little less salt. Some are slightly lighter in color, some darker, etc…
Never before have the pretzels been different lengths. Sure, some are broken in each batch but this latest batch had pretzels with two finished ends that varied in length!
Some were ‘standard’ and some were short, shorter and shortest! Here’s a photo:
Notice, the pretzels in the photo were baked after being cut too short. Quality control issues? Struggling with Costco demand? Product change? … or just don’t care?
All pretzels used in the making of this article have been eaten. The short ones were just as delicious and and a bit of a novelty.
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I was searching to make sure I wasn’t the only one to notice that my Utz pretzel container is always so cold on the inside, even when it’s very hot in the room!!
Really? I still like my UTZ, just finished another jug. Even though the price has gone up 20%, I think they’re trying to save money by using less salt.
About how many pretzels are in a 55 oz barrel of the UTZ pretzels? I need to know ASAP please.
Thank you sincerely,
Connie
admin I just did a search to see if i was nuts. I used to only get these once a year when I went up deer hunting. Now I have a sams club card. However these used to make my mouth feel like I had eaten glass afterwards. Now they hardly break my salt threshold. Where has my salt gone??????
Just bought my 25th 4lb jar of Utz and they are lacking salt that the previous jugs had.
….so I’ve been to Costco twice in the last month for these pretzels but they have been out. I checked with an employee and found out that Costco is no longer going to carry this pretzel!!~ what? I also agree that these are delicious pretzels. The new (replacement) version is shorter and blond colored without salt. ick. Somebody made a poor decision at the management level about this product.