WILMINGTON — A Wilmington-based snack startup is turning small-batch flavors into big business, as Brocmar Smokehouse Drink’n Pretzels rides a surge in snack demand.
“We want to grow into a nationally and internationally recognized household name, known for bold flavor, high-quality ingredients, and a story people connect with,” founder and Chief Flavor Officer Gary Brock said.
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Pretzels are trending in the food game in 2026, with sales in North America — which holds the largest revenue of profit share — topping at $1.8 billion and projected to grow by 3.6% to $2.4 billion globally by 2033.
Brock started the Brocmar Smokehouse brand in 2018, but launched the pretzels a few years ago. He and his family relocated to Wilmington upon his daughter’s acceptance into UNCW.
The Port City made a lasting impression on the family, Brock said of first discovering Wilmington during a business trip 15 years ago. Formerly in engineering and industrial sales, Brock said life in the food and beverage industry was not in the cards. However, spices and rub recipes have been a part of his family tradition in southern Virginia for decades.
His grandfather owned the family farm in Blackstone, Virginia — raising hogs — and was a butcher by trade. Brock helped his grandfather cure Virginia hams, cook whole hogs and make handcrafted sausage, also developing seasonings and rubs.
“Those recipes weren’t written down in a formal way; they were taught through doing, tasting, and adjusting,” Brock recalled, noting his most palpable memories come from time spent creating food with his family. “The flavors we create and the way we think about food are directly tied to those traditions — built on craftsmanship, patience, and the idea that food should bring people together.”
Growth into the food and beverage world happened organically, with friends, family and strangers complementing flavor profiles his family would present at gatherings and events. Often it came with encouragement to launch seasoning and rubs to the greater population, so Brock did. He began peddling items at farmers markets and grocery stores.
“As we spent time doing demos and samplings, we realized we needed a better way for people to actually experience the full flavor of those seasonings,” he explained.
Enter: the sourdough pretzel. Brock calls it “the perfect vessel” to carry spice blends he handcrafts. While public tastetesters took to Brocmar spices, they also loved the pretzels and began asking where to buy them. So Brock “leaned into it.”
Though he is the spice master, Brock works with a wholesaler out of Pennsylvania to purvey the sourdough pretzels. The state is known as “the pretzel belt” for churning out roughly approximately 80% of the nation’s twisty and knotted snacks.
According to the company’s first sales representative, Nick Sorrells, they’re placing up to 500 pounds of pretzels in an order. Sorrells was hired six months ago to help Drink’n Pretzels’ growth and reach more boutique stores, bars and breweries, and large grocery chains.
“We’re in conversations with Harris Teeter and Fresh Market,” he said.
Sorrells used to run Third Street Eats, the commissary kitchen from which Drink’n Pretzels prepares its products. Located next to The Eagle’s Dare, Third Street Eats rotates various startups out of its pop-up window so diners can try a range of businesses from up-and-coming restaurateurs looking to test their food before investing in a brick-and-mortar. However, another part of its model is to service mobile eateries and food purveyors in need of a commissary kitchen to prepare items for sale.
“Gary was one of our first tenants two-and-a-half years ago,” Sorrells said, noting all the pretzels are churned out of a 10-foot-by-8-foot room.
Once Brocmar receives the pretzels, they’re baked off to create a crispier and airier texture before being tossed in one of 10 or so blends. Flavors abound from Creamy Cheddar Bliss to Dill Pickle, Cajun Bayou to Honey Mustard and Onion, to Churro and the most popular, S.P.B.G. (salt, pepper, butter, garlic). Brock said the “trick” is layering flavors as to prevent one from overpowering another — he’s in search of the perfect balance of sweet, savory, salty, and maybe a little heat, if it’s called for.
“You want that first bite to grab attention, but the finish should keep people coming back for more,” he said.
Orders are made fresh, so they’re bagged and shipped pretty quickly.
Right now, Sorrells said the company is in four or five states, with roughly 500 locations including many local spots. Fermental, Brewer’s Kettle, Pour Fella’s Pub, Southport Market, LBC in Hampstead, Bigger’s Market, and Jimmy’s at Wrightsville Beach all are buyers.
“Jimmy’s is our biggest account,” Sorrells said, noting they package 700 or so bags a month for the bar.
Every time a slushie is ordered to go at Jimmy’s, a bag of Drink’n Pretzels comes with it.
End of Day’s in the Cargo District recently came on board as well for a private label, another offering from Brocmar. Basically, Brock will bag the company’s artisan pretzels and put the establishment’s label on it.
The company also does a special label for Salty Turtle in Surf City: key lime pretzels. Taproom manager Ashley Rose said the brewery has a Key lime sour, “Hwy 50,” that pairs well with the Tangy Turtle Nuggets, as they’re branded. Salty Turtle also sell Brocmar’s other pretzel flavors and go through around 50 bags a month in the Surf City taproom.
“They are tangy, slightly sweet and have a mild salty and savory finish,” she added. “And we actually just did a collaboration with them in which we used 10 pounds of their churro pretzels in our brew to make our ‘Churr-OH!’ stout.”
In the company’s infancy, Brocmar Smokehouse has grown by 300% year over year since 2024. Brock calls the fast-pace popularity both “humbling and energizing.”
“It’s not just about volume,” he said, but also about brand-building into new markets while staying true to the company’s grassroots.
Over the weekend, he was at a trade show in Canada and had “meaningful discussions” with the United States Department of Agriculture, regarding strengthening American-made products abroad.
“We’ve also begun exploring potential collaborations with a couple of very well-known North Carolina–based companies in the food and beverage space—brands that already have a strong international presence, particularly in the BBQ, mustard, and hot sauce categories,” Brock said, without naming names. “Nothing is finalized yet, but we’re excited about the possibilities there.”
The company is open to launching other products as well. They recently paired up a wholesaler out of Texas to sell Lieutenant Blenders — the pouched drinks are like an adult Capri-Sun, if you will. Flavors consist of blueberry pomegranate, margaritas, sangria, Hurricanes, mojitos, and even seasonal offerings like eggnog or apple cider.
“They’ve been around for 20 years, just not in this market,” Sorrells said, adding they’re all-natural, vegan- and gluten-free, and non-GMO-based. “So for the Hurricane, for instance, they use no dyes, but beets and cane sugar.”
A consumer adds water and alcohol to the freeze-dried power, shake it, put it in the freezer and voila — a slushie is born.
It satisfies the “drink” portion of the Drink’n Pretzels name, Sorrells said — though, overall, the Brocmar brand is looking to add other snacks as well, such as boutique popcorn. Sorrells said it must be a quality product to be considered.
Brock, also in conversation with companies in Western Europe and Mexico, said the business’ five-year goal is to expand internationally and into major retailers to become a household name. Should these moves pan out, an elevated level of production will need to follow.
Thus, investments are being made in production capabilities, refining operations, and rolling out new products, which means more innovative flavors and seasonal releases. Currently, he’s toying with strawberries and cream, birthday cake, and a protein snack mix.
Brock is also “actively looking” in both Leland and Wilmington for a larger facility.
“Staying close to our current base is important to us, both for operational continuity and for maintaining strong ties to the local community that’s supported our growth,” he said. “What we’re building is about a lot more than just snacks — it’s about sharing a story and creating something people feel connected to.”
Brock expressed gratitude for the region’s overwhelming support, calling it incremental in the company’s success.
“That local loyalty has played a huge role in our growth,” he said, noting every word-of-mouth, repeat customer has come from the power of a supportive community. “And it’s something we don’t take lightly.”
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