The company is widely known in the UK and was the first to bring an authentic “American-style” pretzel to the region back in 1996. When Union Snacks decided to start making pretzels for its UK customers, Pennsylvania was the only place to go. The state was a popular settling spot for many Pilgrims who brought the pretzel recipe with them from Europe, and the first pretzel bakery was opened in the state soon after settlement. As we all know, pretzels are a favorite all across the country, but the Penn State Snacks website says that Pennsylvania eats 12 times more pretzels than any other state.