Nguyen at a craft show
Editor’s Note: This story was written by Sophia Thompson.
You can call Callie Nguyen anytime you’re looking for a fun snack.
The sophomore started her own business, Anytime Pretzel, in the beginning of the summer of 2021, but she’s been making dipped pretzel rods for longer.
During high school, Nguyen would make pretzel rods for Christmas and sell them to people she knew. They became a hit, and soon more and more people were asking for them.
“I don’t know if they liked them or if it was because they were hungry,” said Nguyen. “I realized they are really fun to make, and why do pretzels have to be only for Christmas?”
Customers can order these customized pretzel rods for birthday parties, weddings, anniversaries, and many more events. Pretzel rods make up the base of the dessert and are dipped in almond bark and candy melts. Toppings range from sprinkles and nuts to fruit and bacon.
You can find Anytime Pretzels on Facebook, the first social media platform Nguyen started using. She hopes to expand to Instagram and TikTok in the near future. She also travels to craft shows, so you may catch her at one.
The biggest achievement in Nguyen’s career so far was when Hy-Vee asked her to sell her products in their store.
“When they contacted me, I woke up at six in the morning, I saw that and I jumped up and down screaming,” said Nguyen. “I wasn’t expecting to get this far.”
Nguyen’s plan was never to start her own business, however. Originally, she planned to one day renovate a bus, travel across the United States, and become a travel influencer.
When she came to Saint Mary’s University, Nguyen said that she wanted to study international business, but switched her major to Business Marketing and Management. She wanted to make sure she could run Anytime Pretzel effectively.
In the future, Nguyen wants to expand her business.
“I hope to have a shop and hire employees so I can travel and still do the digital part of my business,” she said. “That’s a big, big dream, but I believe it can happen.”