When the pandemic shut Hollywood down, actor and Philadelphia native Adam “Shappy” Shapiro longed for nothing more than a taste of the soft Philly-style pretzels that he grew up loving. So he decided to take matters into his own hands, spending months perfecting his pretzel recipe. When his wife, actress Katie Lowes, offered a taste to Ryan Seacrest while guest-hosting “Live With Kelly & Ryan,” Ryan deemed it the best pretzel he’d ever had, and on that day Shappy Pretzel Co. was born.
Within months, these pretzels became so popular that they went from being sold from Adam’s LA driveway, to a cafe, to pop-ups, to a bakery, to an even bigger bakery, and more than 200,000 of them have been devoured. They were even handed out to every guest at the 2023 Academy Awards as a much-needed snack! These pretzels are just about perfect: They’re soft, chewy, and doughy on the inside; and golden brown, crisp, and salty on the outside. Los Angeles has fallen in love with Shappy’s pretzels, and now they’re finally shipping nationwide!