June 10, 2026 3:00 pm

Several years ago, founder Lisa Clover aggressively saved and planned for her escape from corporate America.  At the same time, she took baking classes as a creative outlet and knew she had to do something involving her true passion - food that looks as good as it tastes.  When the time was right, she enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu’s Patisserie & Baking program.

At the conclusion of the program, Lisa interned at several bakeries in Germany, where she has family and friends. The owners of one of the bakeries, located in a village just outside of Bamberg, taught her to make pretzels the Swabian way featuring a lighter crumb than the more famous Munich type and the unique shape of “skinny arms” and “fat bellies” for a soft and crunchy textural contrast. These beautifully handcrafted pretzels inspired the business idea and the name “Fat Belly Pretzels.”