Smokey Dukes is a new family-owned and operated snack food business in Hutchinson. Brother and sister duo Lance Walter and Mari Wildt co-founded the company, which sells smoked, seasoned pretzels.
A smoky twist on a family tradition
The idea behind Smokey Dukes began as a simple family activity. Lance, a father of three and a backyard smoking enthusiast, was looking for a fun way to spend time with his kids. They often made seasoned pretzels together, but one day, Lance decided to try something new by smoking the pretzels on his pellet grill.
The result was a deliciously unique snack that quickly became a hit with friends and family.
Encouraged by the enthusiastic feedback, Lance teamed up with his sister Mari to turn the idea into a small business. In March 2024, Smokey Dukes was officially formed. What started as a way to cover ingredient costs and involve the kids in a fun project would quickly grow into something much bigger.
Flavor innovation and market success
Mari, who lives out of state, loved the pretzels so much she would pre-order as many batches as Lance could make to take home with her. She later requested a spicier version, which led to a family-wide flavor experiment. The result was “Smoked Spicy,” now one of their signature offerings.
Samples of both the original and spicy flavors were shared at local markets in Arizona, where they received overwhelming praise. A spice and snack booth at the Mesa Market sold over 150 pounds in just a few months. A wholesale distributor even purchased 90 bags to test with retail clients—feedback was again extremely positive.
Scaling up for the future
To date, Smokey Dukes has sold over 3,000 pounds of smoked pretzels. With three flavors currently available and more in development, the brand is gaining serious traction. A West Coast distributor just placed a three-pallet order, totaling over 4,000 bags, and three major airlines have expressed interest in offering Smokey Dukes Pretzels as an in-flight snack.
When demand outgrew their initial small-batch setup, loan funds from Southwest Initiative Foundation helped Lance and Mari open a custom manufacturing facility in the Hutchinson Enterprise Center small business incubator.
The journey from kitchen experiments to large scale production is a testament to the power of community support and the entrepreneurial spirit. With Lance’s vision and Mari’s organizational skills, they’ve turned a family pastime into a promising business venture, all while keeping the family bond strong and teaching Lance’s children valuable life skills. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most successful businesses start with a simple idea and a whole lot of love.
Creating economic mobility through lending
Loan programs have been a key function of SWIF since the beginning, supporting communities and businesses throughout southwest Minnesota. In 2001, microlending was added to existing programs as a tool to support small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Microloan clients receive free technical assistance to improve their business management skills. Areas of support include business planning and financials analysis, accounting software training, marketing assistance and other training opportunities for the life of the loan.
Donate today and be the spark behind someone’s success story.
Every microloan we provide is more than just funding—it’s a lifeline of mentorship, training, and opportunity for entrepreneurs across southwest Minnesota.
This microloan program receives funding assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture. For more information, contact SWIF at 800-594-9480, 320-587-4848 or [email protected].
