BRITAIN'S only pretzel maker has launched its popular airline snacks online.

County Durham's Union Snack has seen orders for its own-brand Penn State Pretzels exceed expectations since they went on sale on the company's website.

Brand manager Jen Scott said Union decided to sell the snack on the Internet after receiving e-mails every day from people asking where they could buy them.

She said: "We have a number of contracts with airlines to supply the ten-gramme bags of pretzels and we get a lot of e-mails from people who have eaten them during a flight and want to buy them."

Although Union sells its pretzels through all major supermarkets, the online shop is the only place customers can buy the Worcester sauce-flavoured variety.

The website was set up last month and sales have already exceeded expectations.

Union employs 130 people at its factory on the Tanfield Lea industrial estate, near Stanley.

For more information, visit www.pretzel.co.uk