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“When I graduated from high school four years ago, my step-dad, Christopher Warman, helped me set up a Fudgie Wudgie Fudge booth at a bunch of little craft shows,” Jeremy says. “The fudge was selling like hot cakes and my friend Ron from Ron and Frank’s Hot Chocolate, who has a booth at Old Fashioned Christmas in the Woods, told me I had to work toward getting accepted to this show.” Last year, Jeremy, who lives in Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania, was accepted and he’s sure the loaf of fudge he sent with his application won him a place in the 2005. “It was all I hoped it would be,” Jeremy says. “Even though it rained the first day, we sold out and I rushed home to make more fudge. I brought it back when it was still warm.” “Some of the same people came back to the show a second day to buy more fudge. I told people our fudge stays fresh for a long time, but second time buyers told me, there’s no way the fudge would last at their house. It was gone in a day.” You’ll meet Jeremy’s brother Bryan and his friend Bethann Whitaker at the Woods and one of them will be offering samples – not just one sample, but a taste of any flavor that interests you. Jeremy believes sampling is the secret of their marketing success just as cutting down on the usual amount of sugar in their recipe is one of the secrets of the creamy texture of their fudge. Another secret he is willing to share is the fact that they use all natural ingredients.
“People who try our orange Creamsicle fudge get an amazed look on their faces and tell me they feel like they’re eating a Creamsicle. You’ll experience something similar when you bite into a slice of chocolate raspberry or strawberry/banana cheesecake fudge. That’s why we sample so generously. You have to taste our fudge to believe the unique flavors and texture, “ Jeremy says. They make 24 flavors of fudge all with a base of imported Belgium chocolate that melts in your mouth. They don’t prepackage their fudge because they believe cutting the fudge into small pieces for packaging tends to dry out the product and make it less creamy. They display their fudge in blocks. He calls these “fudge loaves.” If you want a sample, he slices it off the loaf. If you want to buy some, he sells it by the slice. A 1/4 pound slice is $3. If you buy a 1/2 pound, you can choose two different flavors. If you buy a pound at $12 per pound, he adds an extra 1/2 pound free. And you can have your pound and free 1/2 pound in as many as six 1/4 pound slices. “If you buy a quantity, it will remain as fresh as the day you buy it sitting on a counter top or six months in the freezer. Just don’t put it in the refrigerator because the quality goes downhill in the refrigerator.” As if the fudge isn’t taste tempting enough, Jeremy plans to bring caramel- coated Granny Smith apples to sell at the show.
Last year, in addition to Jeremy, Bryan and Bethann, his mother Kathleen came to the show to help out. She said she never worked so hard in her life keeping up with the demand. “She loved it,” Jeremy says. “We all love talking to people and I believe the appearance of the display and our commitment to letting people try flavors, makes a difference. Buy it once and you’ll be back for more.” Over the Fudgie Wudgie sign they post a challenge - “Taste the Difference.” © Copyright ShakerWoods.com |
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