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Larger companies, such as Guida’s Milk and Ice Cream, and smaller ones, such as Superseedz, were using the day there to promote their business and attract customers.
Kathie Rosenschein, owner of Superseedz, began her enterprise in May 2003 by giving samples of her product to people at art and craft shows. Since May she has been selling the seeds in stores.
She first started to make the spice, sea salt, curry, sugar and cinnamon flavored seeds for her family because they were healthy.
She said sea salt seeds sell the best.
"People like plain," Rosenschein said. "It’s a safe bet, I think."
Jim and Maureen Coleman took the first step towards establishing their company, Jim’s Concoctions, by selling tomatillos -- little green tomatoes -- in their garden. They always produced so many tomatillos that they had to give them away to friends, who encouraged them to sell it.
So they turned the vegetable into salsa sauces and developed dipping strips.
Maureen Coleman said going to events helps their business because they attract many people.
"There is nothing like a showcase," Coleman said.
Marie Hirschfeld made flavored condiments for her friends and family until they encouraged her to sell. Now she is the owner of Giff’s original, LLC.
"It grew from my kitchen to a co-packer, a guy who makes 100 cases at a time," Hirschfeld.
She makes pepper relish, mango spice salsa, cranberry pepper relish, cranberry ginger chutney and grill and marinade sauce.
She said events, such as the one at the orchards, gives people an opportunity to understand the taste of specialty foods that can be complex.
"Testing sells," Hirschfeld said.
She said beats the competition by developing new ideas.
Frank D. Parseliti began selling his Mariana sauce in 1993, two years after "Frank’s Restaurant" in Hartford closed down. His father opened the restaurant in 1994.
He started in small stores and then moved onto bigger ones, showing them that his sauce sells.
"Basically, it was a question of people liking the sauce," Parseliti said.
To contact Josh Mrozinski, call (860) 347-3331, ext. 222 or email jmrozinski@middletownpress.com.
