In the picturesque village of Tarrytown in Westchester County, NY – just 30 miles north of New York City – a young AnnMarie D’Erasmo had a passion. She began a small business making chocolate covered fruits and sweets for friends and neighbors out of her home. While she loved making the products and experimenting with flavors, packaging and display were what she truly loved.
As the years progressed, she continued to create delicious treats while renting various commercial spaces and sub-leasing kitchens, all the while raising two children and working full time. Sub-leasing was not an effective solution because there were simply too many toppings and forms of packaging to transport, so she had to end that business.
Sweet Confections in Sleepy Hollow
A few years later a beautiful retail store space became available and AnnMarie decided to give her business another try. She opened Posh Pretzels in Tarrytown, home to writer Washington Irving and his tales of the secluded glen “Sleepy Hollow” located north of town. Posh Pretzels has become so successful, they ship all across the country and are constantly being asked when they will franchise their stores!
Posh Pretzels are hand-crafted, chocolate-covered pretzels that are beautifully embellished with delectable toppings. Popular flavors include dark toasted coconut, banana-walnut-peanut butter, caramel-granola-chocolate chip, sea salt caramel and raspberry fudge. Posh creates products for every imaginable occasion and event from weddings, funerals, birthdays, baby showers, graduations, corporate functions, corporate gifts, fundraisers, red carpet events, sporting events, televisions shows and more.
Oscar Winning Swag Bags
Posh Pretzels can create favors personalized for each customer’s taste and aesthetic. Just this week they completed a wedding order for 450 hand painted gold shimmer pretzels. Posh was a participant in the 2015 Oscar Awards swag bags. They have also created product for Bergdorf Goodman, celebrity wedding planner David Tutera (pictured here), PepsiCo, Tiffany’s and the Ritz Carlton. They even sell their pretzels wholesale to the historic Lyndhurst Castle in Westchester.
Their customers love coming in to their retail location and purchasing pretzels by the pound, as well as their flavored chocolate covered grahams, cookies and potato chips. Gourmet to-go boxes are a huge favorite because of how each box is decorated. Platter assortments are extremely popular as well. AnnMarie says, “Customers enjoy choosing favorites, and they absolutely love our pink bakery boxes from Nashville Wraps!”
Unforgettable First Impression with Packaging
“I researched packaging many, many years ago. While I carry various brands, Nashville Wraps has always been a staple for our most popular products and our custom printed bakery boxes. They have always been a pleasure to work with, most especially the custom print manager Harry! Love his accent!” says AnnMarie. “Of course, I don’t have a New York accent!”
Just a few short months after being in business, Posh Pretzels was asked to participate in the Oscar swag bags given to the nominees valued at $160,000! “It was fabulous watching the media review and showcase Posh Pretzels. I used Nashville Wraps sophisticated Black Twist presentation boxes for my swag products and everyone loved them!” AnnMarie did all this while filling Valentine’s Day orders and dealing with frozen pipes this winter. She says, “I fulfilled every order and still did it with a smile!”
The Poshibilities are Endless
This single mom didn’t let fear stand in her way of accomplishing her dream. She had a product she believed in and she worked very hard. “Most of my business has been through word of mouth, through networking and making calls,” explains AnnMarie. “I have made it a personal rule to pick up the telephone and contact businesses, magazines, corporations where I can envision my products and potential future business relationships, each and every day. The products are hands-down delicious, so once most try them they are sold. No one knows or will have the passion for my business like I do, so I really am my own marketing representative.”
Being a role model for her children is what has driven her, and they are a huge part of her business, including product development and marketing. Her 11-year-old son came up with their Cookie Dough concept and her 13-year-old daughter created their slogan: “The Poshibilities are Endless!”
Endless indeed. Thank you AnnMarie for making Nashville Wraps products look amazing and incredibly posh!
This is a beautiful article! Thank you so very, very much. It is always my pleasure to work with Nashville and their lovely products.