Lake Erie Candy Company creates, sells beach glass candies and more
Meet Greg fornalczyk, co -owner of Lake Erie Candy Company, who manufactures and sells beach glass candies.
- Unable to find beach glass candies in Erie, Missy Bertges and Greg fornalczyk launched Lake Erie Candy Company in 2019.
- During the COVVI-19 pandemic, they launched the online order and contactless delivery, considerably increasing their customers.
About six years ago, Missy Bertges and married business partners and Greg Fornalczyk were looking for candies that looked like beach glass. Now they manage their own candy store, and among their 500 products are some that look a lot like beach glass.
In 2019, Bertges and Fornalczyk could not find any store in Erie which sold beach glass candies, which inspired them to create their own product.
“I was a bit skeptical at first,” said Fornantalczyk. “But she (Bertges) was serious and found food licenses and the appropriate commercial licenses. Thus, we were able to sell it.”
When the two introduced the beach glass candies outside the Mother of Bartges’s mother, the ERIE community kissed her. The positive answer led them to start their business, The Lake Erie Candy Company.
“With the beach glass candies, people were looking for other candies and that put us in large distribution, the brand, the packaging and the distribution of special candies,” said Fornalczyk.
Lake Erie Candy Company now sells more than 500 online products and via their window at 3330 West 26th St. in the West Plaza village. Some of these products include:
- Old -fashioned candy
- Candy cigarettes
- Candy Sticks
- International products
- Daffin’s Candies Chocolates
- Mexican and Asian candies
“Since we are not a chocolate maker, we have the only one Daffin Candy in ERIE, “said Fornalczyk, 46.” All our chocolate comes from Daffin, which is unique because all the other stores are chocolate makers and will not transport other candies or chocolate. We can therefore be an exclusive Daffin. “”
The store also offers a variety of gluten -free products and a snack line for savory treats.
“Not everyone is a fan of sweets,” said Bertges, 46. “Like me, I like savory products, so I like to have a Bretzel line.”
Striving during the cocovide-19 pandemic
Navigating in the COVVI-19 pandemic shortly after the launch of the company in 2019 was a challenge, but they adapted and developed a plan to execute orders using contactless delivery. After the launch lakeeriecandycompany.comCustomers were able to place orders and have them delivered via a door delivery trade system.
“With the closure of everything and social distancing, we had people who were going from orders,” said fornalczyk. “We would then realize them without contact. … We were going to ring at the door and drop the product. We have become a little of that because no one in Erie gave anyone candy through the front door.”
Opening of a window in the Plaza West Village
As their business grew, their needs also made their needs, and the owners were looking for a showcase to remain wholesale. They found a house in the West Village Plaza and the window opened in 2021, occupying the space previously held by Wild Birds Unlimited for more than 30 years.
The window had the opportunity to develop in 2024 in the unit next.
“We were lucky because there was a unit in the place that became open and our neighbors at the 2 turn (sports cards and collectibles) had the opportunity to obtain a larger and brighter space,” said Fornalczyk. “It opened the space next to it and we were bursting out the seams here anyway, so we needed the additional room and we were lucky to be able to develop.”
Today, the company is still trying new products and finds ways to widen their business roughly.
“We are never sitting here,” said Fornalczyk. “We always try to find new things, to make it interesting and fun. If you give people a good product at a quality price, they will be extremely faithful to you. We have been blown away by the support of the community over the years.”
The Lake Erie Candy Company is open online at any time, and the window is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Contact Nicholas Sorensen in nsorensen@gannett.com.