MY MOTHER ’ S DELICACIES
Scranton , PA www . mymothersdelicacies . com Member Since 2015
Almost everyone can relate to the story of a cherished family recipe that has been passed down from generation to generation . In 1988 , Susan Herlands , owner of My Mother ’ s Delicacies , decided to take her grandmother ’ s recipe for rugelach from her parents ’ dining room to the tables of many families throughout our region and beyond . Now in its 30th year , My Mother ’ s Delicacies continues to grow and evolve with each passing year . Meet Susan Herlands …
What motivated you to start your business ?
In 1988 , I decided to test market my grandmother ’ s rugelach in my family ’ s supermarket . My mother and I prepared what we thought would be a week ’ s worth of product , but we ran out in two hours ! This initial success convinced me to pursue my dream of starting my own business . I hired a baker and bought an industrial-sized rolling pin and I just hit the ground running . I went on the road and sold the rugelach wherever I could . By Christmas of that year , I had to hire 17 bakers to keep up with local orders . After our first year in business I realized that the rugelach would need to be automated to keep up with growing sales . Six years ago , we built a brand new , state-of-the-art facility just a few miles down the road from my original location . equally as popular today . The next most popular items are our hand rolled Hungarian kipfel , gourmet mini turnovers , and our butter walnut and pecan snowball cookies , which are also known as Mexican wedding cookies .
How has your business evolved over the years ?
When I originally started my business , we manufactured only rugelach and the majority of my customers were local mom-and-pop stores . Today , My Mother ’ s Delicacies is not just a rugelach bakery , but it is a full-line gourmet bakery featuring premium European-style pastries delivered to national grocery chains , wholesale clubs , food service distributors and purveyors of fine foods .
What are your upcoming plans for your business ?
I am always looking to grow my sales and turn My Mother ’ s Delicacies into a household name .
How has your Chamber membership helped your business ?
I appreciate the community events , advertising and publicity opportunities offered by the Chamber . The Chamber has always made a point to recognize any change , update or innovation with my business and it seeks to be the local avenue for support and growth for My Mother ’ s Delicacies .
Get in the Spotlight !
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What are some of your best-selling items and why do you think they are so popular ?
Rugelach will always be my signature item . The cinnamon nut flavor was always everyone ’ s favorite , but the raspberry and chocolate flavors are
4 • The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce
I am always looking to grow my sales and turn My Mother ’ s Delicacies into a household name . Along with sales comes the need for more people in my company , greater expansion of my facility and additional equipment . We are continually researching and developing and hope to expand our product line once more .
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