Marzipan – what?

  • October 17, 2017

Reality check for our business idea

So here we are, my husband Mike and I, planning to make and sell marzipan. But will anybody but us want to eat it, let alone buy it? The two challenges ahead: 1) We had never made marzipan 2) Would people know what it is and/ or like it? The easiest answer to both – try it out!

Mike researched recipes, I sourced the ingredients. And one day I came home to the very first batch of homemade marzipan that Mike had whipped up. And it really was marzipan! Texture and taste – similar to what we knew from the store-bought marzipan back in Germany. We were so excited!!!

PEI potato-inspired marzipan by Maritime Marzipan//Photo Credit: Jessica L. Fritz

After a few tweaks to our recipe we dared to give the first samples to our friends, neighbours and coworkers. Basic, very subjective ,qualitative market research if you even want to call it that. We got all kinds of reactions from scepticism (“Canadians won’t like that.”) to curiosity (“What is it?”) to excitement (“My grandmother used to make this.”). But most importantly, we got input on how to improve our product and adapt it to a more general taste. Granted, all this from a very small group of people that were likely biased in our favour. Nevertheless, it encouraged us to move on.

Weeks later, the general public got to sample our marzipan at the Salty booth during Farm Day in the City. Unfortunately, we couldn’t be there to get your thoughts on our treats. So what did you think? We’d be happy to hear from you. Find us on Facebook and Instagram, email us at info@maritimemarzipan.com, and follow our business adventure along here.

About Jessica L. Fritz

Jessica is "from away" in the truest sense of its meaning: her roots are in Germany. She immigrated to Toronto, Canada in 2010 and moved to PEI two summers ago. As a passionate home cook Jessica likes to explore different types of cuisines including her native one. "Thinking globally, buying locally" is her foodie mantra, and being able to grow veggies in her own backyard was one of the big drivers for her move to PEI.
Putting words on paper has always been a way to express herself. Hence, writing for Salty combines her love for food and the written word while at the same time discovering PEI's thriving culinary landscape.
And recently, Jessica and her husband launched their own food business: Maritime Marzipan offers hand-made traditional European almond treats inspired by Island living. She is blogging about her adventure here on saltyisland.com or you can find them at maritimemarzipan.com.

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