#16: Fressy Bessie Ice Lollies Go National: Jackie Kwitko

“Do your homework, test your product out, just to make sure that this is something that people want, listen to the feedback, listen to what people say, and be patient because it’s going to take time.” – Jackie Kwitko, Founder, Fressy Bessie Foods Inc.

In this episode, we interview Jackie Kwitko, founder of Fressy Bessie Foods Inc. Her company makes healthy frozen treats that are 100% free of preservatives, additives, salt, sweeteners or artificial anything (and taste delicious – exactly the way mother nature intended).

Fressy Bessie is a family-run operation led by Jackie, and supported by her husband David, daughter Alexandra, and a small hard-working staff.

Jackie started her business in 2014 by selling baby foods at local farmers markets. She later introduced her ice lollies as an experiment and it became her flagship product. Now, her ice lollies are sold at major retailers across Canada.

In this episode, we learn so much including:

How we need to listen to our customers and go with what they want versus what we want to sell
The process that Jackie went through in order to manufacture and sell her food products
How she expanded from farmer’s markets to national retail chains
How success may not be overnight and takes hard work, tough skin and persistence

About Jackie Kwitko:

Jackie spent close to two decades as a CBC producer before she began her entrepreneurial journey. She started Fressy Bessie in 2014 when she was looking for a new path. Inspired by her love of food and commitment to feeding her daughter healthy, home-prepared fruits and vegetables (all of which she loved), she started making baby food and selling it at local farmer’s markets.

One warm summer day, she got the bright idea to freeze some of her leftover purees in small baggies, pop sticks into them, and sell them as popsicles. People loved them and, just like that, her flagship product was born.