Patti Leja, PPC's newest Associate

 

Yes, the people we meet along the way….. 

 

As we’ve grown the last few months, the outpouring of help, advice, guidance and well wishes has been immense.  Friends old and new have opened doors to new opportunities abound.  

The PPC has grown in Pierogi Associates – You’ll see new faces down at Eastern Market behind the grill and helping customers decide on fillings they fancy.  Based on conversations and experiences the associates had on Saturday mornings, PPC rolled out VEGAN last weekend!  And, we’ve been researching and experimenting with Gluten-Free options. 

The Palmer Family - Tyler, Michaela, Kris

 

Our youngest Pierogi Associate, Tyler Palmer believed in the power of sampling.  He thought if market goers who were unfamiliar with pierogies had an opportunity to try them, we’d win them over.  He was right!  We are now incorporating sampling into a daily habit.

We’ve also had the joys of experiencing music and culture at the market.  A violinist, flute, bass and banjo player entertained us over the last few weekends.  It’s amazing what the power of music and a pierogi can do!  Will you play for pierogies?  Seriously….. we want to know. 

Local Eastern Market Musicians

 

 In addition, we’ve begun working with the MSU Product Development Center on expanding the business into packaged goods for sale at local grocers.  We presented the challenges and opportunities of PPC to the Fall Packaging Class.  The demands of the product are great, but I’m sure their research and ingenuity will exceed expectations.  It’s exciting to be back in school again!  I’ll  keep everyone posted during the on-going process. 

Rick Snyder, Michigan GOP Governor hopeful

Today was quite an eventful day of pierogies and politics down at Detroit’s Eastern Market.  The Peoples Pierogi Collective was visited and sampled by Rick Snyder (aka “One Tough Nerd”), Ann Arbor’s businessman running for the GOP nomination for governor and Virg Bernero, Lansing’s mayor running for the Democratic nomination for governor. 

Virg Bernero, Michigan Democat Governor hopeful

We won’t say who we’re partial to….. but, I will say I’m happy to hear both are in support of new entrepreneurs  building business and jobs in the State of Michigan. 

Don’t forget to get out and vote August 3rd!

After great demand from customers and a couple local grocers, the People’s Pierogi Collective is in the process of expanding into packaging for at home consumption (aka – distribution).  I’ve been working with the MSU Product Center in the details of this uncharted territory for PPC.  The Center’s Innovation Counselors offered invaluable advice and suggested bringing the People’s Pierogi Collective product development and packaging challenges to the incoming MSU Packaging Seniors for their Fall Course Study.  What a great idea!  PPC was built on the premise of expanding education in new marketing concepts…. it only seems logical to expand the concept into packaging.

For those interested in learning more abot the MSU Product Center please see the recap below or visit them at http://www.productcenter.msu.edu/index.htm Read the rest of this entry »

Urban farmers, niche markets and restaurants get in on the trend

Louis Aguilar / The Detroit News

Detroit — The People’s Pierogi Collective launched a retail offensive in Eastern Market last month just a few stalls away from the local Good Girls Go to Paris crepe makers and Brother Nature Produce, a 2-acre farm in Detroit’s North Corktown that also supplies nearby restaurants.

They reflect a growing movement of entrepreneurs, urban farmers, niche markets and independent restaurants that are trying to sell food in part by tapping into Detroit’s food culture and the local-food movement.

“The time is now to take your local-food idea and see how far you can go with it,” said People’s Pierogi owner Kimberly Stricker, who runs her own marketing firm. “Overall, people are getting so much more informed and eager to find quality local food, and I’m really happy to chase that and put my own twist on it.”

Stricker’s twist is putting new flavors such as apple and cinnamon into pierogis made by “Polish grandmothers” and selling them to farmers markets and, she hopes, other outlets. Read the rest of this entry »

Last week I had the pleasure of trying out new filling ideas suggested by PPC poll voters. Pierogies are a labor of love, meant to be prepared and consumed with good friends and family, so it was only appropriate to cook up some new ideas with Joleen Firek and her mother Fran. We spent the afternoon, gabbing, drinking wine and rolling out a little dough. Fran even entertained, playing a couple mean polkas on her accordion.

Prior to our debut on FOX 2, we had to sample the new creation – Breakfast Pierogies. Eggs, scrambled and bacon, fried. We sprinkled a little cheese inside and a little on top – - “Gotowy”(Done!)  They were a hit, so this weekend (per the public’s outcry) we will be serving the Breakfast Pierogi at the Eastern Market.

The Method

The PPC method unlocks your natural ability to learn a language.  Even if you’ve tried and failed with other methods before, you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll learn with our method.

• Learn Naturally with no translation or memorization.
• Engage interactively and stay motivated with a range of activities and exercises.
• Speak confidently and build your conversational skills using our speech recognition software.
• Have fun – our program makes language learning accessible and enjoyable. Read the rest of this entry »

New management, renovations played a major role in its turnaround

Going to Eastern Market this morning?

So many are.

Teeming with shoppers each weekend, the 119-year-old public market on Detroit’s near-east side now draws up to 40,000 visitors on a busy Saturday.

• PHOTOS: Readers Eastern Market photos

• PHOTOS: New energy at Eastern Market

That’s a testament to the attraction’s drawing power since just a few years ago the market was drawing losing favor, money and purpose.

Now shoppers come not only for the locally grown fruits and vegetables, but also for the popular breakfast and lunch delis, the wine and antique shops, the deals on flowers and plants and the ever-changing array of new products, like the specialty pierogies introduced this month.

To read the rest of the story from this weekend’s front page of the Detroit Free Press, click:  http://www.freep.com/article/20100626/NEWS01/6260336/1318

Anne Kelly, PPC Associate

We put pierogies on the grill and the passerbys would stop as the gentle aroma of grilled kraut and pierogies wafted by. It brought them back to childhood memories of grandma’s house and special occasions; it reminded them of family.

That was what I was told as people wandered up to the PPC Peoples Pierogie Collective to investigate. The patrons recounted stories about how they ate pierogies as children with their families during the holidays. And what a special time it was for them.

From the looks on their faces as they sampled Kim’s grandma’s recipie, I knew it was a hit. This treat was just what the people wanted; The Peoples Pierogie Collective.

I am so looking forward to hearing more stories and turning out new pierogie enthusiasts. I can’t wait to experience next Saturday.

We’re ready for Week 2 at Eastern Market Detroit.  Per a collective suggestion, we have changed up the menu to include two new pierogi fillings:  sausage and a sweet tooth dessert pierogi.  Sample them tomorrow!

Also, in honor of expanding your tastebuds, we will be gathering ideas for “New Fillings”.  If you have an idea for the next best thing since Potato & Cheese,  stop by or submit your cravings online. 

The Fergusons’s from Dallas, Texas already put requests in for:

• The Man Up – Jalapeno and Bacon
• Greek – Feta Cheese, Lamb and Olives
• Ham & Cheese – Havarti Cheese and Ham
• The Texan – Fritos, Chili and Cheese
• The Poor Pierogi – Franks and Beans
• Sweet Freedom – Apples, Cinnamon and Sugar

Let the creative juices flow!  What’s your ultimate creation?