Brooklyn's Progress
February/March 2006

By Harold Egeln

The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce’s Brooklyn Goes Global marketing assistance program for manufacturers has helped put a Brooklyn Chamber Member on the world's plate. Erica Kalick, the CEO and Founder of Erica's Rugelach and Baking Co., Inc., is ecstatic.

“Brooklyn Goes Global's Director Steve Kaplansky was really instrumental in putting Brooklyn and our business on the map," said Ms. Kalick, who runs the Park Slope-based business. “The food trade shows he gets us into are so beneficial for specialty niche food manufacturers, such as ours. It's made contacts that have jazzed up our business!"

Ms. Kalick, a Brooklyn Chamber Member since July 2003 says she enjoys the Chamber’s programs and seminars. Her products use all-natural ingredients, and imported Dutch cocoa and Belgian chocolate.

At KosherFest 2005, held in Manhattan at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Ms. Kalick’s pastries were sampled by Tom Negri, General Manager of Loews Vanderbilt Hotel located in Nashville, Tn. Ms. Kalick says she now has a deal to supply the hotel with her baked goods through the 2006 holiday season and beyond.

"This is fabulous," said Ms. Kalick who won the 2003 Crain’s Small Business Award. "Once again, the BGG booth attracts key buyers. That means sales and profits for us as well as the fantastic exposure the Chamber provides."

"That's what BGG is all about, providing marketing support and creating opportunities for Brooklyn products domestically and internationally," said Mr. Kaplansky, adding that he was very glad that Ms. Kalick's business got "this fabulous and wonderful order."

Ms. Kalick, a writer and musician who has taught classes at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, mixes a recipe of business and civic work for which she was awarded the 2004 Business Woman of the Year Award by the Local Economic Development Corporation of East New York.

Ms. Kalick helps local charitable organizations and donates cookies annually to City Harvest. The business also has strong connections with New Orleans food businesses and provided assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Ms. Kalick’s products are sold in Zabar’s, Whole Food Markets, Dean & Deluca, Fairway and New World Coffee, among others. She credits her great-aunt Pearl for the tasty rugelach recipe, which combined with her own unique recipes, led to the company's founding in 1989.

To contact Erica's Rugelach and Baking Co., visit the company’s Web site at http://www.ericasrugelach.com/ or call 718-965-3657.