Polka Dot Bake Shop
Wholesale
Oodles of farms, farmers markets, nurseries and other agricultural producers sell gift items, from roadside stands to pick-your-own farms. Pick one item, or bundle several of your favorites into a personalized package. The Produce Lady's recommendations include gourmet pastas from Boone-based The Pasta Wench; pecans from Elizabeth's Pecans (dark chocolate, orange crème and even jalapeno are among the choices); the namesake product from Farmer's Roasted Soynuts; and Sweet Potato Crackers in five flavors from Polka Dot Bake Shop in Charlotte. 
By: Nicole DenisThe Polka Dot Bake Shop in Charlotte, N.C., might be known for its cupcakes and cookies, but it's the bakery's twist on crackers creating buzz these days. The Sweet Potato Crackers, with the root's familiar orange hue, are handmade and seasoned with an array spices in four flavors: Original, Chipotle with Smoked Paprika, Rosemary & Olive Oil and Cracked Black Pepper (which also comes in a gluten-free variety too).  The crackers are a perfect carrier for dips, cheese or spreads (try them with hummus) and complement sparkling wines such as Champagne or Prosecco. Make a subtly sweet dessert or healthy kids' snack by topping it with cream cheese, honey and fresh fruit. Find more serving tips at polkadotbakeshop.com 
It was a treat to see the Polka Dot Sweet Potato Crackers ladies from Charlotte, NC, Jennifer and Michelle. Twice annually they each leave their 2 kids and hubbies to spend a week at the Winter and Summer Fancy Food Shows, getting more done in a week on the road than in 6 months at home. And...Stay tuned for June 2012 - they are promising something fabulous. Ordinary Cracker? NOT! Dec 17, 2011 Sometimes you have to go a far distance to get something wonderful. It's a bit of a jaunt to get to the Polka Dot Bake Shop from here. They serve up some delicious cupcakes and such in Charlotte,North Carolina. So we've done the next best thing— bring their amazing Cracked Pepper Sweet Potato Crackers to Fairbanks! Made in small batches with real sweet potatoes, they are seasoned with savory ingredients to provide a unique taste. Plus, they're gluten free! So come on in and get some for serving at your holiday parties. They are great by themselves or with hummus, soups, or salmon. We speak from experience.  Gift Idea Number Seventeen: Pair a box or two of Sweet Potato Crackers with some of our Rill Soups for a healthy, hearty twist on holiday giving and receiving.  New Products from the Fancy Food Show July 29, 2011 Contributed By: Tamar Genger Who says nothing can get done in Washington? I recently came back from a food-filled day trip to Washington, D.C. where I attended the 57th Summer Fancy Food Show. It is the largest marketplace for specialty foods and beverages in North America. The exhibit halls were filled to capacity with as many as 180,000 products including the latest in single-origin chocolate, artisanal cheese, olive oil, salsas, snacks, teas and spice blends, many of them with kosher certification. I want to share with you a few of my favorite discoveries.  I really enjoyed the Sweet Potato Crackers from Polka Dot Bakeshop. They are light and crispy and come in five amazing flavors: Original Sweet Potato, Rosemary & Olive Oil, Chipotle with Smoked Paprika, Cracked Black Pepper, and Gluten-Free Cracked Black Pepper. You can top them with cheese or honey or just eat them out of the bag. Since they are made from sweet potato they pack a nice nutritional punch.  The Cracker Barrel: Flavor Trends and Pairings May 2011 By: Nicole Potenza Denis While mass-market brands continue to dominate the market, specialty crackers have been expanding their presence. "In the past it was difficult for specialty manufacturers to come up with a cracker that was affordable and could compete with the big brands. Now we see that changing," says Fortino Godinez, specialty foods director and buyer, Hubbell & Hudson Market and Bistro, The Woodlands, Texas. Godinez says the demand for better-for-you crackers that are flavorful, taste good and those that fit a lifestyle category like gluten-free are helping to drive cost down, giving the category momentum.  Trending flavors such as sweet potato and pumpkin are growing in the category. Real sweet potatoes are the base for crackers at The Polka Dot Bake Shop in Charlotte, N.C. The bakery's thin sweet potato crackers come in Original, Chipotle with Smoked Paprika, Rosemary & Olive Oil and Cracked Black Pepper. Crackers are handmade and when topped with cream cheese, honey and fresh fruit make a subtly sweet desert or a healthy kids' snack. 
Epicurean Charlotte
Food & Wine MagazineSweet Potatoes: Not Just for Thanksgiving AnymoreJanuary/February 2011 By: Bea QuirkNow, a Charlotte company has recently introduced savory sweet potato crackers. After debuting the new product at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City in June 2009, Millchap Purveyors began distributing four flavors nationwide about a year ago. To help them expand, the N.C. Department of Agriculture recently awarded the company a $50,000 grant to purchase equipment to speed production. “Sales have been wonderful, and we are working on four other products that use sweet potatoes,” says co-owner Michelle Miller. About three years ago, she and Jennifer Chapman opened Polka Dot Bake Shop, which specializes in cupcakes. But they soon wanted to expand by offering a product that could be shipped.  They became members of the N.C. Specialty Food Association, and in a meeting about the state’s agricultural products, learned about the sweet potato. Miller first experimented with a recipe for a sweet cookie, but soon turned to a savory product. “I developed something like a cheese straw, but got rid of the fat grams,” she says. The gourmet crackers are available in Original, Cracked Black Pepper, Rosemary & Olive Oil and Chipotle with Smoked Paprika. A gluten-free cracker will soon be on sale. They can be purchased on their website (www.polkadotbakeshop.com ), at the Polka Dot Bake Shop in Parktowne Terrace and at local retailers such as Arthur’s at Belk and The Buttercup. CORRECTION: Millchap Purveyors received cost-share funds from the NC Market Ready Program not the NC Department of Agriculture. NC Market Ready is part of the NC Cooperative Extension Service.  10 marketing trends popping up in 2011January, 24 2011 2:31 PM By: Bruce HorovitzSweet on potatoes If 2011 is the year of anything, it's the year of the sweet potato. The orange spud has broken away from the holiday stereotype, thanks to growing consumer awareness of its health benefits, such as vitamin A and beta carotene.
Hopping onto the trend is ConAgra, whose Alexia line already owns 44% of the frozen sweet potato market. In March, it will introduce Alexia Sweet Potato Bite Sized Puffs ($3.49 per 20-ounce bag). That's right, potato puffs made from sweet potatoes. And why not? The $147 million potato puffs segment has been flat for years due to lack of innovation, says Michael Smith, marketing director for the Alexia line. "We're reinventing the classic by putting a sweet twist to it." |
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