Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Pietrzyk.
Hi Erica, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started Pietrzyk Pierogi in 2017 almost by accident — by cooking for the people I love. I was making pierogi for friends, trying to reconnect with my Polish roots, and the response was overwhelming. People kept telling me, “You should really do something with this,” so I leaned in after experiencing a near death life trauma, rented space in a tiny commissary kitchen, and decided to see where the idea could go.
From day one, this business has been guided by community. Every opportunity came from someone believing in me: friends helping with pop-ups, customers driving across the city just to buy a dozen, local shops taking a chance on carrying my pierogi. In 2019, I officially moved into Gratiot Central Market, which became the home base for everything — production, retail, and eventually, the immersive culinary classroom we built into the space.
We’ve grown through some incredible highs and some really tough setbacks. We doubled revenue year after year in the early seasons, expanded our team, and landed distribution with Cherry Capital Foods. Then, in 2023, Cherry Capital closed overnight — in the middle of us building out our expansion. I had to rebuild our entire wholesale plan from the ground up while healing from an assault that left me almost paralyzed. But resilience is kind of my love language. We finished the expansion, launched our teaching kitchen, and in 2024, we secured distribution with Lipari Foods, opening the door to national growth.
Today, Pietrzyk Pierogi is a small but mighty team making nutrient-dense Polish comfort food with intention and love. We operate a brick-and-mortar, teach classes, distribute across the Midwest, and are scaling production through new technology — all while keeping our values front and center: pay people well, source locally, support the community, and make food that tastes like care.
This business started as me sharing pierogi with friends. Now it’s a growing company with national potential — but at its core, it’s still about feeding people, empowering our team, and honoring where I come from.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road to get here has not been as smooth as the potatoes in our filling. Building Pietrzyk Pierogi has meant navigating challenge after challenge, and while none of it has been easy, every struggle shaped the business into what it is today.
In the early years, I was figuring everything out on the fly — making pierogi by hand, selling at pop-ups, and trying to scale a business without a roadmap. Moving into Gratiot Central Market in 2019 was a huge leap, and suddenly I had to learn how to manage a team, run a retail space, and keep production flowing all at once. It was chaotic, exhausting, and incredibly rewarding.
One of the toughest moments came in 2023 when our distributor, Cherry Capital Foods, shut down overnight. We lost a major revenue stream in a single day — right in the middle of expanding our space to include a new production area and a culinary classroom. It was a real “sink or swim” moment. But we finished the expansion, rebuilt our distribution strategy, and eventually partnered with Lipari Foods, which opened the door to future national growth.
There were plenty of other bumps along the way: equipment breaking at the worst possible time, staffing challenges in a tight labor market, pandemic disruptions, and the sheer physical demands of running a food business. I’ve worn every hat — from visionary to janitor — sometimes all in the same day.
But those struggles forced us to get smarter, build better systems, and stay grounded in our values. The road may have been rough, but the resilience it built is a huge part of why we’re still here, still growing, and still making pierogi that taste like home.
As you know, we’re big fans of PIETRZYK PIEROGI. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Pietrzyk Pierogi is a Polish comfort-food company rooted in Detroit, built on community, and driven by the belief that food should taste like care. We make nutrient-dense, ready-to-eat pierogi and classic Polish dishes with the same intention and love you’d expect from a family kitchen — but scaled for modern life. Our specialties range from our signature O-G Pierogi® to seasonal favorites like our Holiday Special Pierogi, and we’re known for bold flavors, high-quality ingredients, and the kind of personality you don’t usually see in the frozen aisle.
What truly sets us apart is our commitment to people — the people who make the food and the people who eat it. We pay a livable wage, we source locally as much as possible, and we design our entire operation around community impact. Our space in Gratiot Central Market is more than a production kitchen: it’s a retail shop, an immersive culinary classroom, and a gathering place where we teach Polish cooking and share cultural traditions. It’s a little slice of old-world hospitality inside a historic Detroit market.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud of the heart behind everything we do. We’ve built a brand that’s both playful and deeply rooted — one that honors heritage while still feeling creative, modern, and unmistakably “us.” Whether it’s our Big Pierogi Energy™ campaign, our Pierogi Queen® social presence, or our hyper-seasonal limited runs, everything is crafted with intention and authenticity. People can feel that.
Our readers should know that Pietrzyk Pierogi is growing — in retail, wholesale, and distribution — but we’re doing it without losing our soul. We’re expanding through automation, increasing production capacity, and partnering with Lipari Foods to bring our pierogi to a wider audience, all while keeping flavor, quality, and culture at the center.
At the end of the day, we make pierogi — but what we really offer is comfort, connection, and a chance to taste food that’s crafted with love by people who love what they do. That’s the core of our brand, and it’s something we’ll never compromise.
Any big plans?
The future of Pietrzyk Pierogi is focused on sustainable growth, expanded distribution, and continuing to share authentic Polish comfort food with an even wider audience — all while protecting the heart and intention that make our brand what it is.
Right now, we’re investing heavily in scaling our production in a way that preserves our quality. We’re upgrading our equipment, streamlining our workflow, and building out the infrastructure needed to meet increasing demand from both wholesale partners and our nationwide shipping customers. These changes allow us to grow responsibly, increase efficiency, and ensure consistency without sacrificing the flavor or soul of our pierogi.
Our partnership with Lipari Foods has opened the door for broader Midwest expansion, and we’re planning for continued growth in retail and distribution. We’re laying the groundwork for a future where Pietrzyk Pierogi is accessible far beyond Michigan — all while staying true to the craft.
At the same time, we’re expanding our experiential offerings at Gratiot Central Market. Our culinary classes, cultural events, and community-focused programming will continue to grow, creating a deeper connection between our customers, our heritage, and the food we make.
Looking ahead, we’re exploring complementary product lines that align with our values and our brand — seasonal specialties, soups, and collaborations with local food producers. Everything is driven by intention and rooted in quality.
But what I’m most excited about is building out our team and deepening our impact as an employer. Offering PTO, a 3% matching 401(k), meaningful wages, and real opportunities for growth is central to our mission. As the company grows, I want the people who helped shape it to grow right along with us.
So yes, there are big changes on the horizon — more production, more distribution, more community connection — but the heart of the brand remains unchanged: honoring our heritage, supporting our people, and making food that brings comfort to every table.
As always, Make Pierogi, Eat Love.
Pricing:
- Most Pierogi are $16 per dozen
- Pierogi Making 101 tickets are $85 each
- Polish Starter Boxes are $79
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pietrzykpierogi.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pierogi_queen_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pietrzykpierogi
