If you shop at Promenade Mall or Vaughan Mills Mall, you’ve likely walked by Fruit of the Land.
The gourmet food company, which Kurtz and her husband started as a holiday pop-up shop, has been in business for 18 years, selling unique and desired food products through the year.
“We manufacture most of the products we sell,” says Stacey Kurtz, VP Marketing. “And we source out other artisans and other producers. We bring out the best in the land. If we don’t do it ourselves, we bring in the best.”
Many shoppers may associate Fruit of the Land as a jam store, which is how they started. Today, popular items include gift baskets, Asiago Bread Topper, and pepper jams from Kurtz Orchards in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Fruit of the Land is also the recipient of multiple Sofi Awards at the New York Fancy Food Show.
Kurtz is immensely proud of the company’s success and growth and now welcomes her two sons as members of the company.
In terms of the pandemic, Kurtz says it was a very challenging time, but “I believe with every challenge, there’s an opportunity.”
Kurtz credits the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce and its seminars and networking for a chance to connect with other business owners and learn about pandemic policy. And then they focused on growth.
“I’ve never worked so hard in my life. We pivoted very quickly. We were almost entirely retail-based, and so we developed our online presence and pursued other opportunities.
“It’s been one of the most fruitful times of our lives.”
To learn more about Support Vaughan Local, go to www.supportvaughanlocal.ca
