People often ask, “How did Natasha’s Just Brittle Begin.” Well, if you know about me and my company, You may have heard that Natasha’s Just Brittle began by teaching my daycare children a lesson in business fundamentals.
The origins of Natasha’s Just Brittle truly began when I was about 12 years old. It began on a hot summer day in 1983 when My Grandmother saved my life.
You see on that hot summer day, sitting on my bed with a razor blade in hand, I was in the process of taking my life. My normally sleeping Grandmother burst through my bedroom door and asked “What are you doing” as she held out her hand for the razor blade. I told her that I was just tired, tired of the name calling, tired from being hit from behind and tired of being bullied. I told her that I didn’t want to be here anymore. My Grandma told me three things that would impact my life forever. First, she said that my life wasn’t my own to take. Second, she said that I was here to love God, my family and my community and lastly, she said that I was here to fulfill a purpose. Days later my Grandma had an idea that would shape and mold me into the woman I am today. She was going to take a few dollars from her social security check so that I could create and cook a yummy treat once a month. I remember when we went on our first trip to the grocery store to get ingredients for a home-made carrot cake. I must have been holding my head down because out of nowhere I heard my little Grandma say very loudly,” Hold your head up high, you are beautiful and don’t you ever for get it.”
I always knew that I would be an entrepreneur. At the age of 26 I decided to open a daycare center. I wanted the children to be able to create with their hands and have that same since of solace that I had when I baked in My Grandma’s Kitchen, so I incorporated cooking into my daycare curriculum. In the summer of 2009, I simply wanted to teach my daycare children a lesson in business fundamentals.
PPLC Sweet Treats, the children’s made to order sweet shop, made cakes, cookies, brownies and smoothies. One of the children suggested that we add candy to the menu. So, I came up with an all- natural brittle recipe incorporating brown & white sugar, sea salt, butter and agave.
The daycare parent loved the brittle so much, that they kept asking for it all the way into the wintertime. “Do you have any more of that brittle?”
After the 14th parent requested the brittle, I knew that I had a winning recipe. In December 2009, Natasha’s Just Brittle was born.
Fast forward to August 2016, I decided to close my daycare center after 21 years in the industry to operate Natasha’s Just Brittle full time.
Fast forward to 2017, Natasha’s Just Brittle has since been featured on QVC and is now in Whole Foods and other grocers across the State of Maryland.
Fast forward to 2018, Natasha’s Just Brittle Production House also serves as a dual Commercial Kitchen Hence B’More Made with Pride Commercial Kitchen.
It is my mission to support entrepreneurship.
It is my mission to support the youth of Baltimore City with job opportunities.
It is my mission to become a leading manufacturer catering to small businesses like my own.
It is my mission to create, build and leave a legacy for my children.
My Name is Natasha and I went from being Bullied to being the Brittle Queen.
Natasha’s Just Brittle is B’More Made with Pride.
