Meet Tara Simon of The Sticky Pig in Studio City

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tara Simon.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Tara. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
I started The Sticky Pig back in 2009 sort of by accident. I was playing around with sweet and salty bacon combinations and started rolling different sweet fillings inside bacon and baking them. I would top them with different things like powdered sugar, chocolate, and sweet toppings.

Shortly after I had an interview with Bill Handel on KFI-640, an LA morning talk radio show. That got me some orders, but even though they tasted great, they were not ideal for shipping. I continued on with what I now call, Sticky Pig Version 1.0, and got featured on the Food Network’s ‘Outrageous Food’ with Chef Tom Pizzica. That really helped get my name out there and launched me into my next level of business. I was also featured in a few local (OC) magazines and another national radio show.

I knew the candies still weren’t quite how I wanted them to be, so I went back into the lab and created Version 2.0, which are the candies you see today. I came up with a method of making crispy bacon tubes. That was the ideal way to stuff them with all kinds of different fillings, and then, hand dip them in chocolate and decorate. This would allow me to ship them properly since they were covered in chocolate and taste much, much better!

From there I got on ABC’s ‘The Chew’ and CNBC’s ‘Restaurant Startup,’ which is like Shark Tank for food businesses. I was also approached by COSTCO to sell my candies in their warehouse, but that step required an investor and a lot of money.

After five years of being a one-woman show, I took a break and followed a passion of mine. I wanted to become a fashion photographer, which I am still doing today. Having more business experience now, I relaunched The Sticky Pig last fall, but this time with a business partner. The timing just feels right at this point!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No way! I learned a lot really quick by making mistakes along the way. The entire journey has been a learning process. I was never formally trained as a baker or chocolatier, and knowing how to ship chocolate is another animal itself. My main struggle was doing everything, and I mean everything, by myself.

The first round of candies were not shippable products and often ended up smashed in their boxes. I am, however, grateful for the experiences, both good and bad. There are things they don’t teach in school! You just have to jump in, give it your all, and get your hands dirty!

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The Sticky Pig – what should we know?
We handcraft every confection with thick sliced center cut hickory smoked bacon and stuff them with a variety of mouth-watering fillings, all made in-house. Each candy is then hand dipped in decadent Belgian chocolate and carefully decorated.

We are always testing out new flavors and will continue to introduce a limited edition, special batch candy (or two) each month. The Sticky Pig takes great pride in making each little piggy the most delectable little dessert you’ll ever have!

What sets us apart is we are the first to ever create a candy like this, where the center is a tube of bacon filled with deliciousness! My nickname is THE BACON VIXEN.

My note to everyone:
This isn’t your mama’s bacon or that ordinary chocolate covered bacon you get at a county fair. This is supreme madness, mischief, and mayhem all rolled up into sweet bacon bliss.

The best way to describe what our candied bacon is to those who have yet to experience such utter greatness is to say, if pork belly and Willy Wonka had a throw down, you would get something along the lines of The Sticky Pig’s Candied Bacon Confections.

The Sticky Pig’s handmade candied bacon is an absolute divine confection with the flavor and texture combinations of sweet, salty, sticky, and crunchy all in one bite.

There is nothing else like it. You WILL be wagging your curly little tail for more and licking those gooey fingers as you savor every last melt-in-your-mouth morsel.

Anyone who has tried The Sticky Pig’s candied bacon confections will tell you it’s on their list of the top most exciting things they have ever put in their mouth. I’ll leave the others up to your imagination, you dirty candied bacon-lover you!!

Any shout outs? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Every one of my friends and family members that supported me along the way, anyone that donated money, and/or anyone that took a chance and bought some piggies should definitely get credit, as well as my new business partner Christopher Hernandez. He has been a significant player in the relaunch of the brand. He is the one who inspired me to bring it back in the first place!

Pricing:

• Our candies start at $18

Contact Info:

• Website: www.EatTheStickyPig.com
• Phone: 949-922-1267
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: the_sticky_pig
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eatthestickgpig
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-sticky-pig-los-angeles?osq=the+sticky+pig

Image Credit:
David Moyle

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