On a quiet farm named Hazy Hollow Acres, where early morning fog wraps the fields in a soft embrace, Carol Fitzgerald found inspiration and, eventually, a business. Hazy Fudge, her now-buzzed-about confection company, wasn’t born from a textbook business plan. Instead, it began with a mother’s heartfelt gesture, a touring band, and a little wine – all in Dundee, New York.
“My son’s band, Whiskey Shivers, was crisscrossing the country after their appearance in Pitch Perfect 3. They were constantly taken in by strangers who opened their homes and kitchens. I wanted to send a thank you, something personal that captured who we are here in the Finger Lakes.”
That thank you turned into an experiment: decadent, alcohol-infused fudge. The gift not only delighted hosts but ignited a spark in the entrepreneur, who decided to start a new company at an age when most people were retiring.
Carol combined her rich background in administration, consulting, teaching, marketing, and data analysis with her newfound passion for confectionery. Stepping into the food industry was a leap into unfamiliar waters. Regulations, food safety, and scaling production were not in her wheelhouse. But fortunately, she lives in the Finger Lakes Region, where agricultural heritage meets innovation, and support networks are as homegrown as the ingredients she sources.
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