From Farmers Market Stand to Pickle Festival

Dane Brennan and Francesca Campbell couldn't find pickles and beverages that met their standards, so they started making their own.

Since launching Blue Ridge Pickling in 2023, the founders have grown the business through farmers markets, artisanal beverages, and community events, building an artisanal food and beverage brand in Northern Virginia around quality ingredients and local products.

This week, Dane and Francesca share why they tested at a farmers market before anything else, how they went from vending at other people's events to producing their own pickle festival, and what's next, including a pickle-juice sparkling beverage.

The Interview

The Product and Audience: What is Blue Ridge Pickling and who is it for?

Blue Ridge Pickling makes artisanal beverages and pickled products for people who value locally made, small-batch goods. Its customers shop at farmers markets, specialty grocers, wineries, breweries, farm stores, and independent retailers. They care about ingredients, sourcing, and sustainability, and they prefer products without unnecessary additives over choosing based solely on price or brand recognition.

The Spark: What made Dane and Francesca say "we need to build this"?

The founders couldn't find products that met their standards, so they decided to make their own.

The Launch: When did Blue Ridge Pickling launch and how did it build early buzz?

Blue Ridge Pickling started in March 2023. Rather than trying to generate pre-launch buzz, Dane and Francesca took their products to a farmers market to test the concept. They believed they had a good product, but they wanted customers to validate that belief before investing too much time and energy into the business.

The First 100: How did Blue Ridge Pickling find its first customers?

Farmers markets were where Blue Ridge Pickling found its first customers. Selling face to face put the products in front of people who could give direct, honest feedback right at the stand.

The Advice: What would they tell a first-time founder in their first 90 days?

Listen to feedback and take advice, but be intentional about how you apply it. Not every suggestion needs to become a change. The key is to listen carefully and decide what makes sense for your business.

The Reality Check: What is the hardest part of this journey that people don't see on social media?

As the business grows, scaling becomes more complicated. Pricing, funding, and hiring all require increasingly careful decisions, and each one can influence what comes next. Another challenge is figuring out where to focus time, energy, and resources while balancing multiple projects and opportunities. Growth is exciting, but it also means constantly prioritizing, solving problems, and making decisions with long-term consequences.

The Milestone: What has been the biggest "we made it" moment so far?

One of Blue Ridge Pickling's biggest milestones was moving from participating in other people's events to creating and producing its own, including the Pickle & International Food Festival. After the success of the inaugural festival, the team produced a fall edition on October 17 and 18 at Crooked Run Fermentation in Sterling, Virginia, planned for more than 10,000 attendees and over 80 vendors, including more than 10 pickle vendors from across the East Coast, international food, local makers, live entertainment, family activities, and fall-themed experiences. Seeing an idea grow into a large-scale community event has been one of the most rewarding parts of the brand's journey.

The AI Trend: How has Blue Ridge Pickling used AI to help the business grow?

Blue Ridge Pickling uses AI to strengthen its marketing and stay organized as the business grows. The founders use it to plan campaigns, develop content, coordinate event logistics, manage timelines, research pricing, and organize projects. It has also helped them work through logistics for unique opportunities, including food-focused art installations for restaurants. By taking some of the organizational burden off their plates, AI helps them spend more time growing the business and bringing their ideas to life.

The Horizon: What should we be excited to see from Blue Ridge Pickling in the next six months?

Blue Ridge Pickling is preparing to launch a new sparkling beverage focused on pickle juice. The team is also launching a YouTube series through @blueridgepickling, featuring different ways to use pickles in a variety of recipes.

The Shop: Where can readers buy Blue Ridge Pickling?

Visit blueridgepickling.com to explore the brand's products. Start with our Preview of the Blue Ridge Pickling Sampler Pack.

The Connection: Where is the best place to follow along?

Follow @blueridgepickling across social media for product updates, recipes, and upcoming events.