Pietrzyk Pierogi: Reinventing a Polish Classic in Detroit
Erica Pietrzyk never set out to become the Pierogi Queen of Detroit. But after serving homemade pierogi to friends at a bar where she bartended, demand for her Polish dumplings quickly snowballed into a full-fledged food business, aptly named Pietrzyk Pierogi, that now reaches customers across the country.
A proud Polish-American who grew up folk dancing and cooking with family, Erica found early inspiration in her heritage. But her path to entrepreneurship wasn’t just cultural. It was personal. After surviving domestic violence and being diagnosed with PTSD, Erica poured herself into building something joyful, creative, and healing.
“I didn’t want to ruin my life. I didn’t want to hurt the people around me. So I worked,” she says. “This business gave me a reason to get up and go every day. And I love what I do.”
Erica began by selling her handmade pierogi at local bars and pop-ups around Detroit, starting with her family’s traditional dough recipe and three classic fillings. But she quickly began experimenting with new flavors. Jalapeño popper, cheeseburger, Greek, blueberry and farmer’s cheese — each new creation was a reflection of Erica’s creativity and palate.
“I think I tested over 120 different recipes,” she says. “The bar pop-ups were a great way to see what customers really liked. Once we saw what sold, we knew what to package.”
By 2019, Pietrzyk Pierogi opened a retail space inside Gratiot Central Market at Eastern Market, where customers can enjoy hot pierogi from the grill or take frozen ones home. Her team also offers mail-order nationwide, making her hand-pinched pierogi accessible across the U.S.
Of course, growth hasn’t come without setbacks — from losing a contract with a major distributor to scaling back staff. But Erica has used every challenge as a chance to adapt and move forward.
“Owning a business means constant change,” she says. “You think things will get easier once you reach a certain point, but the truth is, there’s always something new to figure out. You just have to expect that.”
One of her biggest lessons? Success is all about the people around you. “It doesn’t matter how good your product is. It’s the people who work with you that make or break your business,” Erica says.
That same community spirit shows up in everything she does — from mentoring other women entrepreneurs to collaborating with fellow makers. She credits the owners of The Old Miami — Daniel Overstreet and Julie Flynn — with giving her early encouragement and steady support. “They accepted me when I was learning to live with PTSD,” she says. “They supported me, encouraged me to push forward, and even gave me catering gigs so I could keep going. They’re like a second set of parents.”
Erica also celebrates fellow women entrepreneurs who’ve inspired her along the way. Sarah Reid of Flavorful Creations — known for her vegan rum cakes — shared a kitchen with Erica in the early days, and their friendship has remained strong. Alex Clark of Bon Bon Bon, a fellow Hamtramck-based founder, has also been a steady presence. “We’ve both been through some things and still kept going,” Erica says. “There’s something special about building businesses with that kind of resilience.”
That sense of resilience was essential when Pietrzyk Pierogi was gearing up for a major expansion: a sudden surge of 150 new stores. It was a huge opportunity — but also a potential cash flow crunch. That’s when Michigan Women Forward stepped in.
“MWF came in clutch,” Erica says. “They helped us avoid a cash flow crunch so we could meet demand and grow the way we needed to.”
The microloan from MWF allowed Erica to invest in new systems to make production more efficient, keep her grill open longer, and expand into more retail locations across and beyond Michigan. Today, Pietrzyk Pierogi products can be found in stores across the United States, online orders continue to grow, and pierogi-making classes are a big hit.
And while Erica still loves the traditional flavors like potato and cheese, she also stands by fan favorites like the Becky (a jalapeño popper-inspired flavor named after a loyal customer) and the Holy Gouda, made with smoked gouda, bacon, and chives.
She also refuses to compromise on quality. Pietrzyk Pierogi uses top-shelf ingredients and a traditional dough recipe, and each pierogi is boiled and flash frozen in-house so customers can skip the boil and just steam, sauté, and enjoy.
Erica’s success is rooted in passion, perseverance, and a deep love for her craft — but also in her ability to evolve. Whether it’s launching new flavors, refining operations, or expanding across state lines, she’s always thinking a few steps ahead.
“We say ‘make pierogi, eat love’ around here,” Erica says. “Because when people love what they do, they create better food. And when people eat better food, they feel the love.”
Erica’s Advice to Fellow Entrepreneurs:
- Let your passion guide you. “This business helped me survive,” Erica says. “If you love what you do, it’ll help carry you through the hard parts.”
- Know that failure is part of the journey. Setbacks are inevitable, but how you respond matters more.
- Don’t underestimate the people factor. Surround yourself with a team that believes in the work.
- Test before you scale. Erica used local pop-ups to validate new flavors before committing to packaging or wholesale.
- Invest in systems that let you grow. Streamlining production allows for long-term scalability.
Get the support you need to scale your business. Learn about MWF’s microloans for entrepreneurs.
