As someone who is trying to grow their own brand, I am always amazed and quite humbled to be in the presence of a person who started with a simple idea and turned it into something that even they couldn’t imagine. That was exactly what happened yesterday when I went to a fabulous event for Bethenny Frankel and her Skinnygirl Candy Line, which was unveiled at Dylan’s Candy Bar in Union Square.
Something Bethenny has done better than any of the Real Housewives, in any franchise quite frankly, was take a legit business concept and turn it into a multi-million dollar empire. She didn’t just sing (term used very lightly) a song in hopes of becoming the next big pop superstar (Tardy For The Money That Can’t Buy You Class, ahem). The Skinnygirl brand is one of the biggest brands out there for alcohol, and sings very well with her amazing female demographic and now Bethenny seems to be capitalizing on that thought process with her delicious and tasty new line of candies.
The variety of candies that i tasted were freaking fantastic, and what’s even better is that you really can’t taste the difference between what her’s taste like compared to ones you would find in an authentic candy shop (like Dylan’s) which could pack on the calories and fat. From gummy bears to chocolate bars, chocolate covered almonds and more, Bethenny and her Skinnygirl team are planning on making this the next big thing in 2016 and beyond.
Bethenny sat down with Dylan Lauren herself, who was looking absolutely stunning in a blue top and black pants. Bethenny surprised everyone with her new hairstyle which had fuchsia and red elements in them, like some of her tasty gummies that we sampled. Both looked fab as they discussed her next big move in the business world. Here is some fun parts of that interview-
DL: We all know about Skinnygirl products, so why candy and why now?
BF: Skinnygirl the brand is about indulging and allowing, and from the beginning people wondered if the word “skinny” from Skinnygirl was about depriving or about diet, and I don’t believe in diets, it is a four letter word that does not work. I believe that women, in particular, have to allow and indulge and i created these treats. These are 100 calorie packs that are perfect for you to put in your purse, they are whimsical and fun, this is high quality chocolate and its delicious. Great and innovative flavor, and women want chocolate. A woman who has PMS is going to battle with the chocolate craving and the craving is going to win.
So why now? I’m in other areas of food and beverage, and I just happen to love candy. You love candy! I have a sweet tooth. Most women do. Life is stressful, moms are taking their kids and dropping them off and working several jobs and you want to look great.
DL: Can you explain to us a little bit more about your products?
BF: Well, there is different flavors, something for everyone. I’m a dark chocolate person, so there are some dark chocolate options, I have milk chocolate options. Some people like that salty, crumbly texture which we have sea salt and a mint cookie crumble. I just think that we’ve all had chocolate, this is high quality chocolate that has a twist. I always wanted to do something a little bit different, so something whimsical, same thing with the mints, classic mint, pomegranate green tea mint, so I think that it is fun. Candy is meant to be fun!
DL: Do you ever pair a drink with your candy?
BF: It does go really nicely with a Prosecco, a Red Wine Cabernet Savignon, chocolate goes really well with the Cabernet. It’s really nice, for dessert you can have 200 calorie chocolates and a glass of red wine. It is a delicious treat that you won’t feel guilty about.
DL: What is your favorite guilty indulgence?
BF: My favorite guilty indulgence is frozen dark chocolate. I like things frozen, they last a little bit longer. I don’t want you to crack your teeth or anything but I am a chocolate girl. I don’t care if people don’t like it, I don’t understand that! Everybody has their own thing but I like dark chocolate. It is my thing.
DL: Why do you think you have been successful at turning your reality TV career into a successful business empire?
BF: I’ve always had a vision, and people think that I’ve always known where exactly I was going to end up and have this big goal and take over the world. I’m not, I’m an idea person. I come up with ideas and I want to execute them. I’ve just always known which way I was going, and you get derailed and there are road blocks and things that aren’t successful, but it is about execution and having an idea. I think that it is really important that we focus, stay the course, and execute your thought process.
After the interview, fellow Real Housewives Of New York star, (and my personal favorite) Carole Radziwill showed up to support her BFF in her new journey. Overall, it was a great experience and I am very hopeful for Bethenny and the Skinnygirl brand that this will be the next big thing that we indulge in. For more info on Skinnygirl, check out their official site.