A sweet new business is blooming in Bedford County
Whitney Burkey found a unique niche in combining edible flowers and candy.
Entrepreneur Whitney Burkey has turned her passion for flowers into a blossoming business called BloomPops. The unique endeavor marries the beauty of flowers with the sweetness of candy.
When Burkey was feeling a little down on her luck she started looking for a new venture. “Life has thrown me a bunch of curve balls, butI always try to find beauty,” she said. “Gardens and flowers bring peace to my soul. I was looking for a way to make some extra money, so I made edible flowers into candy.”
Sounds simple, but the process behind BloomPops is a labor of love. “To make the hard candy I use a mold, and because of the short window to get the flowers in before it sets up, all the candies are made in small batches,” she explained. “I use a variety of flowers, including violets, violas, lilacs, pansies, roses and nasturtiums.”
Many flowers found in the wilds of the Appalachian Mountains are edible.
The Alleghenies’ beauty and support
Starting a business is never without risks, and Burkey acknowledges this reality. She didn’t know if her idea was big enough to succeed, but that didn’t stop her. “There isn’t anything else like this on the market,” she said. “After connecting with Startup Alleghenies and meeting with my coach, Jen Marsh, I was amazed at the help and resources offered for free.”
The Alleghenies provides the flora to forage for many of the flowers in the wild. “More and more people are interested in things that grow in the wild… It’s almost like a lost skill,” Burkey shared. “The Allegheny Mountains are abundant in useful, medicinal and edible plants.”
“Whitney’s business not only taps into the region’s natural resources but also promotes awareness of their utility,” Marsh said. “There is nothing like this on the market and her ability to pull nature into her business has been fun to watch.”
“Gardens and flowers bring peace to my soul.”
Blooming toward the light
The driving force behind BloomPops is determination and an unwavering positive outlook. “Determination to make life better drives this business,” Burkey said. “The seed has to be put into the dirt and shoot up and climb out of the darkness… no matter how dark things seem, just keep pushing toward the light and bloom.”
Burkey’s “why” is deeply rooted in her journey, and she sees her business as a way to help others bloom in their lives. “As a single mom with big goals and big ambitions, I want to be an example for others,” she said. “We are all here on purpose, for a purpose, and I believe we can bloom into our full potential just like flowers do.”
“I was looking for a way to make some extra money, so I made edible flowers into candy.”
“Just don’t quit. What do you have to lose, even if it doesn’t work? Sometimes it takes a lot of failures before you reach success,” she continued.
Burkey’s journey with BloomPops is a beautiful example of how passion, determination and a willingness to take risks can transform a simple idea into a business. “I hope my story inspires others, encouraging them to find their purpose and create something unique, just like a flower pushing through the darkness to bloom in all its glory,” she said.
Do you have a business that’s ready to BLOOM? Startup Alleghenies helps startup and emerging small businesses succeed by providing free coaching to entrepreneurs in Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset counties. To access personal, one-on-one support from a coach in your county, including guidance, resources, tools and networking opportunities, sign up at startupalleghenies.com.
