Written by: Samantha Hart

Many components come together to make every Parade season special and new while honoring traditions. Fostering community is the trufflesmost important (and in my opinion, the best) part of the Steuben Parade. In preparation for the 2018 Parade season I have been chatting with our sponsors for some participant insights. One thing has become abundantly clear through these interviews: our sponsors are as much a part of the Parade community as our visitors from Europe, those with Germanic heritage in the US, all the way to our canine participants! Sponsors feel connected either through their specific products or their own Germanic heritage.  Keep coming back to read more on our “Sponsor Series”.

pretzelsI am sure we all wonder from time-to-time if every specialty restaurant has an Oma, Nona, Yaya or Babu running things behind the scenes. “How does it taste so good?” “How can I get my dish to come out like that?” “Do you think Grandma knows I’m not using her recipe?”  I had a lovely conversation with Marion Land, Vice-President of Rossbach International to discuss just that.

Marion Land first heard of the Steuben Parade in the early 1980’s through her work with the company Schwaben International. They were a big promoter of the Parade and assisted in bringing bands over from Germany. She thoroughly enjoyed the Parade’s atmosphere and diverse groups throughout the Parade. She recalled a band in the Parade from a few years ago that had its members dressed up as bears. Her fondness of the Parade led her to keep an eye out for further opportunities to connect with the Parade and it is greatly appreciated.

DSC_4942Located in Staten Island, NY and Miami, FL; Rossbach International is an importer for frozen foods (mainly from Europe) to food services, such as cruise lines and restaurants.  While they do not import for retail purposes, New Yorkers can still enjoy favorite specialty German cuisine when going out. Notable items include specialty breads, sauerkraut, stollen (and other desserts) and of course, pretzels! This company was established in May 1996 and has been active in food import since January 1998. They continue to look for products to bring to the American Market and through their partner company in Hamburg, Germany they are in steady contact with worldwide partners.  They check on factories and exercising quality control while assisting European partners with labeling requirements to meet American standards. Check out www.fancyfoods.com for further details.

For all the sweet-tooths, look forward to a special treat at the Parade and the GalaDSC_5085 in September.  Rossbach will befeaturing Lebkuchenherzen and German truffles!  Lebkuchen are a traditional German baked Christmas treat, hanging from ribbon and can be compared to gingerbread. Look for a loving message or cute nickname on these delicious cookies with colorful icing. Their Lebkuchen’s are featured on our TV appearances. Enjoy a delicious chocolate truffle thanks to Rossbach International where you can also meet Gerhard Rossbach and Marion Land. On Parade Day Marion herself hands out their German pretzels to the VIP Grandstand. Gerhard is an official Parade photographer and can be seen taking photos at the Parade and Oktoberfest. It is interesting to learn about their fascinating company that brings German specialties to your restaurants and cruise lines.