H.A. Hang: Niki Toscani of Fishtown Pickles
The coolest part of our business has always been our clients. We’re amazed by all they do: CEOs, world travelers, authors, inventors, entrepreneurs, newscasters, artists, pro athletes, musicians, caretakers, and philanthropists.
We launched this series to share the stories of our clients and form connections within the H.A. community. Enjoy!
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Home Appétit: Tell us about Fishtown Pickles—what is your business about and how did it begin?
Niki Toscani: We make handcrafted, small-batch pickles using fresh, local produce. During cucumber season, we source directly from Muzzarelli Farm in South Jersey. In the off-season, especially when pickling other veggies, we partner with other local farms.
Why pickles?
I'm a dietitian and my husband Mike is a chef. We initially got into pickles by complete accident after giving them out as favors at our wedding. Everyone loved them so much and we started receiving interest from retailers, which eventually led us to formalize our passion project into a business in 2018.
How did you grow the business?
In 2018, we decided to join the Pickledelphia festival, which required us to officially LLC our business. From there, the company grew organically through word-of-mouth and retail interest. After my husband was laid off in 2020 because of the pandemic, we made it our full-time business.
What's special about your pickles?
We use traditional pickling methods but with bold and innovative flavors. We’re creating a modern but nostalgic taste. Our business emphasizes wellness, sustainability, and community engagement. We package our pickles in glass jars for sustainability reasons and we educate people on how to reuse brines and spices to reduce waste.
What’s an example of how you recommend folks reuse the brine?
Our favorite way to upcycle brine is to use it in marinades and dressings, but if you’re just wanting more pickles, folks can absolutely add sliced onion or cucumbers into the brine for a pickle 2.0. Spices and brine also make for a great addition to a seafood boil!
Are you and Mike originally from Philly? How did you end up in Fishtown?
Mike grew up in the Northeast and I was born in Abington. We both were raised in South Jersey. I lived in South Philly and Queen Village before we bought our home in Fishtown in 2017.
How many retailers carry your pickles now?
We’re available in more than 140 retailers across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. We recently expanded into Wegmans and ShopRite, our biggest retail partners. We also sell directly to consumers through our online store and at local farmers' markets.
Getting into retail is so competitive. Who was your first retailer and how did that relationship start?
Our first retail partner was GoodBeet in Collingswood. They found us through Instagram. Other early adopters were Bottle Bar East and the Kensington Community Food Co-op. Initially, we gave out free samples in stores in Philly, which helped get our pickles onto refrigerated shelves—a prime retail space.
You guys do some cool events in addition to making pickles. Can you tell me about that?
Yes, we host monthly pickling classes at our kitchen, have pop-up events, and hold our annual Feast of the Seven Pickles dinner—a charitable event showcasing creative pickling beyond cucumbers. Community engagement is central to our brand.
What's your favorite part of running Fishtown Pickles?
Aside from the joy of making delicious pickles, I love how pickling connects people to their personal memories and stories. Almost everyone has a pickle story, whether it's nostalgia from grandma’s recipe or the humorous interactions over who gets pickles at a restaurant.
Where do you like to hang out in Philly?
We love hanging out at Mural City Cellars—it’s owned by close friends and is just down the street. With a little one at home, we also enjoy family activities, like recent visits to Puttshack.
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