Skip to content

Innisfil woman leaves the corporate world, whips up her own biscotti business (4 photos)

After losing her corporate job, Innisfil resident Rose Ficco decided to follow her passion and opened her own biscotti making business

When Innisfil resident Rose Ficco lost her corporate job at the age 50 (the day after her birthday), she had no idea she would be running a successful biscotti business 'Fiscotti Cookies' just two years later.

It started with a phone call to her aunt one morning asking for the traditional family Italian Anise biscotti recipe, a cookie that reminded her of her late mother.

“I was getting a bit bored," admits Ficco. “So I called my aunt to get the family Italian biscotti recipe… she was ‘guestimating’ all the measurements over the phone."

Ficco’s first batch did not turn out the way she intended and was truly a ‘trial and error’ for the first little while. But eventually the flavors were “spot on” and she finally achieved the shape she desired.

“I honestly had no idea what I was doing,” shares Ficco. “But one flavor continued to another flavor, and next thing I knew, I was handing them out to people."

Ficco officially registered the business in 2016 as “Fiscotti Cookies” (a spin off her last name and biscotti) and began creating delicious cookies such as the “Naughty Fiscotti” (a chocolate salted caramel biscotti), “Fiscotti Joy” (double chocolate topped with sliced almonds and shredded coconut) and the popular “Nonna’s Fiscotti” (the original Fiscotti recipe!) All cookies are creatively hand crafted, no two batches are alike. 

“I wasn’t a baker… but now I love it!" states Ficco.

Ficco resides in Sandy Cove and sells her cookies online in pre-packaged bags or gift baskets. She also sells Fiscotti “bites”.

“The cookies have to be double-baked," explains Ficco. “It’s an Italian way of doing it."

Fiscotti offers fans a subscription to a monthly newsletter, Fiscotti “love notes” (reviews from loyal customers), Fiscotti “travels” (countries where her cookies have travelled to), and even a Fiscotti Factor Barometer.

“Offering a fiscotti to a potential love interest would make or break the outcome based on their reaction,” notes Ficco. “If the person reacted with an “OMG, those were the best cookies I’ve ever tasted”, then they automatically made it to a second date! But if their reaction was “Meh, that was alright” then the conversation would stop abruptly and immediately shown to the door!”

Ficco’s cookies have been served at weddings, funerals, gender reveals and other parties, and she customizes each order based on the client’s budget.

“Absolutely fantastic cookies! We couldn’t stop eating them! Addictive!!!” posted Rachel Lepine on Ficco’s Facebook page.

“I want them to be so good, they’re orgasmic,” expresses Ficco. “When I watch people bite into one and I see that expression, I’ve done my job.”

Ficco advertises her cookies through word-of-mouth, and through social media.  Her primary business, “Rose to the Rescue” offers administrative office support for businesses. She also enjoys blogging which is featured throughout her Fiscotti website.

“When you lose your job, you don’t remember that you’ve got a lot of stuff locked inside you that you wanted to do or didn’t have time to do, and when you’re released, you find the time to do it! – I’m enjoying every minute of it!” shares Ficco.

To try Ficco’s Fiscotti, visit her website or Facebook page.