Posh Fairy Floss is a gourmet cotton candy company dreamed up, owned and operated by Monica Heffner. You may already know Posh Fairy Floss for their crowd pleasing treats at festivals and markets throughout the Valley, but now you can get your cotton candy fix anytime with the opening of their first storefront location, downtown!
Offering over 50 handmade seasonal flavors of cotton candy that are allergen-friendly (free of gluten, dairy and nuts, with dye-free options too!), you can enjoy one of your favorite childhood treats and indulge your sweet tooth guilt-free! Whether you like your cotton candy in pin-wheels, tubs or as a cake (that’s right—they make cotton candy cakes!) Posh Fairy Floss has something for everyone!
And that’s not all—Posh Fairy Floss also offers allergen-friendly real-fruit sorbet (handmade in-house!), soft serve ice cream, dairy-free milkshakes and sundaes, and lotus natural energy drinks too!
Gourmet cotton candy, you say? Naturally, we wanted to know more. Monica was kind enough to chat with us and give us some insider information about Posh Fairy Floss’ origin, their expansion and their advice for other small business owners who want to expand.
Can you tell us a little about yourself and when/how Posh Fairy Floss came to be?
I’m Monica Heffner, I have always loved the idea of being an entrepreneur since high school, I just knew it was not the right time as I was busy raising our four children. My second oldest daughter and I started Posh Fairy Floss in 2019 after falling in love with traveling to markets and festivals on Saturdays and selling fair trade items to fundraise the few years before that.. Unfortunately, fairy trade items were not working so we started trying other things and landed on cotton candy. We were just going to do it once in a while for fun, but once we fell in love with creating new flavors and seeing our customer's reactions so much we decided to make it a full-time business in 2021. We’ve traveled all over Virginia since 2019, attending festivals, markets, and private events. This past July 2024 we opened our first storefront in Harrisonburg, VA, and added sorbet, dairy-free Oatly soft serve, and our super fun Posh Rolls, which combine sorbet, cotton candy, and toppings.
What sparked your interest in/passion for cotton candy specifically?
I have a photo of me when I was five years old sitting at a Hershey, PA parade eating cotton candy. As a child, it was the one item I asked for at the county fair each year. So I suppose it started young! As a business owner, I enjoy the creativity of making new flavors and cotton candy items.
What are your favorite and/or best-selling flavors?
My favorite flavor is Cranberry - we only sell this at Christmas time. It is just the perfect combination of sweet and tart. As far as all-year-round flavors, I like Peach Mango, and Pina Colada. Apple Pie is a good one, too! For the sorbet, I love the Mint Mojito and the Chocolate Oatly soft serve is delicious!
What makes providing allergen-friendly treats a priority for you?
I have a life-threatening tree nut allergy and I cannot tolerate dairy. It is so hard to eat desserts safely unless I bring my own food. I wanted to help others who have allergies and intolerances have a safe place to eat. Especially ice cream. It is so hard to find places that have dairy-free ice cream without cross-contamination of nuts.
Do you plan to keep offering Posh Fairy Floss at local festivals and markets now that your storefront is open?
Yes! We love getting out there and meeting all our “Posh Fans,” as I like to call them. Some of them live too far away to come to the shop and we are happy to bring our cotton candy to them.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received or would give to someone following their dreams, looking to start or expand their small business?
Wait for the right time. Do a lot of research. It’s a lot of work running a business so make sure you love running a business and not just making your product. It’s so worth all the long hours if you love what you do!
Is there anything you would like to add?
I want to thank Nest Realty and the community of Rockingham/Harrisonburg for their support of Posh Fairy Floss, both the stand and the new Harrisonburg shop. We have had such a great response and we are so thankful for the support.
Welcome to our vibrant downtown community Posh Fairy Floss!
Be sure to check-out their charming storefront, indulge in nostalgia and treat yourself to these feel-good confections.
Address: 50 S Mason St, Harrisonburg, VA
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday: 11am - 8pm | Sunday & Monday: Closed
Stay connected with Posh Fairy Floss online >>> Website | Facebook | Email
Supporting this locally-owned and operated small business is quite a treat!
Have you tried Posh Fairy Floss yet? If so, tell us your favorite flavors so we can try them too!