At Pirouline, the team is treated like family. So it was no surprise that the company would welcome me (Pirouline’s new social media baker) to the bakery with open arms. I recently flew to Mississippi for the tour of a lifetime.

When I was invited to visit Pirouline, I knew I would get to experience firsthand the magic I share with the world every day on our social media channels. What better way to tell a story than to live it! I was already convinced that we make the freshest rolled wafers in the world, but I was about to get a taste of what that actually means. I was excited to meet all the people behind Pirouline, especially knowing that some of them have worked at the bakery longer than I’ve been alive!

Founded 35 years ago by Peter and Mireille DeBeukelaer, Pirouline makes the one and only rolled wafer with a swirl. The DeBeukelaers built Pirouline with their bare hands (literally) – pouring the bakery foundation, raising the walls, and designing the equipment. I couldn’t wait to see just how that magical Swirl is added to each wafer, and to witness for myself what the bakery has grown into today.

I boarded my flight to Jackson, Mississippi, and I was welcomed with a view of none other than the Mississippi River. This may sound corny, but I thought I would only see this 2,348-mile-long body of water in my grammar school textbooks, and now it was right in front of me! I met the rest of the marketing team over dinner, and we shared our gratitude for being able to be part of telling Pirouline’s story to the world – all while being tempted by a slew of Pimento Cheese dishes.

After a good night’s rest, the day had finally arrived. We headed to the bakery bright and early. Pulling up to the property felt like we were on a small road out in the countryside compared to where I’m from. We were greeted with thick green grass, the original DeBeukelaer cookie company sign, and all of the trucks that deliver the millions of wafers each day.

It was as grand as I imagined. When I stepped foot inside and looked out onto the bakery floor, I felt as if I had the golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s modern chocolate factory! I could see all of the smiling employees wearing different colored Pirouline shirts that brightened the entire building. I was eager to get down there and in the mix with them all. This, of course, wouldn’t happen until I scrubbed my hands, took off my jewelry, and put on the most fashionable apron and hair net you’ve ever seen.

Stay tuned for next week’s blog for more inside my day at the bakery. Until then, please follow us on social media: @piroulinewafers.