“
A pickle is just a cucumber with experience,”
But what makes Uncle Edik’s Pickles stand out from all the others?”

—

Edward Ilyasov | Owner of Uncle Edik's Pickles

The 29-year-old owner knows after he has spent years pickling cucumbers in his basement. Ilyasov quit his cushy job on Wall Street to pursue his hobby full time. He sells about 600 jars of his product per week at $8-$10 a pop. The business owner is preparing to launch a line of pickled tomatoes, for which there is a very long waitlist for those.

While producing the jars as his 'side job', Ilyasov would keep an ongoing list of interested customers who walk into the store. Three flavors on popular rotation are: regular, spicy, and the ultra spicy habanero. Each 32-ounce jar holds about four and a half pickles and all are certified kosher.

Finding a good pickle in New York is common but something about Ilyasov creations surprises the palate. Unlike other aged cucumbers, his are extremely crunchy and retain that characteristic even though they are drenched in liquid. This is the result of Ilyasov's insistence at hand-packing each jar and the use of the cold aging process.

“To make the typical pickle, you put salt, garlic, and whatever else and allow nature to take over so good, healthy bacteria can grow,” Ilyasov explains.

”We don’t let bacteria grow but turn the cucumber sour by using vinegar and a spice mixture that derives from my travels. There is no fermentation involved in the process.””

— Edward Ilyasov | Uncle Edik's Pickles

The result is an extremely flavorful pickle that titillates the taste buds. Warning, the habanero pickle is very spicy.

A big portion of Ilyasov's business calls back to events that have shaped his own life. The logo on each jar hinges on the personal. Ilyasov recalls wearing a sombrero and sporting a mustache during a few key life events that have spurred him to turn his hobby into a business. The logo, mustache, and sombrero remind the pickle guru about what is important to him.

Customers will also notice there's a note on each jar that says "best served with vodka!" That would be a reference to Ilyasov's upbringing. "In the Bukharian community, we are known to chase our drinks with pickles or pickle juice," he explains.

The shop owner hopes to outgrow his 700-square-ft store. "Once I reach about 2,000 jars a week in production and sales, I'll be able to expand," he says.