WORCESTER—Worcester’s popular candy shop, Bri’s Sweet Treats, is now a vendor inside the DCU Center, offering its signature confections to event-goers. From concerts to sporting events, fans can indulge in treats such as giant peanut butter cups, Oreo “Bri-wiches,” and freeze-dried candy from the shop’s iconic purple cart.
Bri’s Sweet Treats, founded by Briana Azier in 2021, has quickly grown from a home kitchen operation to a community favorite. By January 2023, the business opened a storefront in the Worcester Public Market and garnered attention from local and national media, including Phantom Gourmet and national news outlets.
“Expanding into the DCU Center is a dream come true,” said Azier. “It allows us to spread joy to even more people in Worcester, a city that has been incredibly supportive of our business from the start.”
“The DCU Center has been a goal of mine as soon as I realized I had a business, and wanted to make it a Worcester and Central Mass staple,” Azier told the Worcester Guardian. “I’ve attended many events and professional conferences at the DCU Center and when I am here, my line never stops and my candy is a big hit. I always made it a point to tell whoever I made friends with that my goal was to have a concession cart inside the DCU Center.”
Azier said that when she shared with her good friend Diana Casavecchia, who was promoted to sales manager for the Convention Center at the DCU, her goals, it took but a phone call and she was in.
“I tell everyone who will listen, ‘Your network is your net worth!’” she said. “I am forever grateful to Diana for that.”
Azier admits she had no culinary background and wasn’t particularly fond of candy before launching her business. “I started this journey to give back to the community,” she says. “During the pandemic, my son and I wanted to spread joy, so we began making chocolate treat boxes for friends and family. The response was overwhelming, with people asking for more. Just six months later, I had my home kitchen certified, and Bri’s Sweet Treats was born. Three years later, we’re still going strong!”
The DCU Center hosts thousands of visitors for concerts, sports games, and conventions each year, providing a valuable platform for local businesses such as Bri’s Sweet Treats. With a capacity of more than 14,000 for concerts and 12,000 for sporting events, the venue will help expand the shop’s reach.
Though not born here, Azier considers Worcester her true home. “Worcester was the first home I chose, and it’s where my heart lies,” she said. She moved to the city in 2001 to attend Clark University on a scholarship, playing on the women’s basketball team alongside her twin sister, Echo. After graduating in 2005 with a degree in Business Administration, she stayed connected to her alma mater by hiring Clark students, mentoring, and speaking at the university.
“Being a Clarkie is a large part of my identity,” Azier shares. Though she now lives in nearby Rochdale, she intentionally chose to open her retail store in Worcester’s Public Market, saying the city is a close-knit, welcoming community where she’s formed deep relationships. “Worcester is the heart of Massachusetts,” she adds. “I’ve found some of my best friends and supporters here. I could give a Ted Talk on it all!”
Azier’s commitment to community goes beyond satisfying sweet cravings. She donates a portion of her profits each month to local nonprofits and community organizations. Recently, her business ran a fundraiser for CASA Project Worcester and Wellstorm Inc., donating 30 percent of proceeds over three days.
She also mentors aspiring entrepreneurs and teaches workshops at Clark University. In 2023, she was named Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Entrepreneur of the Year, and her shop was recently voted “Best Candy Shop” in the Worcester Business Journal’s 2024 Best of Business Awards.
Fans can find Bri’s Sweet Treats at most DCU Center events, adding a local touch to the Worcester venue’s offerings.
For more information, visit www.shopbrissweettreats.com.
Charlene Arsenault can be reached at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org
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