Das Sweet Treat ignites taste buds in Marietta
Could you pronounce it? Quark-bäll-chen. It sounds more like “quack-ball-shen.” If you aren’t German, you’ve probably never heard of it. Most will describe it as a German donut hole, but the owner of Das Sweet Treat, Syvalee Baganz here in the Marietta Market persistently explains that it is not comparable to a donut hole. It’s much more than the sugar-heavy donut holes at Dunkin. Quarkbällchen are made with Greek yogurt and different ingredients from a real donut. This change in ingredients not only makes the inside light and fluffy but also makes the outside golden and crispy. Most customers expect a sweeter, less fresh donut taste, but are astonished after their first bite. Rene’s fried dough balls may break the ‘curse’ in the front trolley of the Marietta Market.
This ‘curse’ is not some small thing either; more than a dozen businesses from bakeries to smoothie cafes to boutique shops have opened in the trolley only to close a few months later. This constant turnover due to high rent and stiff competition makes it nearly impossible for any vendor to stick. Baganz is committed to not only overcoming but thriving in this environment.
When walking through the Marietta Market, visitors can see that small vendors are helped by exposure at the market, but some are negatively affected by working in the market due to competition. The energy in the market is based on people wanting to try new things; though this vibe helps the businesses, it also makes it more competitive for these small vendors.
Das Sweet Treat stands out as it is a very different, niche category; it’s not just another ice cream or donut place. This taste is not findable anywhere else around; this uniqueness may be exactly what it takes to thrive in the trolley.
Finally, Baganz has high hopes for his business as it is not only something sweet, but it is a bridge between cultures, and it tells a story to people. If Das Sweet Treat is the business that finally breaks the ‘curse,’ it is a reason for the people of Marietta to try something new. Bite into something you can’t pronounce, and be happy as the “oh my gosh effect” sets in.
Q&A with the owner: Syvalee Baganz
Manoa: So, what is a Quarkbällchen?
Syvalee: A Quarkbällchen is, as an American would say, a German donut hole. It’s a round dough ball, and it’s made with Greek yogurt, which makes it special. It is very fluffy inside and a little crispy on the outside. That’s the difference from a regular donut hole.
Manoa: Are you originally from Germany?
Syvalee: Yes, I am. I grew up northeast of Berlin, about an hour and a half from the city.
Manoa: And through living in Berlin, you found out—
Syvalee: When I moved to America, I missed German bakeries, right? You’ve seen it. So, I started baking a lot, and then I also tried the Quarkbällchen because it’s an old recipe that my grandmother always used to make when I was a little kid. My daughter and my wife both loved it — the whole family did. And then I thought, hey, I can make a business out of it and sell it to Americans, because they like fried dough.
Manoa: Why did you choose the Marietta Market?
Syvalee: I chose the Marietta Market because I think it’s a nice, diverse crowd in Marietta — number one. Number two, the market itself is busy during peak times, at least. That’s good for me. I need a lot of foot traffic, and I think I have that here.
Manoa: When people see this story here in America, do they know what a Quarkbällchen is, or do you have to explain it to them?
Syvalee: I have to explain it to everyone, yeah. My answer most of the time is: try it, and you tell me if you like it. Some people ask what’s in it, and I say just love and happiness. Then they bite into it, and by far the best, most common response is: “Oh my gosh.”
Manoa: What’s the backstory of why you had trouble opening it here in the Marietta Market? Did you go somewhere else before the market?
Syvalee:We started in 2018 at a Christmas market. It’s a longer story, but the German American Cultural Foundation, the GACF, came up with the idea of establishing a Christmas market in Atlanta. There was none before the Christkindl Market.
I thought, okay, I want to be part of this. At that point, it wasn’t really that I wanted to make a business out of it. I just wanted to be part of it. I wanted to do roasted almonds first, but somebody was already doing that. Then my wife had the idea: why not sell Quarkbällchen? Because that’s what she saw when we were in Germany at a Christmas market. I thought that might not be a bad idea. So, I did the business plan, figured out what I needed, and then we opened in 2019 at Centennial Park. That was a great success in the very first year. After that, we did different festivals and events throughout the year, even during COVID. Then I decided to open this business here in Marietta because people at the Christmas market kept asking me, “Where can I get this during the year, not just at the Christmas market?” That’s why we chose this location.
Manoa: Cool. Do you ever want to expand your business beyond the market?
Syvalee: I want to. I want to expand the business here in Atlanta if the Marietta Market is successful and we make some money. I would like to buy a food truck to be more flexible at festivals again. But my real dream is to be on the Beltline, and that’s my final goal. It’s very tough to get there, but that’s where I believe I want to be. Long-term, maybe even through a franchise concept. We have what I call a “small friendship franchise.” I have a friend in Nashville who’s doing it, and a friend in Boston, MA, who’s doing it. You can see it on Facebook — Das Sweet Treat MA for Massachusetts or Das Sweet Treat TN for Tennessee.
Manoa: Cool. And when people bite into a Quarkbällchen, what story do you want them to experience? You said you wanted them to feel love and kindness, but do you want them to feel like it’s a German treat or just a sweet treat for everyone?
Syvalee: I want them to bite into it and experience something unique in texture. American sweets and pastries are known for being very, very sweet. The Quarkbällchen is not too sweet, and that’s what people often tell me. When they bite into it, the crispiness on the outside and the fluffiness on the inside create what I call the “Oh my gosh effect.” They say, “I’ve never bitten into something like this before.” That’s what makes me happy.