Unapologetically Bold: Our Approach to 2021
2021 will make it two years since we’ve started running our small family business. And you know what, we’re not going to let anyone rain on our parade. If they do, know we’ve got an umbrella.
Reflecting on our experience last year, we’re going to approach 2021 with undaunting conviction. We choose to be Unapologetically Bold.
Serving Up The Sauce
As two women from Trinidad and Tobago, we started Camella’s Kitchen so that we could share a bit of our West Indian culture with our local neighbors and community in the DMV (Washington, DC metro area). Since then, we’ve been able to touch the lives of many nationwide. What we’re serving up are some amazingly bold Caribbean flavors. These are the very same flavors that we use at home in our cooking. We put our heart and soul into all that we do, and make them according to the traditions that we grew up in. That’s why we are committed to crafting our flavors in small batches using local ingredients. This ensures that everything your purchase from us – be it our seasonings, sauces, cakes – get individualized attention and is made to reflect our high standards of quality. Trust us, we’re not in the business of serving watered down flavors. You won’t get this same level of quality at the bigger stores.
All About The Little things
We live by the mantra that a little goes a long way. So yes, at times you do get bold intense flavors that pack a punch. It’s a hallmark of Caribbean cuisine. If you’re not used to those flavors, the we are here to serve as a guide for incorporating these tasty flavors into your everyday cuisine. In addition to our flavor guides and tips, we’ve also got a variety of recipes on our blog for you to try at home. They include some of our Caribbean favorites that we grew up with, fun recipes that we like to make at home, and recipes from fellow food bloggers. We’re here to show you just how you can elevate your cuisine at home and on-the-go.
A little certainly does go a long way when it comes to our flavors, but the same can also be said about our entire operation. We’re the little guys (or gals). Running a small business isn’t easy, but we believe that what we’re doing is worth it. And we’re not just a small business – we’re a microbusiness. That means that while we may not be as well resourced as other businesses, we make up for these lack of resources with our talent and time. Many of you all have reached out to thank us for sharing our gifts with you – and it is our absolute pleasure to do so. We hope that this year, we’ll be able to share our gifts with even more people. This requires us to be even bolder in our efforts – and we’re up for the challenge.
Growing With Love
This year, we’re aiming to achieve even more growth and expansion. While we’ll keep making the delicious artisanal spices that you love, we will expand our offerings so that you have even more variety to choose from. We’re also planning to expand where you can get our products – so in addition to our online store and curbside pickup options – we are hoping to participate in pop-up events. One thing we really missed from 2019 was that in person interaction. We don’t know entirely what 2021 will bring, but veering on our optimistic side, we are hoping to offer a way for you to shop (safely) with us in person. We also want to double down on our community connections. There’s so much that goes into building community, but a key part for us is continuing to build on the partnerships that we’ve established with local farmers and others in the food space.
This building that we speak of will require a lot of bold intentional effort and reflection on our part, in addition to collaboration. We grew up sourcing our food directly from the land. If we didn’t harvest it, we often knew the person who did. Farm to table has always been a part of life for us – and by extension we want it to be a natural part of our family business. By making seasonal flavors in conjunction with small local farms – many of them Black-owned – we are baking farm to table into our model. We want to eschew the tendencies of Big Agriculture to rely heavily on industrial farming practices that degrade the land and devalue the bodies that farm the land. So, bear with us as flavors change – we’re working with farmers to adapt to local conditions and changes in climate.
Our community includes not just the people that we work with, but also folks like you – those who purchase from us, and those who share about us. That support is so essential to what we do. Just as you are inspired by us, we’re also inspired by you. We’re hoping that by pursuing our bold dreams of entrepreneurship, we’re also encouraging you to pursue your own dreams. Be sure to follow along as we continue on our journey to follow in the steps of our namesake and #BeCamellaSaucy.
So, all in all, we’re being Unapologetically Bold by serving up can’t miss flavors AND by building a better food culture rooted in community. Won’t you join us?
Camella’s Kitchen is run by two ladies from Trinidad and Tobago. Based out of Prince George’s County, Maryland, we’re living our sauciest lives by bringing our bold Caribbean flavors to you! How will you #BeCamellaSaucy? Tell us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, or YouTube!
