What’s better than having a place to purchase all your favorite Haitian products and snacks online? Meet the new Haitian owned business and Haitian-American New York-based entrepreneur making it all happen.
During an annual trip to Haiti in 2018, Haitian-American Founder of Bonbon Lakay, Edgina Désormeaux came to the realization, the traditional treats she grew up on were not as readily available as they once were. The street vendors had replaced what was once piles of tablet pistache, douce cocoye, and bonbon amidon with packaged cookies and candies imported from other countries.
There she saw an opportunity not only to make Haitian snacks available to others like herself but to create an online marketplace for local Haitian brands and companies to sell their products to international customers.
We spoke to the entrepreneur who says, “Bonbon Lakay was realized with the purpose of making a little piece of Haiti available to foodies, Haitian culture enthusiasts, and Haitian diaspora everywhere.”
Bonbon Lakay ultimate goal is for all the products sold on the site to be made in Haiti using ingredients produced in Haiti, leading to job creation and economic growth in rural Haiti. “But we are not fully there yet” – says Edgina.
“Currently, some of the products sold on the site are made in Brooklyn for Bonbon Lakay customers in small batches by bakeries that uphold and value their Haitian heritage.”
Items like the dous makos are made by a family that has been making dous makos for generations and worked directly with Fernand Makos, dating back to the 1930s when dous makos were first introduced in Haiti. So when she says it’s the real deal, she means it! And Bonbon Lakay customers agree it tastes just like home.
Another great and very important part of this initiative is, Bonbon Lakay works with other Haiti based entrepreneurs, there are currently products sold on the site that are sourced directly from trusted Haiti based brands, like Askanya Chocolate, Singing Rooster Coffee and soon Lavi peanut butter.
What you’ll find on Bonbon Lakay:
Dous Makos as single bars or in the signature white tin boxes.
Langue Boeuf in packs of three
Tablet Noix
Tablet Pistache
Haitian Rum Cake
Frozen Haitian Patties in 5 flavors
Askanya Chocolate
Singing Rooster Haiti grown Coffee
Bonbon Lakay is constantly on the lookout for what’s new out of Haiti, so expect to see more products being added in the near future. Their price range on the site varies from $3.25 for single pieces of tablet (peanut & cashew brittle) to $45 for sampler boxes with an array of product.
Top sellers on the site vary from week to week is the Bonbon Amidon. You can subscribe to receive bestsellers such as the classics on a monthly basis. You have the option of receiving a Bonbon Lakay monthly box once or year round and the great thing is monthly boxes ship by the 15th of every month!
See the subscription options on the site or you can also shop directly without waiting for your subscription to arrive.
