Have that stickability factor, do some research and sprinkle in some training. You throw those ingredients in with some family, food and fun, and you just served yourself up a great, big bowl of Lickety Split success. Twenty-five years, three stores and 25 employees later, Lickety Split's managing director and vice president, Llwellyn Burrows, said he's happy to have been in business for so long. But there have been many challenges along the way. He credits the company's success to the staff and customers. In this week's edition of 'Da Plunge', Burrows recalled how his family started out in the deli business in November 1987. It was in 1991 when Lickety Split was purchased from Bettina Thompson. "It took many years to develop, to define what is right and wrong in the industry," Burrows said.
"It's a combination of things that have made us successful. We did make quite a few mistakes in the beginning. We just had to do more research into the ice cream business, train and possess stickability. People go into a business and they think it's going to happen in a year or two, but it really took us 12 years to get Lickety Split on its right footing and to really make it a successful company. That doesn't happen overnight. Our staff, being consistent in what we do, offering a nice range of products, with our delicatessen and ice cream being the main products. Both provide a good mix and tie in well together."
Over the years, Lickety Split has grown from one store with three employees in 1987 to having three stores and 25 employees. "Lickety Split also enabled the creation of a second company, Fun Foods. It started off as retail but it has now evolved into a wholesale outlet. It's a manufacturing representative and distributor for ice cream products in The Bahamas," according to Burrows. "We are happy that we have reached our 25th year mark. We overcame a lot of obstacles over the years to make it to where we are at today. We've brought the company from near bankruptcy in its early days to a thriving three store parlor servicing Nassau in the east, west and the south."
Lickety Split's management team consists of nine people, all of whom started out as ice cream scoopers and moved up the ranks. Burrows said he values his staff's contributions over the years. "Our success didn't happen overnight. There has been lots of training for our employees and getting them to buy into our vision. We have benefitted from a very good core of Bahamian employees. My management team consists of nine people who all originally started out as ice cream scoopers and worked their way through the ranks.
Most of them have been working with us for more than ten years. We are also grateful for our customers that have supported us over the years," he explained. As the company celebrates 25 years in existence, Burrows said the company plans to celebrate this great milestone by creating a family atmosphere under the theme: "25 Years of Food, Family and Fun." Despite the ongoing challenges, Burrows noted that he is committed to maintaining the business, and hopefully, watch it continue to expand. Meantime, Burrows and his team look to make major improvements to its deli menu soon.
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