SVG Caribbean Bakery & Restaurant Prepares for Digital Transformation

SVG Caribbean Bakery & Restaurant, a Brooklyn-based restaurant that boasts, among a variety of baked delights, the best saltfish patties the borough has to offer!

The business was launched in 2017 by Ms. Zita Telemaque-Williams and Mr. Samuel Williams and serves Caribbean-inspired baked goods and savory dishes. The owners share a passion for the kitchen – Ms. Telemaque-Williams has always dreamed of opening up her own restaurant, and Mr. Williams has over a decade of experience as a baker.When the eatery first opened, Ms. and Mr. Williams struggled to obtain financing through conventional lenders due to being a start-up. They were referred to Renaissance by NYC Business Solutions in 2018 given our extensive experience in funding and providing technical assistance to newly formed and established businesses.

Our team approved them for a $25,000 working capital loan in September 2018, which the owners used to purchase inventory and hire additional employees. Following COVID-19’s outbreak, Ms. and Mr. Williams returned to Renaissance for emergency assistance, and in May 2020 and February 2021, Renaissance provided SVG Caribbean Bakery & Restaurant two PPP loans totaling over $22,000.Although SVG Caribbean Bakery & Restaurant has garnered a loyal customer base, COVID-19’s outbreak severely limited their revenues from in-person business. COVID-19 heightened the importance of digital marketing and e-commerce for businesses that can no longer rely on foot traffic for the majority of their sales.

To learn more about these increasingly important components of running a small business, Ms. Telemaque-Williams and Mr. Williams are participating in Renaissance’s Local Business Digital Transformation Program, launched with support from Wells Fargo.

The program provides small businesses with the in-depth knowledge and specialized assistance needed to grow their online presence and better utilize digital tools to expand their customer base and sales. The business owners, who currently rely heavily on word of mouth marketing, hope to use the skills they learn through the program to target a wider range of potential customers. They are already seeing results from their participation with a 5-star rating on Google and look forward to the additional support they will receive over the coming months.

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