Kravings Kafe: A Resilient Black-Owned Café in Brooklyn

Kravings Kafe, located in Brooklyn and founded by Elveda Dorce and Zayveon Kimble in September 2023, specializes in healthy, preservative-free sweets. Facing financial and operational challenges, the café gained renewed attention through social media features, leading to community support and aspirations for future growth, including franchise development.

In September 2023, Kravings Kafe, a distinctive black and Haitian-owned café, opened its doors in Mill Basin, Brooklyn, providing fresh and preservative-free treats. Founded by Elveda Dorce and Zayveon Kimble, the café represents a legacy for their children and aims to innovate Brooklyn’s dining landscape with a unique 2D café experience inspired by their travels.

The café’s name holds significance, with the two ‘K’s representing their sons, Kai and Kam. Following the birth of their daughter Kapri, Dorce playfully noted the need to incorporate another ‘K’ into their brand. Initially aspiring to establish an ice cream shop after their children adored ice cream during a Florida trip, the couple’s vision expanded into creating a café that would feature rolled ice cream and visually engaging designs.

Kravings Kafe distinguishes itself with health-focused offerings, emphasizing natural ingredients. According to Dorce, “Everything we use has no preservatives or additives.” This commitment manifests in their ice cream, which maintains its texture for longer without chemicals, and in-house acai bowls produced with a rolled ice cream machine to provide a unique consistency.

Despite an encouraging start due to the café’s prime location near a busy park, the owners faced unexpected challenges, including a drop in local foot traffic. Dorce reflected, “In June 2023, we saw a lot of families… and it looked like we were in for a great opening,” but contrary to expectations, customers dwindled in the following spring.

Late in 2023, the situation worsened, leading to financial strain for the couple. Kimble’s loss of supplemental income from a contract job amid Dorce’s high-risk pregnancy necessitated a temporary closure in December, with Dorce expressing, “We just didn’t have the money,” underscoring the emotional toll.

In January, however, the café experienced a resurgence in popularity, fueled by a feature on the Instagram page “Success is Us” that attracted celebrity attention, including social media food critic Keith Lee. This publicity, while beneficial, also complicated operations due to increased demand, leaving them to reopen with limited hours.

Dorce lamented the lack of support from local resources, stating, “I’ve contacted council members… but they haven’t really helped.” She noted the disparity in support for Black entrepreneurs compared to those from other communities. Despite these challenges, Dorce remains optimistic about Kravings Kafe’s future.

With aspirations of expanding into a franchise, the owners are committed to reinforcing their brand identity focused on quality and cultural representation. They are also offering a 10% discount to patrons mentioning the article as part of their community engagement. “We still believe in our vision,” Dorce reiterated, expressing the importance of community support for their journey ahead.

Kravings Kafe, a black and Haitian-owned café in Brooklyn, strives to provide healthy, preservative-free treats while navigating the challenges faced by minority entrepreneurs. With the support of their community and renewed visibility through social media, the couple is determined to sustain and grow their business, ultimately aspiring for greater success through franchise expansion. Their experience highlights both the struggles and resilience of Black-owned businesses.

Original Source: www.caribbeanlife.com