Zakiya and her mother are the proud owners of Trinidadian-infused bakery T & T Treats in Jersey City, NJ.
T & T Treats offers a twist to cultural snacks by offering a variety of herb-infused treats and drinks, such as their signature sorrel, a leafy green plant used as an herb and a vegetable, and kurma, a sweet Trinidadian snack made of ginger-spiced fried dough and a sugary glaze.
Their menu also includes some American favorites like gummies and cookies.
Want to learn more about Trinidadian-infused bakery T & T Treats? Then this article is for you.
Let’s Get Lifted!
Drops or salve; Why?
I don’t do either, but I would go with drops if I had to choose! I love the vibe of smoking, you know?
If you could be a cannabis superhero, who would you be?
Me 😂
What are your top 2 smoking songs?
I don’t have a specific song, but I love listening to R&B while having a smoke session. So sexy and relaxing.
Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, and don’t worry about what the next person is doing. Your idea is good; go for it.
Zakiya
Dab into Business!
How did you get started with T & T Treats?
I had a friend who would buy her infused cookies to support her brand then I brought some home to my family for the holidays— to test them to see if they have become more open-minded.
Almost in passing, my mom said, “This can’t be hard to make, and we can put it in Trinidadian snacks”…once she said that, I took that idea and ran with it! She agreed to be an investor and business partner. Now here we are today! A year later!
What’s your niche in the cannabis space?
Our niche, Infused Trinidadian Treats and Drinks! We also have some American favorites like gummies and cookies on the menu, but we’re known for our sorrel, kurma, and tamarind balls!
Did you face any legal or criminal barriers to cannabis entry? If so, how did you overcome the obstacles?
Honestly, not really. I hate to say it like this, but we know that the cannabis laws are changing/improving, so we just decided to push forward until that time. Is the business 100% legal? No. But are we a registered LLC? YES!
What talents, skills, and experience did you bring to cannabis?
I previously worked in luxury retail management for about ten years, so that experience helped me learn how to market and promote my business and ensure the highest level of customer service! Small companies sometimes forget that we still need to romance our customers!
What talents, skills, and experience have you picked up while in cannabis?
My mother nor I had never cooked with cannabis before this. So we had to learn from the ground up! How to create the infusions and how to dose our product correctly— it was fun learning something new! And I have much more to learn!
What tech tools did you use to start T & T Treats?
Levi II, Dehydration machine, and the T Check to measure the dosing accurately!
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How does T & T Treats stand out from other brands within your target population?
We are Trini!
Tell us about your top-selling product or service.
Our top seller right now is the passionfruit juice! Our customers love it, and a close second would be the kurma. The kurma is not currently on the April menu, but it will be back this summer!
Pass it Around!
What have been some of the highlights of marketing T & T Treats?
We are networking with other businesses by vending at different NY, NJ & PA events!
What have been some challenges with marketing T & T Treats?
Sales. Wins and losses. Figuring out the balance of having a good inventory without being forced to discard the product if it does not sell within a specific timeframe. I have retail experience but no food/restaurant experience, so that was a learning curve!
What’s your silver lining to challenges?
Good reviews 🙂
What are some best practices for advertising T & T Treats?
Being genuine
What are some best practices for growing your audience on social media?
It is being GENUINE & CONSISTENT! Also, stop acting like everyone is your competition. It’s okay to show love to other canna brands, and there’s enough room for all of us.
What’s some advice do you have for folks who want to enter the space?
GO FOR IT! Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, and don’t worry about what the next person is doing. Your idea is good; go for it.
Conclusion!
How can people reach you?
DM us on social media or email us at treatstandt@gmail.com
Which Social media platforms do you use?
@tandt.treats on Instagram
Cann I Work 