The New Duff owner aims for unique duff treats to compete with intl franchises
“We believe that the product can go global; we just need the right partner working along with us”
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Owner of The New Duff Kendrick Delaney said that having grown from a bicycle cart to a food trailer and now a storefront bakery over the past three years, he is now aiming to take the iconic Bahamian desert guava duff global.
Delaney told Eyewitness News The New Duff initially started as a fundraising initiative for his mother, Patrice Delaney. It was able to raise $70,000 in its first year, Delaney noted, and after two successful kidney surgeries, his mother became the company’s first full-time employee. The company now has 13 employees.
“We started as a bicycle cart, which I worked for a year and moved to a food trailer. We’re a bakery now and my hope is that in the next 12 months, we will have [been] picked up by a very large wholesaler who understands that the flavor profile of The Bahamas is all steamed into this product and that selling it overseas can have a tremendous potential as a very close competitor to Cinnabon or Auntie Anne’s,” said Delaney.
“The packaging allows us to preserve our product for 90 to 100 days and it allows us to seal in the steam. It should be kept in the freezer. By steaming it at home, you get the same fresh taste of making duff yourself.”
He added: “We believe that the product can go global. We just need the right partner working along with us… Certainly we want to work with persons in The Bahamas. Solomon’s Fresh market now had it and we would like to work with other retailers and stores across the country.”
Delaney said the ultimate goal is for the product to be sold in the likes of Publix and Walmart.
According to Delaney, he applied for funding from the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) in 2018 and secured funding for the business in late 2020.
“It was a long journey, but for those who can fight the battle and provide a viable concept, the government is prepared to support,” he noted.
“You have to a strong product and a business plan. Fortunately, we didn’t have to give up any equity. We received a grant and some loans all under $50,000. The next phase of growth is going to be a massive task but we’re up to it.”
