Jamila Frank spreads happiness through Jollies Lollies
“I wanted to provide a new experience in Trinidad and Tobago. I wanted to build on the ice cream industry and culture, and kind of force the country to generally improve on the quality of things that we give to people.”
These were the goals that inspired Jamila Frank, UWI graduate and Events & Projects Assistant at the St Augustine campus’s Marketing & Communications Office, to create Jollies Lollies in 2019, a handcrafted lolly business that focuses on quality and customisation.
Following her departure from her first job at an ice cream shop in Arima, she found herself referring to the principles of doing what she knows and meeting market demands. From her previous job, she knew there was a demand for lollies. From her own desires, she knew there was a demand for quality ice cream.
The choice to use the word “lolly” over the more globally recognised “ice pop” was deliberate. Frank knows that “lolly” is a word wrapped in childhood memories for many Trinbagonians, of men with carts visiting neighbourhoods and roaming beaches with the offering of their cold, sweet treats, bells ringing to signal their approach.
Instead of mass-manufactured products, however, Jollies Lollies’ crafts are made-to-order, and suited to the tastes and needs of its clients.
“We have something for everybody, and there’s no flavour that can’t be modified to suit,” she assures.
Her flavour offerings include mocha madness, Bailey’s hot chocolate, fruit punch, lemon lime gummy bear (a bestseller), and birthday cake (her personal favourite).
Each lolly starts with its base ingredients going into an ice cream maker to begin chilling and thickening. This, she says, is key to making sure that the lollies maintain a smooth texture rather than becoming too icy through freezing alone. Then, the flavour components are layered into moulds, all by hand.
Presently, Jollies Lollies is in a period of return following a hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, when dry ice supplies were unavailable to small non-essential businesses.
“We are in preparation for relaunch,” she says. “Part of that is working in Marketing and Communications. I’ve learned a lot. I still haven’t learned enough, but I have a lot of people around me who are very excited to help.”
She intends to streamline her core list of flavours and use the supportive community around her to concretise branding and marketing strategies.
Jollies Lollies aims to have a presence at events where the lollies can become part of patrons’ fond memories. Frank also hopes to expand her offerings to include, for one, her own take on ice cream sandwiches. To support her efforts, she’s also applied for entrepreneurial grant funding.
Frank believes in the value of taking the first step as an entrepreneur.
“Honestly, just do it,” she says. “Stumble. Fall. Make it bad. Then make it good. Always listen to the feedback of others. You don’t have to change your business based on it, but hear it and see how you can improve, and just keep building and building and building.”
