Diasporic Entrepreneurship in the Caribbean - Firm Profiles.pdf Vol 2 | Page 16

In an attempt to remain competitive, the
company implements business systems to
ensure constant upgrade of manufacturing
and plant facilities so as to make its processes
more efficient. Golden Krust has invested in
the development of its management and line
staff to ensure that they are equipped with
the adequate skills to ensure consistency and
quality in its goods and services.

Part II:
Agro-processing Firms

4. GOLDEN KRUST
Company Background:
Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery and
Grill (“Golden Krust”), a privately owned
corporation, is a manufacturer and distributor
of Caribbean food products. The company
is headquartered in Bronx, New York, but
operates over 120 franchises in nine states
throughout the United States.6
Established in 1989 by present owners Lowell
and Lorna Hawthorne, the company has
grown to be one of the most popular Caribbean
businesses within the United States. In two
decades, the company has moved from a one
store family business, started with the pooled
resources of five brothers and their spouses,
to a large international corporation renowned
for its exceptional Caribbean products. A
commitment to excellence has been a feature
of the Golden Krust brand since its inception,
as after just seven (7) years in operation, the
company had 17 restaurants throughout New
York City, and became the first Caribbeanowned business in USA to be granted a
franchise license. As a result of its growing
brand equity, Golden Krust has managed to not
only generate profits from its commodity sales,
but also via sales of its intellectual property
by way of franchising, thereby expanding its
reach. While the company has a fairly strong
franchising strategy, it has not yet been able to
collect the large sums which are received from
franchising by larger US companies such as
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).
6 Golden Krust franchises are located in New York, New Jersey,
Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, North
Carolina and Massachusetts

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In addition to its over 100 franchises, Golden
Krust pr