Community News
Banana Chocolate flavoured ice cream, Oh My! Neale’s Sweet n Nice breaks the ice
BY JONELL PANTLITZ
With the summer heat taking over and marking its territory, we’re all looking for something to cool off with. Since many pools are closed, I have the next best thing for you. ICE CREAM! Who doesn’t like some sweet creamy ice cream? I know I do for sure. So, if you’re still interested in cooling down this summer look no further than Neale’s Sweet n Nice, “Mmmm…. Sweet n Nice!”
With its premium quality and unforgettable taste, Neale’s Sweet n Nice changed the ice cream industry in Trinidad forever. This brand originated in the 1940s on the sunny islands of Trinidad and Tobago, and restarted in Canada with just two flavours; Mango and Coconut. The brand fully re-launched in 2017. It was through the passion of bringing Charles Alfred Neale ice cream flavours back to life, and creating a family legacy, that this remarkable product was reborn.
According to Andrew McBarnett CEO of Neale’s Sweet n Nice, “The Company was started by my granddad rewinding back to the early 1940s. He started Sweet n Nice basically to support his family. He wanted to do something that could actually earn him an income every day, so he decided to get into ice cream. He started doing that and it really expanded. I think he was one of the first properly organized ice-cream businesses in South Trinidad.”
Before the death of Charles Alfred Neale in the late 80′s, he transferred this knowledge to his 12 children and his 51 grandchildren, and they have kept his legacy alive. Today when you try this unique ice cream you can’t help but say between mouthfuls, “Mmmm…. Sweet n Nice.”
What makes this ice-cream company different from many of their competitors is: the family legacy and history behind the name, their secret ingredients, the passion for Caribbean flavours, with a unique taste and ingredients that are natural just like Granddad Neale used to make it.
With months of painstakingly taking the original home-made recipe through industrial trials and also working with the University of Guelph, Neale’s Sweet n Nice launched in the Toronto market to about 20 stores. Following the initial launch, the founding family team developed and launched new flavours: Rum and Raisin (to popular demand) and Guava Passion Fruit. They have now expanded to more chains such as Sobeys, Freshco, and Foodland.
Andrew mentioned, “Restarting in Canada was tough. It took a number of years to get things moving and figuring out what team members should do, and how we should do it.” He continued, “It took a couple of years for us to get into the market with the two flavours: mango and coconut, and then the additional work of getting into retail stores.” Andrew also explained, “On a Saturday morning myself, my cousin and my aunt, we went into Caribbean stores to give them some samples in the hopes to get them to take us on board and sell our ice-cream.”
The company gained traction from their appearance on Dragon’s Den, where they received a deal for their company. “We were able to get some good advice from Arlene. That experience and exposure alone was beneficial,” Andrew explains. He also mentioned, “We utilized that advice when we visited the local and independent stores. Our exposure to the market is what got us into Sobeys.”
Neale’s Sweet n Nice is no longer in Trinidad and Tobago but they have plans to take the company to its homeland, and extending their flavours bracket. You thought we were done; no way. We have one last treat for you. Drumroll please. They are releasing the coveted banana-chocolate flavour later this summer. Oh yes! Yes! Yes!
To keep up with this company check out their website: https://www.sweetnnice.ca/ and don’t forget to grab a bucket of their creamy goodness to cool down.
Resources
https://www.cbc.ca/dragonsden/pitches/neales-sweet-n-nice-ice-cream