Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominique Davis.
Hi Dominique, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
All Seasons Lemonade started in 2019 ideally to sell a family recipe lemonade drink into grocery stores. A grocery chain had acquired an interest in knowing more details about our beverage; however, during the new product review process we were not able to meet the grocery chain requirements.
After the failed review I was determined to revamp and re-introduce All Seasons Lemonade. I created a concept and branding strategy to launch All Seasons Lemonade into the marketplace for 2020, the plan was to sell our drinks at local farmer markets and local events, nonetheless unexpectedly the pandemic, COVID-19, altered our plans and progress to launch.
From the effects of Covid-19, I was more determined, I knew I needed to revamp my business plan, the first change I implemented, for the new business plan for 2021/2022, included a marketing strategy and a product branding strategy that would sustain a launch of All Seasons Lemonade into the market place regardless of facing positive or negative market conditions for our Brand. The plan also included answers to over the possibility of retail storer rejections, and an added sells outlet primary focus a mobile food truck.
Cooking and baking from scratch, homemade sauces and lemonade has been a part of my life since I can remember. My earliest childhood memories involved watching my grandmothers Gladys Howell and Ethel Davis cook, bake, and make lemonade on a weekly basis.
Using a food truck to brand, market, and sell All Seasons Lemonade into the marketplace was the answer to my setbacks, and this is how Nikos Food Truck was created. Nikos, the name, was created by merging Nique, a short verse of Dominique, and Kiddos. I knew instantly what foods to serve that would complement All Seasons Lemonade; burgers, wings, and tacos. I believed be targeting foods Americans regularly eat and mostly identify when eating foods once a week as well as foods that would compliment an all-natural alkaline lemonade drink. The revamp which focused on Nikos Food Truck allowed me not only to sell All Seasons Lemonade but introduce Nikos Food Truck Burgers Wings and Tacos to Central Florida.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Launching All Seasons Lemonade and Nikos Food truck has not been a smooth road. There has been struggles, roadblocks, and sacrifices I’ve had to make, to see my plans go from ideals written on paper into reality.
In 2019 when I approached a grocery chain with the ideal of selling a 100% All-Natural lemonade drink, as an alkaline drink, the ideal gained the interest of the buyer. What we had discovered about Lemonade drinks sold in retail stores or any venue, was that the lemon juice in lemonade beverages ranged from 0% to 11% lemon juice, some lemon juice drinks although are marketed as all-natural, many have fillers, preservatives, and added flavors.
The first roadblock, FDA facility requirements, certifications, 3rd party auditing was way over budget for the company financially. At the time from my limited knowledge, to build an FDA facility kind or even have access to use that type of facility was costly. At that point in the discussion with the grocery chain, I had to table the opportunity for future discussions.
The second roadblock, the COVID 19 pandemic. After tabling talks with the retail grocery, I strategized a planned to sell my lemonade at the farmers’ markets and local events, which seemed relatively easy at the time but it was halted by the pandemic. the pandemic changed public policy in local municipalities and county ordinances.
In 2021 a lemon juice producer wanted to hear my business plan, after hearing the detailed plans, the manufacturer believed my plan was viable and wanted ensure the brand, All Seasons Lemonade success, to help bring it to market. With their partnership, I gain an FDA faculty with certifications and 3rd party auditing. Then with the purchasing of the food truck in 2021 the roadblocks where overcome, the food truck helped us hurdle the farmer markets and local events roadblocks, and yet another struggle laid ahead.
In 2022 the price point for our 16oz Lemonade with Lemon Beverage at $4.30 was questioned as an expensive drink from the grocery buyer and due to the two-year hiatus from the 2019 discussions, I had no sale numbers. However, the did overcome that objection, we had sells from food truck, and sale price point and demand was perfect. We currently are in discussions with another grocery and waiting for the opportunity to retable the talks with the original grocery from 2019. With the new grocery having open discussions for our lemonade for a new product review, we are keeping our fingers crossed.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about A 7Branches Company’?
All Seasons Lemonade uses old-fashion recipes from naturally squeezed fruit juice and ingredients. Our drinks history began when grandmothers Gladys Howell and Ethel Davis’s recipes for natural fresh-squeezed juice drinks were made from Water, Sugar, and Fresh-cut Lemons, submerged in a jar to allow the ingredients to blend into the perfect fresh-tasting lemonade drink during hot summer days in Florida. All Seasons Lemonade has been
crafted out of the same recipe to create the best Lemonade in the market. Our lemonade drinks are made for you to enjoy what we have enjoyed for over 90 years.
We are a quick-service establishment currently operate from a food truck selling all-natural burgers, wings, and tacos, we make our food to order from fresh ingredients.
We are known for our 100% juice lemonade drink, burgers, wings, and American-crafted tacos. Our sandwiches, tacos, and sauces are all made to order. We use chicken tenderloins for our chicken sandwiches, tacos, and boneless wings. And our beef is 80/20 all-natural, no steroids, no hormones, and no fillers.
We make our wings sauces and tortillas in-house from fresh ingredients no preservatives or fillers. Sometimes we customize items right on the spot when a customer asks for something not list on the menu if time permits. Our beef and chicken are all natural no steroids or hormones. Our lemonade is 100 % lemon juice, non-GMO lemons, organic cane sugar, and alkaline water.
All Seasons Lemonade, there is nothing on earth that can compare, there is absolutely no lemonade on the market one can drink 100% lemon juice and alkaline water.
Our brands All Seasons Lemonade and Nikos Food Truck are products you can drink and eat to enjoy without any harmful additives, false ingredients, or processed chemicals
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
If you like lemonade, you have to try All Seasons Lemonade ‘Lemonade with Lemon’, at least once. Our signature wing sauces: Hot Rum, Hot Bourbon, Pineapple Rum, Creamy Buffalo, Creamy BBQ, Hot Mustard, and Garlic Parmesan are original sauces you can only taste at Nikos Food Truck.
Pricing:
- 6oz Burgers $10.00 -$11.50
- 3oz Tacos $6.50 -$7.50
- Wings $13.99 -$14.99
- Signature Sauces $2.00
- 16oz All Seasons Lemonade $4.30
Contact Info:
- Website: www.allseasonslemonade.com. www.Ni-Kos.com
- Facebook: all_seasons_lemoade: https://www.facebook.com/AllseasonsLemonade.186590, and NikosFoodTruck: https://m.facebook.com/people/Nikos-FoodTruck/100074120596802/
- Instagram: AllSeasons Lemonade: https://www.instagram.com/all_seasons_lemonade/ and NikosFoodTruck: https://www.instagram.com/nikosfoodtruck/
