Ice cream is the one treat for which few ever outgrow their love. It’s the number one fun snack for children and ranks at the top of the “comfort foods” list for adults. It transcends all demographics. Yes, it’s not debatable; most people love ice cream, or some may specify a ‘good’ ice cream. Well, that’s where it gets tricky.  

What’s a good ice cream? This is where ice cream lovers diverge as the response to that question will vary because it’s all about the flavour for some. They like to keep it simple, with no embellishments. They’re after the smooth, rich taste of vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry. However, for others, texture is king. They’re all about a chocolate or nutty crunch, squishy raisins, brittle chunks, gooey caramel or marshmallow—basically anything that amplifies the taste. 

Then some love a surprise. These prefer something exotic, an unexpected twist. For them, colour, texture, and taste must converge to create something unique. They take their first dip, giddy with excitement at the oncoming assault on their tastebuds. Each spoonful reverts them to their childhood days.

These are the types of experiences A&J’s Premium Ice Cream creates! Since 2017, the fast-growing brand has been concocting delicious ice cream flavours that are not simply tropical but definitively local. Each new flavour unleashed on the public has children and adults returning for more. Having stepped out of the box, the homemade ice cream box, A&J’s flavours are truly ingenious. For example, they’ve put a spin on the traditional coconut, creating a delightful charcoal-infused coconut flavour with an enigmatic dark tone. Then there’s the spicy Scorpion Pepper that contrasts cold with spicy, boggling the minds of those brave enough to try—and many do. Also, there’s the mouthwatering salt prune flavour.

With dedication and hard work, the busy husband and wife duo, Anthony and June Henry, have seen their modest enterprise expand into three outlets. Located at Caroni Savannah Road, Brentwood Mall, and Bradford Mall, they’re a brand growing in recognition across the country. Throngs travel from all corners of the island to try A & J’s ice cream.

Yello had the opportunity to talk shop with the warm couple. They discuss how it all started, what’s popping on the menu, the inspiration for their unique flavours, like the doubles ice cream—yes, you read correctly, doubles ice cream—and more.

Join our chat and learn about your favourite ice cream shop, A & J’s.

Please share A&J’s origins and the ensuing journey.

A&J’s Homemade Ice Cream began on 13 April 2017. At the time, only Anthony was working, and we were looking for additional streams of income. Anthony pitched ice cream as an option. He felt sure that it would be a lucrative option. We finally decided to try it, renting a car park spot from our landlord from which to sell.  

Initially, we wavered between buying ice cream to resell or making our own. It somehow felt safer to purchase to resell. However, we decided on the latter and used our little savings to buy ingredients to make our first batch of ice cream. This step was very scary! We weren’t sure that people would actually like the ice creams we made.

Our set-up consisted of a plastic table and a Styrofoam cooler, which housed our little containers of homemade ice cream. Amazingly, people liked our product and kept returning for more! We slowly reinvested any earnings back into our business. So, an umbrella was added, then a tent. A freezer replaced the cooler a little later, and then a trailer followed.

The trailer was a huge turning point. It made functioning a lot easier for us. With the tent set up, we would have to pack everything when we finished selling on an evening and then go home to make ice cream until 2 to 3am. The trailer now allowed us to store everything there, and we could also produce while we sold during the day. Our little business became much more reliable. There were fewer closures due to burnout and less running out of flavours.

By February 2018, we moved into our first storefront. This was a huge milestone for us. It was one of our very first aims for the business while we were still setting up in the little car park.

What makes A&J’s different from other ice cream shops?

Aside from the ice cream itself and the unique flavours we create, A&J’s is different from other ice cream shops because of how we deal with our customers and the warm and inviting atmosphere our stores offer.

Your ice cream is well-known for its egg-free and halal quality. How is this advantageous to customers compared to traditionally produced ice cream?

Making our ice creams eggless and Halal is a way of including the wider population and ensuring everyone can enjoy A&J’s ice cream. We make our dairy-free and sugar-free ice creams with the same aim—to ensure all our customers can enjoy our ice cream.

What is the most popular menu item among customers?

The most popular menu item among customers is definitely our doubles ice cream. We have had customers visit from overseas to try our doubles ice cream, having had A&J’s on their bucket list.

What’s the most popular ice cream flavour?

It’s our Blue Moon ice cream. It was specifically created for an event that we were attending at Unicomer. The blue was used to match the blue in their branding. Now, we can never seem to make enough Blue Moon ice cream! It’s closely followed by our Salt Prunes ice cream.

You’ve done something remarkable in creating flavours that offer a uniquely Trinbagonian experience. Where does the inspiration for new flavours come from?

Our inspiration comes from everyday living. For instance, the idea for the doubles ice cream sparked from having one. Also, our customers inspire us by giving us feedback about what they like, prefer, or are looking forward to. For example, our Dates ice cream, made for Eid ul-Fitr, was inspired by one of our Muslim customers who shared with us the importance of dates during Ramadhan while fasting.

Do you accommodate off-menu or catered orders?

We do offer off-the-menu catered orders. For our catered events, we create unique creations based on customers’ requests.

Tell us about your menu. In addition to ice cream, what other treats can one expect at A&J?

We have a good menu, most of which revolves around ice cream, such as our shakes and sundaes. Nevertheless, we also serve delicious paninis, pasta, tenders, and fries at our Charlieville branch.

You recently took some time to redecorate. What prompted the renovations, and how do they relate to your goals for A&J’s?

We normally revamp our branches every so often. As our home branch, we felt the Charlieville store would benefit the most from this. It is very important to us for our branches to be warm, welcoming, and comfortable, so that was the main reason for the renovations.

Has A&J’s developed as you envisioned? If yes, in what way? 

In some ways, yes. When we started—with the table—we wanted to open locations across Trinidad and eventually become a household name. We are still working on becoming a household name, but we have opened three branches by God’s grace. We feel these are steps in the right direction.

Many businesses use loyalty programmes to retain customers. What helps you to maintain customer loyalty?

We love the idea of loyalty programmes, although we have not implemented one yet. We always aim to create high-quality products with natural ingredients that are locally sourced. The quality of our product, along with the service offered, has helped us to retain customers.

What can customers expect in the future?

Customers can expect exciting new flavours and a new mystery location soon.

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Yello thanks Anthony and June of A&J’s Premium Ice Cream for sharing their journey and forays into providing everyone’s favourite dessert. Have you had a chance to try A&J’s Ice Cream? Why not stop by any of their three branches and try their Halal, eggless, dairy-free, or sugar-free ice creams?

You can also visit them on Facebook to stay updated on their newly released flavours or mystery location reveals.