Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Ozuna

Hi Danielle , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?

I was a kid in foster care, no one knew my name. To many I was just a case number. I think it’s important to start with that. I could tell you how I started my business during a nationwide pandemic when nutritious food was scarce. But for the 35% of kids who grew up in foster care in America, I want them to see in this interview, it is possible for us to succeed to higher standards. As for everyone else, maybe knowing a little more about my struggles will inspire them to tackle their own or at least to recognize how amazing it is to be interviewed about my successful business. To answer your question, I got here today with resilience, determination, and hard work- and more than a pinch of faith in my own talent, and those that I have developed. It is because i developed these skills early that when a Pandemic traumatized the world and took the people I loved, the job I was passionate about, and the food from the shelves. I had to find a hobby to cope. I picked up farming and began cultivating my own vegetables which I then used to make delicious food. People went crazy for it. Not only was it delicious, but it had a great variety of Caribbean cuisine which you could not find under one roof anywhere else. My family is Haitian, Dominican, and Jamaican, so we promoted diversity and unity through our food. I wanted to present it the best way possible to display the beautiful essence of each country, so I took time to go the extra mile. People loved my passion as well as the food. The demand grew so much I opened a catering and meal prep business.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

The road has not been easy. Although I was laid off during the pandemic I found another job and worked full time. The day in and day out of a working routine can be overwhelming in itself, but I was also parenting 2 children who needed to be homeschooled during the pandemic’s height. I was also in a bachelor’s degree program as well. It was really hard to balance all of these while farming, taking care of the home, and learning new skills as a business owner. I had to learn accounting, taxes, good practices as a boss, how to hire, how to use technology, how to market, how to do everything. I had little resources, no funding but my own pockets, and not guidance. To make things worse I am a woman in a male dominated industry. While trying to manage my own struggles I had to deal with the internal battles of staff and our mission which is to promote unity among some waring countries. I am Dominican and my Husband was Haitian. Our countries have had a difficult history and are currently struggling, so promoting unity among 2 countries was also controversial. I have had to remain levelheaded and stick to my mission.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?

Caribbean Soul is Rhode Island’s favorite Caribbean Catering and Meal Prep Company. We specialize in Haitian, Jamaican, and Dominican cuisine. What makes this important is because you cannot go to any other place in all of New England and order food from such a wide variety of Caribbean Cuisine. Customers can order food from Trinidad, Jamaica, Puerto Rico. Haiti, the Dominican Republic or anywhere in the Caribbean as well as Southern American and what we call “Tik Tok” American food. Thats viral foods from social media that we like to try. The food is often authentic and made by staff we have given opportunities to under work visas. We ensure we pay them well. We also support local farms to provide quality nutritious food. On top of all that we offer Meal preparation plans for folks who are just looking for the convenience of having prepared meals or for people who are focusing on their macro nutrient intake. We provide consultations paired with personal trainers to devise an individualized plan based on the client’s goals. and they don’t get some boring meal prep. They’re getting Caribbean Food with tons of variety and carefully weighed portions. We are also a major part of the community, often hosting or collaborating with local non-profit organizations to promote culture, nutrition and access to healthy opportunities. We have won awards, been published in magazines, and catered to celebrities. We have really done so much to be proud of.

What are your plans for the future?

I plan to open a restaurant one day. I really want to create an environment that promotes the energy that people love from us. When people pick up food, it’s not just all the great benefits but the smiles, and relationships that have been built over time that draws people in. People have been connected, built relationships and saw new perspectives because we created the space for it. I’d like to see that spread to Florida and maybe down south. I’d love for it to be a venue space that people can rent for their events to really represent the Caribbean. I’d love for people to walk through gardens and enjoy a scenic view while enjoy our food. In the meantime, the plan is to maintain quality and expand our capacity. We are looking for funding to expand and enhance the quality and efficiency of our equipment as everything has been funded by myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caribbean.soul401/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaribbeanSoul401/

Image Credits

Justin Case Photography