With Laada concepts ("Laada" means culture in Madingo language), Nature's Kitchen offers a variety of organic teas, international beverages, French cookies and baked goods, cooking gear, and accessories from other cultures.
Created in 2020, at the start of the pandemic, Laada Kitchen LLC is a family-owned business on a mission to provide the finest international snacks, teas, and spice blends possible. We chatted with Melem Sie-Sidibie, Nature's Kitchen co-owner, to find out the key ingredients in their delicious and successful venture.
What was the inspiration behind your business?
It all started with a craving for “Langues de chat” cookies. I grew up eating them, but couldn’t easily find them in the US. I therefore learned to make them and added my twist with nuts and different flavors. The cookies were paired with teas that I grew up drinking, and the spices, cooking gear, and apparel followed.
In 2022, we introduced a food trailer through Laada Kitchen to offer healthy meal choices to our customers using Nature's Kitchen products. Nature’s Kitchen provides tasty, healthy food to my customers.
Have you always loved baking and food?
I have always been into food because I like to know what I put in my body. Baking is still a part of cooking that I am yet to master.
Did you go to the farmers’ market often as a kid?
My maternal grandmother had a spot at a farmers’ market, and my mother had a sewing shop near that market. Yes, I can say that I grew up going to the farmers market because my sister and I operated the shop during our summer vacations.
How do you select your products?
I am inspired mostly by my culture, the foods that I know and grew up eating. A lot of the organic, high-quality teas are imported from the Ivory Coast. We buy directly from organic farms, which cuts out the middlemen, offering our customers a quality and affordable product. The health benefits of these African herbal teas have been proven for centuries. I focus on health when introducing new products to my customers.
Photos courtesy of Nature's Kitchen
Tell me about your husband. How’d you meet? What are your roles at the company?
My husband and I worked at the same company back in Ivory Coast. He and I both operate the business with our kids. I handle the finances, since I am an accountant, and we both manage the necessary daily tasks. We work together on new products.
How do you see your store in five years?
Most African shopping experiences include the Farmers' Markets, where you can find anything you need. This serves as the model for our store in Newport. We are currently working to transform the store into a tea shop where our customers will get a cup of hot or healthy iced tea and pastries.
What’s your favorite part about pop-up events and farmers’ markets?
My favorite part is meeting new people who are interested in my products. I also love making someone join the tea drinkers team after stating that he or she is a coffee drinker, lol.
If I walked into your store for the first time, what should I try first?
You should try the ginger, pineapple, and mint tea or the winter blend (our chai tea). We will start offering some sweet croissants very soon.
How often do you plan to add more items?
We add new products at least every two months, to give a chance to the new products to enjoy the spotlight for a moment.
WHERE TO FIND THEM
In Store
- 411 Larch Circle, Newport, DE 19804
- Tuesdays to Saturdays, 9:30 AM to 2 PM
At Farmers' Market
- Historic New Castle Farmers Market
- May-November, Every Saturday 9 AM-2 PM
- 211 Delaware Street, New Castle, DE 19720
- Newark Co-op Farmers Market
- May-November, Every Sunday 9:30 AM - 2 PM
- 230 E. Main St. Newark, DE 19711
- Bellevue Farmers Market
- May-October, Every Friday, 3 - 7 PM
- 510 Duncan Road, Wilmington, DE 19809 (behind the Bellevue Community Center)
- Riverwalk Farmers Market
- May-November, Every Saturday 9 AM-1 PM
- Downtown Milford, Inc., 10 S Walnut Street, Milford, DE 19963
- New Garden Growers Farmers Market
- May-November, Every Saturday 9 AM-1 PM
- 8934 Gap Newport Pike, Avondale, PA
Anything else you’d like to highlight?
We have introduced a food cart to give a chance to our customers to experience some of our products within the meals. Join us on July 19th for our next pop-up market!
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