We are proud to continue the latest installment of our Kith Community initiative - Love Thy Community. This program continues to shine a light on minority-owned businesses, amplifying their voices in new ways. We’ve partnered with Vault by Vans on this new installment to continue giving back to our communities. Together, we will highlight six of these businesses over the span of several months. The second installment features Lloyd's Carrot Cake - a local cake shop located in the Bronx and East Harlem founded by Lloyd Adams which was passed on to his wife Betty after his passing. Fast forward years later, the legacy is kept moving forward by their children, Lilka and Brandon Adams.
Lloyd's Carrot Cake has been a neighborhood staple since 1986. That's a long time! What
would you guys say has kept the business flourishing?
The biggest reason for Lloyd’s sustained success is attributed to our familial relationship with
our customers. Both of our parents were very hands-on, and worked their hardest to ensure that
the experience at Lloyd’s was a memorable and enjoyable one. Customers loved that our
parents would take time out of their day to talk sports, share some advice or just lend an ear.
The initial love for the product, ultimately turned into a love for them, and naturally customers
wanted to continually support Lloyd’s.
Another important piece to our continued growth is the consistency of the product. We have
maintained the same quality, flavor and freshness that patrons received when our father first
started out. We're using the same recipe and same all-natural ingredients from the very
beginning!
Why is it so important that you guys continue your parent's legacy?
Their story is our story. Our parents sacrificed so much to build a business that would thrive
across decades, and being able to have a first-hand account of this process was a blessing.
Both of our parents immigrated to New York City from humble beginnings - our dad from St.
Thomas, Virgin Islands, and our mom from Limon, Costa Rica. To watch a product that our
father created, and that our mother continuously developed, grow into this phenomenon, is
something we’re endlessly proud of. It’s a story that we’ll continue to share with the world.
We know your cakes travel worldwide!! That's a huge accomplishment. When did Lloyd's
begin nationwide deliveries?
We are so proud of the fact that our cakes have traveled the globe thanks to our passionate
customers who come to our shop to purchase treats, just to take them back home to their loved
ones. So far our cakes have touched down in London, Paris, China, Afghanistan, Spain, Puerto
Rico, Italy and more! Mom would always say she wanted to get a map, and put a pin to
wherever Lloyd's has been.
We began nationwide shipping through our 3rd party partner, Goldbelly, in 2020!
What sets Lloyd's Carrot Cake apart?
The flavor, freshness, and moistness are really what makes our products standout. The carrot
cake, specifically, is made with freshly grated carrots that give it its unique texture and flavor that
everyone loves. I personally (and hey, I may be bias) have never tasted a carrot cake with so
much flavor. We've searched far & wide and have yet to find anyone else that specializes in
carrot cakes and does all their baking from scratch like we do. From cutting the carrots, to
making the frosting, the process is quite the song & dance that we’re proud to say we’ve
perfected.
What inspired your design choices on the T-Shirt?
Our flagship location is such a great representation of Lloyd's, so we decided to take inspiration
from a Polaroid that our dad took in the 80s right after the store opening. Our iconic logo and
Carrot Man is not only representative of our business but of how much can be accomplished
from a small operation. We’re so excited about how it came out!
Tell us more about the sneaker. I noticed there are different carrot caricatures. What is
the meaning behind these, and what other fun hits can customers find throughout the
shoe?
It was important that our story, as a family, was told through the sneaker. Each of the carrot
graphics are a different iteration of the Lloyd’s Logo. One is the classic carrot logo, the second
version has the carrot licking its lips (probably after seeing a fresh batch of cakes), the third
iteration has an apron on and a whisk in her hand which is representative of our mom and the
final one is dribbling a basketball which is representative of our dad. Basketball is significant to
our dad because prior to him becoming a baker, he grew up playing basketball in NYC. He
earned a scholarship to play at the University of Wisconsin and at the University of Rhode
Island, and was even drafted in 1972 by the Baltimore Bullets. Basketball continued to play a
huge role in his life following college. He and his friends would play basketball, go to his house
to watch the Knick’s games, and insist on Lloyd making his delicious cake. It was then that our
father knew that he could turn this into a business.
Each shoe is an homage to our parents. The left shoe is our dad’s with the basketball carrot on
the back heel tab and his name on the inside of the Vans tag. The right shoe is dedicated to our
mother, with the carrot logo wearing an apron and her name on the inside of the Vans tag. Her
carrot caricature is an ode to the work she put in the kitchen once she took over the business
after the passing of our father. She left her career as a marketing director for Time Warner
Cable, and dedicated her time to leading Lloyd’s Carrot Cake to unprecedented heights.
What does this collaboration mean to you guys? How do you think your parents would
feel?
This collaboration with Kith and Vans is super special! We're so grateful that both Kith and Vans
would give us a platform to amplify the story of Lloyd's: a small black-owned business that rings
so many bells across the city, and beyond! As for our parents, we think they would've been very
happy and extremely honored to see a brand that they built from scratch, on a t-shirt and
sneakers. It’s literally the icing on the cake!
Lastly, where can we find you?
You can find us at our flagship location in the Bronx at 6087 Broadway, our Manhattan location
in East Harlem at 1553 Lexington Avenue, being shipped nationwide via Goldbelly or on
Instagram @lloydscarrotcake!