Haitian-American sisters build NouBon snack brand from family recipes

NEW YORK, United States. Sisters Pierrelande and Marie Saint Cyr grew up surrounded by bold Caribbean flavours in Haiti. When they moved to the United States and could not find snacks that captured what they remembered, they began making their own in small batches.

The result was NouBon, Haitian Creole for "We're good", a Caribbean-inspired snack brand built on recipes from their childhood.

"The foods, flavors and traditions we grew up around continue to influence the products we create through NouBon today," Pierrelande Saint Cyr said.

From Arcahaie to the US

The sisters were born in Arcahaie, Haiti. Their maternal grandfather had filed for their mother to move to the United States, and she brought her two youngest children. Pierrelande was six and Marie eight, while two older siblings stayed in Haiti.

"Moving to the United States was a major culture shock," Marie Saint Cyr said. "That experience taught us resilience, adaptability and the importance of community."

A relaunch

The business did not grow as hoped in its first two years. After severe financial losses and failed partnerships, the sisters stepped back, rethought the brand and relaunched with a clearer vision.

They said those experiences made them more careful about who they work with and taught them to divide responsibilities according to their strengths.

"For us, success is not measured only by sales. It is also having the courage to keep going when the results do not come as quickly as expected," they said.

Challenges and ambitions

The sisters said the costs of ingredients, packaging, labour, equipment, distribution and retailer fees make it hard for small food brands to scale while staying affordable. Culturally inspired brands must also spend more on sampling and storytelling to educate customers and buyers.

In the short term they want to expand into more independent and regional retailers across the United States. In the long term they hope NouBon becomes a nationally recognised Caribbean-inspired food brand.

"We hope NouBon can create jobs, support Caribbean farmers and suppliers, and make the path a little easier for other founders building culturally rooted food brands," they said.

"For Caribbean customers, our products can provide a connection to home," Marie Saint Cyr said.