Tac-Guac celebrates first anniversary

A university project, when Tac-Guac and Roll launched, the founders couldn’t have known what a journey they’d be embarking on, combining the best of Mexican cuisine with a tantalising Jamaican twist. Their journey has not been without challenges, some of which include finding the right location and sufficient funding, which, in turn, affected their ability to adequately market and raise awareness of their business. Despite the hurdles, Tac-Guac and Roll was able to grow and delight their customers.

“The general idea was to offer Mexican cuisine, but this was quickly restructured to incorporate a blend of Jamaican flavours. Jamaicans, over the years, have become more open to try new food, but generally speaking, we are a nation that always loves food packed with flavour and spice! Mexican seemed like the right fit. For us, we wanted to offer something that brought a different taste to the market, and much more flavour,” said Ramone Bradshaw, managing director of Tac-Guac and Roll.

The fusion menu at Tac-Guac and Roll offers traditional favourites – tacos, burritos, and quesadillas – along with some unique Tac-Guac creations. Most notable is the signature Tac-Guac burger – Tac-Guac cheese sauce, coupled with mozzarella between two meat patties and buns, and decked with tomatoes and vegetables.

The restaurant does not currently have a dine-in option, but offers delivery and pickup at the 4A Molynes Road location. Delivery is available through 7Krave and Tac-Guac and Roll offers several in-store payment options, including cash, card and Lynk. According to Bradshaw, the restaurant endeavours to make the experience of getting food as easy and enjoyable as it is to eat it.

“As a food establishment, we take great pride in maintaining the utmost consistency in the taste and quality of our food. Our dedication to this principle is unwavering, ensuring that each dish is prepared to perfection. If, by any chance, we find an item that does not meet our high standards, we promptly discard it, to guarantee that only the best reaches our customers’ plates. We want our clients to have the same top-tier experience every single time,” said Bradshaw.

LOCAL INGREDIENTS

Tac-Guac and Roll incorporates locally sourced ingredients to ensure the food is fresh and aligns with its ethos of catering to the adventurous spirit of the Jamaican foodie. With new menu items waiting to be unleashed, Tac-Guac and Roll envisions growth in the near future with new product offerings such as ‘Sonoran’, a Mexican-style hot dog, along with a Mexican soup, which infuses all flavours!

Reflecting on the lessons learnt from one year of operation, Bradshaw spoke of the obvious barriers to entry that small businesses face in Jamaica.

“We started operations on August 1, in 2022, and we must say our first year has definitely been a challenging one, as we are a small start-up in Jamaica that didn’t have much capital funding to begin with,” Bradshaw shared. “Thankfully, though, we have hit the one-year mark and we are looking forward to really growing the business, taking into consideration what this first year has taught us. There is still much room for improvement, and so many people who still don’t know about us, but we have to take it all in stride and keep pushing.”

He highlighted that the journey has not been an easy one, but it has certainly taught him some valuable lessons. First, Bradshaw noted the lessons learnt about the importance of inventory management – “Ensuring that everything is on point is absolutely important. As a business owner, it may be frustrating to do so many things at once, so it’s important to have someone in charge of inventory management, along with ensuring the technological systems are in place to assist.” Second, Bradshaw emphasised the need of a dedicated staff – “Hire persons who are committed to the task, if not, the business is placed at a disadvantage and won’t have a good chance at achieving real growth.”

Furthermore, Bradshaw shared that business solutions like Lynk play a significant role in helping the company achieve their goals of growth which include improving the overall customer experience through added convenience. “It is a good alternative for those who want to accept online payments because it is very simple and easy to use,” said Bradshaw.

Bradshaw identified the necessity of capital when starting a new business, stating, “Be sure to save over time to ensure a smoother process during your start-up journey. Additional capital is also important in case of any minor/major changes that need to be made within the business as you go.”