By Bridney C.
It is a pleasure to interview Yolanda Reneé for the Sweet Scoop.
Yolanda is a 20-year-old frozen lemonade maker from New London, Connecticut. Her creative recipes and bright-colored, neon drinks have been growing in popularity among followers of hers on social media.
Reasonably priced, a 9-once frozen lemonade costs $6 while a large, 16-ounce frozen lemonade costs $8. Yolanda comes from a talented line of cooks in her family, citing her father as being one of the best cooks she's ever known.
"No one has made anything like my slushy creation," says Yolanda. "I am the first."
In this edition of Q&A, Yolanda Reneé reveled the origin behind the name, "Secret Sippin' Frozen Lemonades," what inspired her to make original frozen slushies, and what else is in store for the young businesswoman.
Bridney C: Who or what inspired you to start making frozen lemonades?
Yolanda Reneé: One day, last winter, and my boyfriend were eating Minute Maid Frozen Lemonade, which is flavored ices. I was babbling about how I could make something similar to it, but as a drink and I could make way more flavors. His response made me go into full business mode. He said, "you could do that and sell them, people would love them." That inspired me to start up this whole thing. I just needed warm weather to start.
BC: What made you decide to start making frozen lemonades and put yourself out there on social media?
YR: My recipes are original from the ingredients down to the measurements. I make them with fresh fruit and a few other things that make the flavors burst. I add whipped cream and candies on top. The candy was influenced by pictures I have always seen candy crazed drinks on Facebook. I thought that would be an attention grabber.
BC: How did you come up with the creative name, "Secret Sippin' Frozen Lemonades?"
YR: The name "Secret Sippin' Frozen Lemonades" was put into play one night while me and my boyfriend sat the kitchen table brainstorming and "sipping" to find a good name.
BC: What is exactly is the "Mixed Madness Frozen Lemonade?" How did you come up with the name for it?
YR: The "Mixed Madness Frozen Lemonade" contains a mixture of strawberries, mangoes, and pineapples or three fruits a customer chooses to blend. It also contains assorted candies on the top. The name came after taste testing and feeling a rush of deliciousness from all the different fruits.
BC: What is the most popular frozen lemonade you have made so far? What is your favorite type of lemonade to make? Why?
YR: The most popular frozen lemonade so far would have to be between Mango Pineapple and Strawberry Lemonade. My favorite type of lemonade to make is Blue Raspberry because it's always a challenge for me to make sure it's sour yet sweet and perfect like the yin and yang. But I always nail it and that excites me.
BC: Even though you're just getting started, what else is in store for you?
YR: Even though I'm just getting started, I know I have a long, yet successful journey ahead of me by the way my customers appreciate my frozen lemonades and the way they show love. Without them this wouldn't be possible, and I'm ready to do this every summer.
