The Beginning of Lekker Chócó Treats

My name is Nakija Mills, and I am the founder of Lekker Chócó Treats. I am 36 years old and a single mother of two wonderful boys, Bryan, 14, and Braylon, 13. Originally from the beautiful island of Dominica, I grew up in the Netherlands before moving to the US in late 2007. Currently, I reside in Farmington, MI.

As a creative spirit, my journey in the US involved various ventures, including braiding hair, working at a hair salon, and creating specialty cupcakes. I began dipping chocolate covered strawberries in 2011 to enhance my cupcakes, which quickly became a massive hit. Over the years, my passion for making unique desserts, including cupcakes and chocolate covered strawberries, flourished, and so did my technique and craft.

However, in 2015, the sudden loss of my children’s grandmother brought my creative endeavors to a standstill, as I took time to grieve her death and did not bake or decorate for quite some time.

In June 2019, a dear friend asked if I could dip strawberries for her daughter’s upcoming prom event. Though I wanted to decline, I accepted the challenge. Understanding that her party needed to be a showstopper, I couldn’t just provide a simple platter of chocolate covered strawberries. So, at 5 am the next morning, I began researching ideas and decided to create a stunning gold and white strawberry tower. The result was a big success, and I received incredible feedback from the event. The joy of creating that tower reignited my passion, and I decided to start my own company, Lekker Chócó Treats. The word 'Lekker' means delicious in Dutch and African, while 'Chócó' refers to chocolate!

I officially launched Lekker Chócó Treats in October 2019, and we celebrated our grand opening on January 20th at Laurel Park Mall in Livonia, MI, located across from Olga’s.

At Lekker Chócó Treats, we specialize in crafting beautiful edible arrangements, including bouquets decorated with fresh flowers and our signature hand-dipped chocolate covered strawberries. We also offer a variety of unique desserts, such as chocolate brittle, cocoa bombs, poffertjas (mini Dutch pancakes), and more.

In the past few years, I have participated in numerous festivals and events to promote Lekker Chócó Treats. We've been at Arts, Beats and Eats for two consecutive years, and I plan to be there again this year. Additionally, I hosted a pop-up shop in downtown Farmington at the Brown Dog location on Grand River in 2021/2022 for three months. It was a fantastic experience that I will always cherish. I am also eagerly looking forward to showcasing my products at local venues soon.

Every beautiful bouquet, strawberry box, strawberry tower, and overall Lekker Chócó Treats experience is all about spreading love and happiness.