He has become a phenomenal Jamaican success story. A man who heads the only Caribbean owned franchise in the United States. A franchise that is expanding rapidly and now totals 107 stores with a goal of 600 stores by 2010. These are lofty aspirations, but don’t tell that to Golden Krust CEO Lowell Hawthorne. For him, the sky is the limit and no obstacles are too insurmountable.

Who would have known that his admiration for his father’s patty recipe would have been the catalyst for this proud Jamaican to start his own restaurant to provide employment for himself and his family? A restaurant that would mushroom into a famous franchise with stores in 9 states across the country.

The young Hawthorne admired the way in which the community appreciated his father’s patties which sold out as soon as they came out of the oven.

The elder Hawthorne passed away suddenly earlier this year, but Father Ephraim’s legacy lives on through the Golden Krust brand.

Now that recipe is taking the United States by storm and people of all cultures are appreciating Jamaican cuisine in a whole new way. A wide ranging menu of Jamaican entrees and pastries are also available, which are sure to satisfy any hunger.

Hawthorne belonged to a large family of eleven and is a past student of Oberlin High School. He left Jamaica when he was 20 years old for the bright lights of New York City.

He worked at New York Police Department (NYPD) as a stock handler while going to City College where he received an associate degree. He then worked for 10 years as an accountant

His father used to visit New York at Easter and bake from his sister’s basement. The buzz he generated in a week convinced Hawthorne he could open his own business. He and his siblings pooled all their resources, mortgaged their homes and came up with just over US$107,000 to start the business.

They chose northeast Bronx, New York with its large concentration of Caribbean residents, and leased a property.

The talented bunch of brothers, sisters and spouses brought various skills to the enterprise and everyone pulled up their sleeves, helping in any way possible. They toiled tirelessly and with the highest level of professionalism and dedication to form the building blocks of a fast food empire. All while maintaining a genuine humility and pride. Together they have accomplished in two decades what others may never even attempt. The first store opened in 1989, and by 1992, Hawthorne had opened four stores. By 1996, it grew to 17 stores.

Golden Krust became the first Jamaican company to apply for a franchise license and the only Caribbean company to achieve this milestone in America. Since then, they have aggressively expanded across the country, building a large manufacturing facility to sustain the company’s growth.

Mr. Hawthorne encourages others to, "try to establish you own business for the world is as big as your dream." He is not only driven by the need to provide stable employment and an avenue to attain success for aspiring workers and entrepreneurs. He is also determined to give back to society and has established the Mavis & Ephraim Golden Krust (Memorial) Foundation to provide scholarships for students, recognizing that "only the educated are truly liberated."

Former Prime Minister P. J. Patterson has heaped praises on the Hawthornes, noting that ethnic groups hold the family unit together in the development of their business. He said the strength and cohesion of the Jamaican nation were going to be ultimately decided by the number of enterprises around which families could share a common vision and work towards a common goal.

He said that Lowell Hawthorne had shown not only the propensity for enterprise, but also the capacity for excellence.

Lowell Hawthorne often said he envisions Golden Krust will become the next MacDonald’s. As the world watches his empire unfold, there is no doubt he won’t stop until his dream is realized.