Located in 4th avenue food park, Feliz Flavors brings a piece of home to many here in the town of Gainesville.
"My favorite flavor is Mantecado because it has a beautiful history in my wife's family" -Joshua Broadhead
Born in Chicago but raised in Bradenton, Florida, Joshua Broadhead and his wife Jazmin put forward their ideas to start their own ice cream business. Together they were able to bring their small idea to life, giving the Gainesville community a taste of the Latin heritage that they loved and shared.
Let’s talk about the mastermind of the operation for a little. Joshua Broadhead was raised in a non-culinary family, where the cooking was very minimal and had “not much seasoning going on.” At the age of 16, he was introduced to the foodie world when he started working at a fast-casual Italian place in his hometown. After working there for a while, he switched and worked in a more local Italian – American Deli where he got a taste for getting his hands in the dough! He got into deeper flavors and started making fresh pizza and fresh mozzarella. His culinary experience didn’t stop there. At 19 years old, Joshua moved to Gainesville and was first introduced to Latin culture and flavors by working at Emiliano's. Here his mind was blown away by cooking and the experiences he got; he got helping out chefs on the line and learning about Latin cuisine. Here on out Joshua traveled to Brazil and fell in love with all the tropical and unique flavors that he tasted on the streets of Brazil.
Feliz is a great place to tap into Latin flavors. With flavors that come from Joshua’s travels and experiences, his wife’s Jazmin Cuban and Argentine culture, as well as staff members' Latin influences, Feliz brings a happy party of flavors into their customers' mouths! There's a story behind each of their flavors and a reason for being there. From their ‘Lucuma’ flavor that comes from Peru to their ‘Mantecado’ flavor that brings history and culture from Cuba, their flavors are unique in every way!
"We get our latin flavors from our local latin market here in Gainesville La Aurora!"
Feliz is a family business, made up of a family that cares a lot about their local community. Joshua and Jazmin are what you call “couple goals of the ice cream business”. By supporting each other they have been able to build a wonderful company, raise a beautiful family, and expand and grow as a business. Founded in 2020 after the pandemic, they have been able to build a place that brings happiness or “Felicidad” to many in the Gainesville community.
Get your favorite Feliz Flavor by checking in on our BYPPO app. You can also order pick-up or delivery directly on the app.
Written by: Adriana Rosales
Advertising Student at the University of Florida 24’