Meet Myra Karakelle, the founder of MLK Deli, the go-to halal spot in Surry Hills known for its bold take on Central Asian and Middle Eastern flavours.
MLK Deli isn’t just about good food, it’s a brand with purpose, personality and presence. From the bold shopfront to the standout packaging and loyal local following, every detail reflects Myra’s clear vision and thoughtful touch. In a location packed with dining options, she’s created a brand that not only stands out – it sticks.
In this exclusive interview, Myra shares how she brought her vision to life, built a solid brand identity and keeps growing in a competitive food scene. Let’s meet this local legend!
How did you bring your business and brand to life?
It started with a passion to be in hospitality. I wanted to be serving great food with an ethnic twist in the community. I love the exchanges between the customers and myself, it’s a journey fueled by a love for great food and a sense of community.
Surry Hills has an incredible amount of sandwich shops in our area and the surrounding. What I wanted for MLK to be known for is our emphasis on our customer service and our brand identity. When building the brand, I wanted to make sure that it had a strong identity. So it was very important for it to have a cultural identity, for it to be bold, for it to be fun, but also for it to be timeless so that it can be applicable to different types of packaging and branding and uniforms.
I am so pedantic about making sure that all of our products have some form of branding on them so that when the customer leaves the deli, it is an end-to-end experience. And when they’re back at their desk, having their lunch, they are reminded of us and where they got their food from.
Our colours are really bold and fun. Sometimes we have quirky little tag lines on them. Sometimes there’s just a cute message to say thank you for coming and eating with us. But it is that end-to-end experience that can only be done with the right branded products.
What’s been the biggest challenge you faced running the deli and how have you overcome it?
The biggest challenge I faced in running the deli has been the balancing act. Staffing, operations, growth have all been things that I’ve needed to focus on all at the same time. I think being adaptable has been the most important thing, understanding what I can do and what I can delegate, having trust in the team and knowing that they are capable and to let go of those reins sometimes.
I tell myself that is the only way that you can promote the growth that you want your business to have. You can’t do everything. Wear the hats, but also learn how to delegate those hats as well.
What do you love most about being a business owner?
My favourite thing about being a business owner is the freedom to connect, the way that you interact with your customers and your team, how organic and raw it can be, but also how real it can be. It isn’t filtered, it isn’t political, it isn’t a corporate office feeling. You can really be you and you can see the exchanges that people have with you.
What are your top tips for starting a business?
My top tips for starting a business is to have a solid plan. Have a solid plan and be consistent with it, but also be adaptable. Understand that that plan will change as you go, but to learn from that. Also, using social media is absolutely vital. You must have an online presence. But the most important tip is to look after your team. If you look after your team, they will look after your business.
VistaPrint believes in supporting small businesses just like MLK Deli. As a customer of VistaPrint, what are your favourite products and how do you use them?
My go-to marketing products from a physical standpoint are those capturing the attention of the foot traffic. What do people see from the outside before they know what we sell? I love VistaPrint’s fun, bold A-frames, signage and posters. These are products that customers can see from the front that lure them in.
Stamps are incredibly versatile for us as well. We use it daily on various items, most recently on our takeaway dinner boxes, it adds a fun and distinctive touch to a simple product. We also staple bookmarks onto our takeaway and Uber Eats bags. The double-sided feature is excellent because we can include our branding along with QR codes that link to our Instagram and Google reviews. Our customers actually collect and use them as bookmarks, giving our packaging a second life!
There are cute and fun tote bags that we use too. Our T-shirts and uniforms have fun branding on the back. It’s the small touch points like these that let them know that we have thought about their experience here. And we want everything that they eat, everything that they see, everything they hear to be encompassing that experience.
To explore more of MLK Deli and what they’re cooking, follow along on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mlk.deli/
Got a business idea of your own? VistaPrint is here to help you bring it to life with custom marketing tools that get you noticed (and remembered).
Explore our range of custom marketing materials, merch and more designed to help your small business thrive. For inspiration and branding tips, follow us on Instagram at @vistaprintaustralia. Learn from other Aussie #LocalLegends on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@vistaprintau.
