Salada packs over 600 care packages for farmers affected by Hurricane Melissa
KINGSTON, Jamaica — More than 600 care packages were recently prepared by over 40 Salada Foods staff members at the company’s headquarters in Kingston, for farming communities in St Elizabeth impacted by Hurricane Melissa. The initiative brought the curtain down on the company’s 2025 production year at its Bell Road manufacturing plant. It was led by Salada Foods General Manager Tamii Brown and included teachers and students from the company’s adopted school, Jebb Memorial Basic School. Salada exists within an ecosystem, one that feeds and is fed by a tight-knit circle of people, communities and partners. Our farmers are a vital part of that ecosystem; when they hurt, we hurt too. These care packages reflect that shared connection and our deep commitment to supporting farmers, families and neighbours, particularly during challenging times,” Brown explained. The care packages contained essential food and hygiene items and also featured Salada’s newly launched sorrel hibiscus beverage, a traditional Jamaican drink introduced by the company in November 2025. Students from Jebb Memorial Basic School were among the volunteers who helped prepare the packages for delivery to farming communities across St Elizabeth. Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Mining, Floyd Green visited the company during the packing exercise and commended the initiative. “I appreciate Salada and the intervention, especially as we approach the Christmas season. A number of our farmers are back out there [on the farms], but remain in very difficult circumstances. This does take a big burden off of them to have these items to carry them through the season,” Green said. The relief effort replaced Salada’s traditional end-of-year staff party, with the company opting instead to provide practical support to farmers following the hurricane’s impact. However, the company later turned its focus inward to recognise staff contributions through its departmental ‘Gem Awards’. The awardees were Akeele Johnson from Warehouse; Duane Taylor from Sanitation; Anthony Anglin from Production; Peter Collins from Engineering and Maintenance; Richard Thomas from Accounts; and Karimah Shepherd from Quality and Laboratory. “Our Gems have shown exceptional hard work, dedication and a willingness to go above and beyond this year. They truly exemplify what it means to be a member of Team Salada,” Brown shared.
Salada, Jebb Memorial students pack care packages for farmers
Over 40 staff at Salada Foods volunteered to pack more than 600 care packages for farming communities hit by Hurricane Melissa, closing out the company’s 2025 production year at its Bell Road plant in Kingston. General Manager Tamii Brown led the effort, joined by teachers and students from Salada’s adopted school, Jebb Memorial Basic. “Salada exists within an ecosystem, one that feeds and is fed by a tight-knit circle of people, communities and partners. Our farmers are a vital part of that ecosystem; when they hurt, we hurt too. These care packages reflect that shared connection and our deep commitment to supporting farmers, families and neighbours, particularly during challenging times,” Brown said. The packages contained food and hygiene items, along with Salada’s newly launched sorrel hibiscus beverage, introduced in November 2025. The students from Jebb Memorial helped prepare the parcels for delivery across St Elizabeth. Floyd Green, minister of agriculture, fisheries and mining, visited during the packing session. “I appreciate Salada and the intervention, especially as we approach the Christmas season. A number of our farmers are back out there [on the farms], but remain in very difficult circumstances. This does take a big burden off of them to have these items to carry them through the season,” he said. GEMS AWARDED The relief packing activity replaced Salada’s traditional end-of-year staff party, as the impact of Hurricane Melissa underscored the urgent need for practical support for farming communities. Later in the day, Salada turned inward to honour staff excellence with the presentation of its departmental ‘Gem Awards’.
Salada grows investment in ginger
Company aims to add more innovative, richly infused products Already a major player in the coffee market, local manufacturer Salada Foods Jamaica Limited is moving to expand its footprint in ginger as it looks to take advantage of growing demand with more value-added products. As a lead manufacturer in at least two ginger-based teas, Salada Foods last year reaffirmed its commitment to local farmers as it spent as much as $40 million to secure increased amounts of the crop for use in its tea and beverage lines. The company’s plain ginger and ginger turmeric teas as well as its golden turmeric latte with pumpkin spice — all sold under the flagship Jamaica Mountain Peak brand — have become customer favourites both locally and internationally. “Jamaican ginger continues to grow in popularity globally. Consumers who enjoy ginger favour the Jamaican variety for its potency,” Salada General Manager Tamii Brown told the Jamaica Observer. “This year, we purchased over 80,000 pounds of rhizome from local farmers, which we use as a critical raw material for many of our existing products, as well as those currently under development. Market rates for local ginger vary between $300 and $500 per pound.” Brown emphasised that one of Salada’s key growth strategies is diversifying its product portfolio to meet changing consumer and market demands. The company is also leveraging advanced technical capabilities, such as spray drying, which converts extracts into instant powder — allowing for more convenient, shelf-stable products. “In an agricultural industry often challenged by scarcity, it’s prudent for Salada to explore alternative crops to build resilience,” she said. Regarded as a powerful medicinal herb, ginger is widely used to relieve nausea, bloating, inflammation, and to aid digestion. The global ginger market — estimated to reach US$9.5 billion by 2027 — is being driven by increasing demand for functional foods and wellness products. While China and India dominate production, Jamaican ginger is distinguished by its potency, said to be four times stronger than many global varieties — positioning it as a premium product with untapped export potential. Salada, aiming to further enhance the industry’s value chain, is pushing to develop more ginger-infused blends. “We are working with top regional distributors to create beverage mixes that incorporate local fruits, spray-dried ingredients, and our treasured Jamaican ginger,” Brown revealed. Wayne Hunter, acting director general of Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority, in commending Salada’s growth and effort said: “They’ve done a tremendous job packaging and marketing Jamaican ginger for both local and export markets. The company continues to invest in the value chain, creating opportunities for products like ginger extracts, ginger oil, ginger beer, and other culinary and medicinal applications.” Despite challenges with securing a consistent supply of raw materials, Salada continues to build strong, long-term relationships with local farmers, many of whom rely on these partnerships for a sustainable income. Christopher Lee, manager of logistics and IT support services at Salada Foods, in highlighting the company’s strategic foresight and constant engagement with farmers, said these were necessary to ensure consistency in sourcing. “We visit farmers on their lands, follow up daily on new leads, and get a start on procurement before the crop is ready. Basically, it involves the constant engagement and leveraging years of relationships with different farmers,” he explained. “Our success is directly tied to the success of Jamaica’s farmers,” Brown added. “By ensuring fair pricing, maintaining strong supplier relationships, and investing in local sourcing, we are helping to build a more resilient ginger industry.” As the ginger crop becomes more vulnerable to bad weather conditions, climate risk, and diseases such as rhizome rot, Brown emphasised the importance of stakeholder collaboration, particularly with JACRA, which is working to introduce improved farming practices and more disease-resistant ginger strains. Despite the challenges, she remains optimistic about the future of Jamaican ginger. “The outlook is positive, but we must plant the seeds today for a bountiful harvest tomorrow. Jamaica must move beyond producing ‘me-too’ products. We need to focus on our strengths, leverage our competitive advantages, and identify niche areas where we can lead globally,” Brown argued. “Salada is laser-focused on creating greater access to Jamaican ginger by developing convenient, instant products that cater to modern consumer demands for instant gratification, while aligning with current flavour trends. In doing so, we create more ways for consumers to access and enjoy this world-class product,” she noted.
Salada Foods Wins Customer Focus Award
Salada Foods Jamaica has been recognised for its unwavering commitment to consumer-driven and market-driven manufacturing, securing the Bureau of Standards Jamaica’s (BSJ) National Quality Award for Customer Focus in the Manufacturing Category. This inaugural sectional award, sponsored by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), was recently presented during the 20th annual BSJ National Quality Awards Ceremony, held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston. The National Quality Awards (NQA) Programme is Jamaica’s premier quality system-based recognition initiative, celebrating organisations that demonstrate outstanding performance in five key areas: Organizational Focus, Customer Focus, Human Resource Focus, Process Management, and Business Results. Tamii Brown, General Manager of Salada Foods, emphasised the company’s ongoing pursuit of consumer-centered innovation, stating, “The ‘National Quality Award for Manufacturing Customer Focus’ is awarded to a manufacturing company that demonstrates exceptional dedication to understanding and meeting customer needs. This is exactly what we have been striving for in terms of our portfolio diversification efforts—innovations driven by consumer needs and desires.” The rigourous evaluation process for the award included an extensive self-assessment submission and a thorough audit process conducted by independent assessors contracted by the BSJ. For Nadine Francis, Quality Assurance Manager, the award is a testament to Salada’s continuous commitment to excellence. “This year’s NQAs were remarkable for Salada Foods. Audits are nothing new to us; they are part of our daily commitment to maintaining our Quality Management System while consistently meeting our customers’ needs. Many companies competed for the prestigious NQA, but to be named the winner in the Customer Focus sector for the Manufacturing Category is a tremendous honour. We extend our congratulations to all participating companies and winners. At the same time, we celebrate the outstanding efforts of the Salada Foods team. This achievement is a testament to our dedication, teamwork, and customer-first approach,” Francis expressed. Now in its 20th year, the National Quality Awards Programme continues to underscore the importance of quality systems in enhancing productivity, competitiveness, and customer service.
Salada Foods wins customer focus award at BSJ National Quality gala
Salada Foods Jamaica secured the inaugural Bureau of Standards Jamaica’s (BSJ) National Quality Award for customer focus in the manufacturing category. This inaugural sectional award, sponsored by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), reinforces Salada’s dedication to excellence in meeting customer needs through innovation and quality-driven practices. The award was presented during the 20th annual BSJ National Quality Awards ceremony, held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on January 30. The National Quality Awards (NQA) Programme is Jamaica’s premier quality system-based recognition initiative, celebrating organisations that demonstrate outstanding performance in organisational focus, customer focus, human resource focus, process management and business results. Tamii Brown, general manager of Salada Foods, emphasised the company’s ongoing pursuit of consumer-centred innovation, stating, “The ‘National Quality Award for Manufacturing Customer Focus’ is given to a manufacturing company that demonstrates exceptional dedication to understanding and meeting customer needs. This is exactly what we have been striving for in terms of our portfolio diversification efforts – innovations driven by consumer needs and desires.” The rigorous evaluation process for the award included an extensive self-assessment submission and an intensive audit process conducted by independent assessors contracted by the BSJ. For Nadine Francis, quality assurance manager, the award is a testament to Salada’s continuous commitment to excellence. “This year’s NQAs was a remarkable one for Salada Foods. Audits are nothing new to us – they are part of our daily commitment to maintaining our Quality Management System while consistently meeting our customers’ needs. Many companies have competed for the prestigious NQA, but to be named the winner in the ‘Customer Focus’ sector for the Manufacturing Category is a tremendous honour. We extend our congratulations to all participating companies and winners. At the same time, we celebrate the outstanding efforts of the Salada Foods team. This achievement is a testament to our dedication, teamwork, and customer-first approach,” Francis expressed. Now in its 20th year, the National Quality Awards Programme continues to underscore the importance of quality systems in enhancing productivity, competitiveness, and customer service. Dr Velton Gooden, executive director of the BSJ, highlighted the significance of the awards in fostering a culture of quality in Jamaica and urged companies at the awards ceremony to look at the event as an opportunity to also network with other strong business developers. “Let us continue to champion quality as a cornerstone of national development and work collaboratively to build a brighter future for all Jamaicans,” Gooden said in his welcome remarks.
Salada breaks new ground with Ramson partnership, racks up record year
Buoyed by strong domestic and export sales performance, coffee processor Salada Foods Jamaica Limited says its reaping returns from its innovations, its latest being the Golden Turmeric Latte. Aided by the new latte product, which the company said scored big in the Trinidad & Tobago market, exports accounted for $322 million, or just under 22 per cent of the $1.48 billion of sales racked up by for the 2024 financial year ended September. “We’ve designed the product with flexibility in mind, offering individually bar-coded sachets for single-use purchases, alongside boxed options for greater convenience. This ensures that the product is within reach of a diverse range of consumers, catering to varying purchasing preferences,” said Salada General Manager Tamii Brown. “Rather than adopting a top-down innovation strategy, we focus on creating products that resonate with our target markets, aligning with emerging beverage trends and consumer needs,” Brown added in an interview with the Financial Gleaner. Salada is a contract manufacturer to several local companies, being Jamaica’s sole instant coffee processor. The coffee company also partnered recently with Chas E. Ramson Limited, to manufacture a line of drink crystals, under the Kisko brand, featuring flavours such as pineapple ginger, mango ginger, and ginger lemonade. The arrangement kicked off in September. “This one is breaking new ground for us,” said Brown. “This is in line with our innovation strategies. If you notice, it has nothing to do with coffee. We’re using our local fruits and the same machinery to spray dry them right here in our plant. To be partnering with the likes of Chas E. Ramson on this is full of possibilities” she said. The record $1.48 billion in revenue resulted from a six-per cent sales growth in the year. In addition, shareholder profit also hit a new record at $194.3 million, up 18 per cent year on year.from $164.5 million. “Equally significant was our ongoing regional expansion. During the year, we intensified our distribution efforts in Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda, St Lucia, and Trinidad & Tobago, allowing us to deepen our market presence and cater to a broader consumer base,” Brown said. Last year, Salada invested $40.25 million in upgrades to its packaging rooms, which the general manager said resulted in improved operational throughput. “As a 66-year-old company, it is important for us to complement our years of know-how and experience with technological innovation. These changes not only enhance productivity, but also position us as a regional manufacturing partner of choice,” Brown said.
Crop Restoration and Expansion Programme for Coffee and Cocoa Farmers
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining will be embarking on a crop restoration and expansion programme for coffee and cocoa farmers. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Floyd Green, provided an update on the programme during the International Coffee and National Cocoa Day celebrations at Emancipation Park in St. Andrew, on October 1. “It means, we are going to be working with our farmers to innovate. What we have recognised is that we need more of our farmers to do intercropping, to look at agroforestry, to look at other short-term cash crops that can bolster their earnings with what they are getting from coffee and cocoa,” he said. He added that the seeds and other inputs to support the undertaking will be provided to the farmers, noting that these will boost the income of farmers. Mr. Green said, too, that with the changing climate, more training will be undertaken with stakeholders in the sector. “How we plant, the practices we use, we have to change that. So, we are going to be focusing a lot more on training our cocoa and coffee farmers through JACRA (Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority), RADA (Rural Agricultural Development Authority), looking at best practices, pest management and climate adaptation strategies,” he noted. The Minister said the Government will be providing more direct support to farmers. “We are going to provide you with more fertilisers and more chemicals. We are going to see how we can use the technology to treat with some of your labour issues. Agriculture is a science; it is not guesswork. We are going to be working with you to treat with that,” the Minister said. Mr. Green also informed that a drive will be undertaken, through JACRA, to provide land security for farmers in the sectors. “We are going to do a drive through JACRA to get more cocoa and coffee farmers letters of possession, tenureship, land security, especially where you are operating on government land. This is something we have spoken about for too long; we have to fix that now,” he said. He urged cocoa and coffee farmers to engage in more value-added offerings. “That’s how we are going to ensure that we retain more of the money,” he said. Furthermore, the Minister added that technology will be used to continue driving the agricultural sector forward. “We have already entered into a partnership… using block chain technologies to be able to trace from the farm, the actual farmer to the coffee itself, so wherever in the world you are, you can scan a code and you can tell that this is authentic Blue Mountain coffee, but more than that, it will allow us to tell the story of our coffee and the story of our cocoa,” Mr. Green said. “We are going to continue to build that out. It’s also important as we try to ensure that we are complying with the new EU directives in relation to ensuring that if you are planting coffee, you are doing it in a sustainable fashion, and in order to do that, we have to track how the coffee is planted… . It also goes for cocoa and all other commodities,” he added. Through the partnership, JACRA and Verified and True will be rolling out a Verified True Platform to, among other things, protect and promote agricultural commodities such as cocoa and coffee through end-to-end traceability. Expounding on the partnership, Chief Technology Officer, Verified and True, Chris Reckord, explained that through technology, consumers will be able to verify the authenticity of a product. “A future where consumers can instantly verify the origins of the products they buy, ensuring that they are purchasing authentic, high quality Jamaican coffee and cocoa,” he said. Meanwhile on the issue of pricing, Minister Green said steps are being undertaken to determine a fair market price for the crops. “If we don’t have farmers, we won’t have an industry. If the farmers feel that they are not getting a fair price for their coffee or cocoa, they will pull out of the industry. If they pull out of the industry, we won’t have anything to celebrate, so we have to ensure that in everything that we do, fairness underpins everything that we do. Our coffee and cocoa farmers must get a fair price for their product. If they are getting a price that they can’t invest back, that they can’t take care of their families, they are going to pull out of the sector,” he noted. “I have already said to JACRA that we need to start a process of exploring what is a fair price and we will, in the first instance, try to use moral suasion by saying to you this is what we see as a fair price, and this is what we expect to be out there, but if that is not working, we will have to take it further, but we are going to start there,” Mr. Green added. He said the Government will continue to support farmers to ensure that there is growth is the sectors.
Golden Turmeric Latte perks up revenues for Salada
Strong sales for its new Golden Turmeric Latte product has resulted in a 46 per cent jump in revenues for coffee processing company Salada Foods Jamaica Limited during the third quarter of its current financial year, the period from April 1 to June 30, 2024. “We are pleased to report that the successful introduction of our latest innovation, Golden Turmeric Latte, contributed significantly to our increased quarterly revenues. The product has performed well in the domestic market and also leads our portfolio in sales for Trinidad,” Salada’s General Manager Tamii Brown told the Jamaica Observer in response to queries about the company’s performance. “During the quarter, we saw increased sales volumes, particularly for our flagship Jamaican Mountain Peak Instant Coffee line, as consumer demand continues to grow in that area. Working in close collaboration with our distribution partners, LASCO Distributors Limited, our marketing team during the quarter further streamlined our distribution process, allowing us to have greater reach and efficiency in making our products more accessible to consumers,” Brown added. Launched in April of this year, the Golden Turmeric Latte, after much testing and consumer feedback, the company said, continues to benefit from positive market response with its success already reflecting on its debut impact on revenues. Infused with a blend of turmeric and plant-based creamer, the product emerges as another hot sell for coffee lovers, much of whom globally continues to crave for more innovative offerings. At the end of the three-month period, revenues for the company totalled $405.5 million, up from $276.9 reported for the same period in the year prior. Positively influencing the bottom line, the company’s net profit also soared to $63.4 billion — 156 per cent more that earned at the end of June 2023. Consolidated nine-month revenues, which climbed to $1.1 billion, also grew some 17 per cent more than that for last year’s period as profit increased 63 per cent to total $162.2 million. The successful launch of the new turmeric latte product further supported by expanded sales in some Caribbean markets, where business has been heating up for the company, now boast a strong presence in not just Trinidad but also Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, and St Lucia. Currently witnessing steady growth in its export portfolio, the general manager further said that the company’s focus on regional expansion will continue to rank among top objectives over the next three years, even as it maintains a strong presence in the local market. At present, Salada’s flavoured coffee line, which includes cinnameg, a blend of cinnamon and nutmeg flavours, coconut cappuccino and caramel, is also said to be “holding its own and doing particularly well on Amazon with strong support from the Caribbean Diaspora market.” “This, too, is a relatively new line; therefore, we continue to focus on its distribution across several markets. Reports are that the coconut cappuccino flavour is a crowd favourite and leads sales across the line,” Brown said. As the company continues to navigate continued challenges with the availability of raw material in the local market, access to authentic Jamaican coffee, it said, remains a pain point for its business as demand grows and supplies dwindle. “We are, however, working hand in hand with our regulators, the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA), the Ministry of Agriculture and the Jamaica Coffee Growers Association (JCGA) to explore and implement best practices to sustainably improve coffee yield for the benefit of all coffee industry stakeholders,” Brown noted.
Salada Foods, ESIROM gives school grounds a facelift
Salada Foods in collaboration with ESIROM Foundation created a garden with complete seating for a Labour Day project at the Jebb Memorial Basic School in Kingston. The project saw the installation of a wooden perimeter fence, raised garden beds and the use of recycled pallets to create seating benches. The early childhood institution welcomed the improvements from the three-day project.
Salada Foods cultivates literacy through ‘garden learning’
Salada Foods, the parent company of Jamaica Mountain Peak brand of coffees and teas, incorporated garden learning into its approach to literature education for Read Across Jamaica Day activities on Tuesday (May 7). The company engaged children in three-dimensional learning at orchestrated an immersive literacy event at Jebb Memorial Basic School. Salada Foods general manager Tamii Brown said, “It offers endless opportunities for learning and exploration; as quickly as the students stepped out of the classrooms and into the schoolyard, we recognised how it ignited their curiosity and stimulated their imaginations.” The activities kickstarted with Salada Foods’ quality assurance manager Nadine Francis leading a reading session with approximately 35 students between the ages of two and six, centred around a book of the Ready Steady Readers series titled, ‘The Little Red Hen and the Wheat’. Following the story, Francis and the Salada Foods team facilitated a discussion with the students about their lessons learnt to encourage critical thinking. Salada Foods, together with the ESIROM Foundation, gifted Jebb Memorial Basic School with a raised garden plot, sparking excitement among the students and teachers alike. The hands-on learning opportunity is not only aimed at fostering literacy skills, said Brown, “but is meant to cultivate a deeper understanding of their natural environment. It was truly a pleasure for our team to watch all the little ones participate, and partake in the reading and gardening activities alongside our sustainability partners at ESIROM.” “With the sun’s rise tomorrow, we hope to see a renewed passion for growth among the children at Jebb. Today, we’ve witnessed the joy students experience from reading about living things, to every stage of gardening – from preparing the plot, to planting and even nurturing the seedlings. We want the raised garden plot to enrich their curriculum,” Brown added. Prior to the visit, the children were provided with fudge sticks to craft labels for a diverse array of plants including herbs like rosemary, thyme, basil, fruit trees and sunflowers. Some of these plants were placed into the planter as part of the activities. According to Jebb Memorial Basic School principal Leonie Salmon Wong-Sue, the addition of the garden will serve as a valuable resource for integrating literacy and even mathematics into experiential learning. Wong Sue said, “Read Across Jamaica Day already provides a unique opportunity for our children to engage with books beyond the classroom curriculum, and today was certainly extra special with the playground and garden serving as a living classroom. Literacy should begin at home, from the moment a child can speak so by the time they transition into the school environment, they are ready for bigger activities but it isn’t always the case. These events always make that transition fun for all of us. We welcome the garden because it complements our curriculum for our four-year-olds who are learning about plants and farms.” “We would love to be able to take the children outside to learn every day or at least twice a week, but our school is in a noisy area. Nonetheless, it was a good learning experience and exposure for the children. In my role as principal, I have embraced Jebb Memorial as a historical institution, and I believe that when conceptualisers leave a legacy, it is our responsibility to nourish and build upon it. That’s what Salada Foods can expect our teachers and students to do with the garden,” she continued. By harnessing the power of the outdoors, Salada Foods aims to cultivate a literate, environmentally-conscious generation.