With the global ethnic food market expected to reach US$131.67 billion by 2030, Jamaica is well positioned to capture a share, thanks to the emergence of new trends at the HEART College of Hospitality Services (HCHS), at Runaway Bay in St. Ann.

This was noted by Managing Director of the HEART/NSTA Trust, Dr. Taneisha Ingleton, at the College’s Centre of Excellence Culinary Arts & Gastronomy Symposium and Open House, held on Wednesday, March 13.

To ensure that Jamaica is perfectly poised, Dr. Ingleton informed that the Trust has taken on the challenge of developing and implementing a Centre of Excellence in Culinary Arts and Gastronomy.

Its primary focus will be to develop, implement, and promulgate knowledge, best practices and skills in the art and science of preparing and serving food.

Referencing the 2023 report by Fortune Business Insights, Dr. Ingleton pointed out that persons, including future chefs, innovators and food enthusiasts, are being trained to tap into the market.

“We’re witnessing the birth of new trends at the HCHS. We’re witnessing new flavour profiles that will tantalise taste buds around the world and we are seeing incredible work happening in the research labs where local organic ingredients are being identified and celebrated,” she added.

The Managing Director further recognised the HCHS and the Cardiff Hotel and Spa, also at Runaway Bay, as two important pillars in Jamaica’s gastronomical and hotel experience.

“This college (HCHS) is the very best. I’ve done the analysis and I have not overanalysed. [It] is performing at the very highest level in the HEART/NSTA Trust [when we talk about] the quality of the training experience and the product that we continue to give to Jamaica,” she said.

“The team has been operating in purpose, and it is only when we operate in purpose that we get to a place like this and our fullest potential is activated,” Dr. Ingleton said.

As for the Cardiff Hotel and Spa, the Managing Director mentioned that its impact goes beyond just awards and certification.

“As a formidable diamond within HEART, the institution supplies over 1,000 graduates each year, with an impressive employment rate of 85 per cent in recent times,” she said.

Of importance, both the HCHS and the Cardiff Hotel have been placed ahead of many in the hospitality industry, having received the 2022 Green Global Gold Advanced Certification Award, given to hotels and resorts that demonstrate a commitment to sustainable practices and environmental responsibility.

This is in addition to receiving the Caribbean Sustainability Award for businesses in the Caribbean region that have made significant contributions to sustainable development in 2005.

“This is a testimony of [their] commitment to responsible tourism, so we are thinking big picture. We’ve moved beyond food and hotel experience to contributing to the global economy,” Dr. Ingleton pointed out.

As the Cardiff Hotel and Spa and the HCHS continue to represent true champions of sustainable tourism and excellence in hospitality, provide top-quality education, and contribute to Jamaica’s economic development in a changing culinary landscape, trainees were encouraged to draw on the inspiration of those who came before them.

“Let our dishes evoke memories, stir emotions, unite us and leave an indelible mark. Let Jamaican ingredients be our foundation. Let creativity be our brush [as we] paint the world with vibrant flavours of Jamaica, but most importantly, never forget the stories that these dishes tell and the cultural tapestry that comes with every bite,” Dr. Ingleton said.

By: SHERIKA HALL JIS, March 15, 2024

Photo JIS

The Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) has opened a renovated agro-processing incubator as it looks to boost production and export among micro and small agro-processors.

The project was funded by the European Union (EU), managed by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and implemented by the JBDC.

Speaking during Monday’s (November 13) grand opening at the JBDC’s Incubator Resource Centre in Kingston, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill, said it is a significant milestone in Jamaica’s path towards entrepreneurial excellence.

“The initiative is a vital step in our journey at the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, aligning perfectly with our strategic goal to develop and strengthen industry value chains for export,” he said.

The Minister shared that micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) contribute significantly to Jamaica’s gross domestic product, approximately 44 per cent, noting that integrating them into a robust export value chain is crucial to boosting their growth potential and enhancing the country’s economic prosperity and global market presence.

JBDC Incubator and Resource Centre Manager for Technical Services, Colin Porter, detailed that six critical pieces of equipment were acquired for filling, packaging and production of a variety of products, including beverages, sauces, condiments, dry mixes, purées and pastries.

“We moved from approximately 600 sq. ft. to a total of 1,000 sq. ft. because we were constrained just by the physical limitations of the space itself. However, this expansion will now allow us to more efficiently allow our clients to carry out product development activities as well as production activities,” he said.

Mr. Porter shared that the incubator is staffed with an agro-industry process supervisor, food technologist, food development specialist and incubator assistant, who work with clients to transform their ideas or samples into world-class products.

He said the JBDC is working towards achieving Food Safety System Certification (FSSC) 22000 for the incubator, “which will mean that we will be truly ready to export throughout the world””.

Meanwhile, Advisor to the CDB Vice-President of Operations, Dr. Darran Newman, pointed out that agriculture plays a critical role in the fabric of Caribbean societies.

“It serves, not only as a source of sustenance but also a cornerstone of our economy, providing income for millions. This agro-processing incubator is definitely a symbol of our commitment to nurturing and cultivating a culture of entrepreneurship and excellence within this agro-processing domain,” Dr. Newman said.

She further noted that through collaboration, mentorship and access to state-of-the-art facilities, Jamaica’s pool of agricultural entrepreneurs is poised to grow.

“This is a testament to our unwavering belief in the potential of agriculture to be a driving force for progress and prosperity,” Dr. Newman stated.

The JBDC is an agency of the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, mandated to provide business development services to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

By: JUDANA MURPHY JIS

The Agri-Linkages Exchange (ALEX) portal has generated earnings of $325 million for farmers during the first five months of 2023.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, made the disclosure as he closed the 2023/24 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (June 20).

ALEX, which is a joint initiative of the Ministry, through the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), is the first online platform of its kind in the country.

It brings hoteliers into direct contact with the farmers and, in turn, reduces leakages and helps Jamaica retain more of the economic benefits of tourism.

Mr. Bartlett noted that this significant accomplishment showcases the platform’s effectiveness in connecting farmers with potential buyers and creating prosperous opportunities.

“Furthermore, in the preceding year of 2022, the ALEX portal facilitated the sale of agricultural produce valued at $330 million. This achievement not only highlights the platform’s success but also underscores the positive impact it has had on the livelihoods of 1,733 farmers and 671 registered buyers,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bartlett advised that the Agricultural Food Safety Manual has been developed and sensitisation sessions were conducted with more than 400 farmers.

He stated that through the Tourism Linkages Network, water shortages and drought periods were identified as barriers for community farmers supplying the tourism sector.

“To address this, we donated water tanks to farmers in St. Elizabeth, St. James, St. Ann, and Trelawny. In the first phase, 50 tanks were given to farmers in St. Elizabeth and 20 to farmers in St. James. In the second phase, 200 tanks were donated to farmers in St. Ann and Trelawny,” Mr. Bartlett told the House.

He added that the Ministry will “continue this initiative in 2023 to support small farmers, while spreading the tourism benefits to all”.

More local fruits and ground provisions will be able to reach international shores, as Jamaica now has export market access to several additional countries.

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, said among these is Barbados for pineapples.

“We [also] now have market access to Cayman for frozen ackee, soursop, sweetsop, breadfruit, plantain, yam, sweet and Irish potato. We are now allowed to export all of those to the Cayman Islands,” he informed.

The Minister was speaking during the recent launch of the 2023 Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show at Hi-Pro Ace Supercentre in St. Catherine.

Mr. Green further advised that “we’ve been working with Trinidad [and Tobago where] we now have access for bananas, and we’ve been working with the United States of America (USA), and we now have access for June plum and soursop.”

Mr. Green commended the Plant Quarantine and Produce Inspection team for their role in achieving the feat.

Noting that these markets are of “high value”, he urged that producers must make use of the new opportunities.

“It means we have to ramp up our production. All of these markets can give us significant returns. What we have to be able to do is to fulfil that demand,” the Minister implored.

Mr. Green maintained that the nation “must be bullish about exports”, pointing out that “that is how we’re truly going to see wealth creation in agriculture; we are a small country, but we have immense reach.”