Maggi Farmers' Market offers wide variety
Published:Tuesday | January 31, 2017 | 12:00 AMKeisha Hill
'Carry me ackee go a Linstead Market' - well, not quite!
It was indeed a jolly atmosphere, and ackee was among the long list of vegetables, fresh fruits, ground provisions and products that were on sale at the Maggi Famers' Market held recently along Knustford Boulevard in New Kingston.
From the inviting smells emanating from the delicious food prepared using Maggi Curry Powder, to the myriad of dishes from the Maggi Street Style Ambassadors, it was certainly a tantalising and fulfilling experience.
Jimmy Morgan, from Fletcher's Land, one of the Maggi Street Style Ambassadors, prepared fried fish and bammy using Nestle Coconut Milk.
"The response has been tremendous. So many persons want to get on board so that they too can educate more people about Maggi products," Morgan said.
Ionie 'Miss Little' Thompson from Parade Gardens cooked her famous conch soup. Many customers were overheard telling her to ensure she saved a cup for them.
Phillip Lowther also presented an interesting variety of bammies. The ingredients included sunflower with flaxseed, pumpkin and sweet potato.
"Everywhere we go, everybody doing the straight bammy. The idea came to me to do it differently and I started two years ago. It has been exciting, and people love the variety," he said.
Similar to most market scenes, customers weighed their options and chose the best value for their money. According to Keisha Palmer, head of corporate affairs, communications and consumer relations at Nestle, the yearly staging of the Maggi Farmers' Market is a mutually beneficial partnership for the organisation and the persons associated with the venture, including the farmers.
"We provide the framework and the farmers bring their products. We are supporting the farmers and giving back to the communities in which our products are utilised. We understand that for our business to be successful, our communities have to be successful, and when we support our local farmers, by extension, the nation also becomes successful," Palmer said.
Wendy Robertson, culinary marketing manager at Nestle Jamaica, said the company has received several requests to stage the event islandwide.
"We have had an excellent turnout, and we are considering increasing the (number of markets organised). The farmers love to come because they do well and the consumers get fresh produce. Some of the items that are here were reaped the day before the event," Robertson said.