Young entrepreneurs raise Scotch Boyz profile in US

WESTERN BUREAU:

In a remarkable feat, Scotch Boyz Jamaica, the renowned Jamaican spice brand, achieved the unimaginable by securing a coveted spot in 274 Target stores across the United States.

As of April 24, 2023, Target has been carrying the local brand which is manufactured in Westmoreland and got its name from the Scotch bonnet pepper.

Their success did not stop there, as their spices captivated the taste buds of countless customers, leading to a resounding demand. Now, in an exciting development, an additional 600 Target stores are set to join the ranks, eagerly embracing the allure of Scotch Boyz spices.

“We moved from exporting two to three pallets every now and then to 24-foot containers since the Target deal,” Drew Gray, one of the four co-founders, told The Gleaner from his home in Westmoreland last Friday.

The four young men, all under age 40, have embarked upon a flavourful journey with what many are calling a “Jamaican sensation”, preparing to conquer the culinary world, one shelf at a time.

The ‘Boyz’, three of them past students of the Manning’s School in Savanna-la-Mar, became friends during their teenage years. Neil Hudson, who studied law, now sells sauce; Gray, a banker, farms pepper and spices, and Matthew Wallace, is renowned in the hospitality sector, while Mandeville-based Kemar Swaby, who has a master’s degree in fine arts, has responsibility for brand design and direction.

Hudson resides in Atlanta, Georgia, Swaby is in New York, and the other two reside in Jamaica.

Their interest in the international market was boosted during a JAMPRO-led trade mission, where they secured their first Canadian distributor, whom they still work with today. Most of their products, particularly their number-one seller, the Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce, was being eaten up by the local market, as supermarkets, such as Hi-Lo bought into their idea.

Barbecue competition

Hudson tells a story of their entering a barbecue competition at The University of the West Indies, Mona, wearing aprons with the name ‘Scotch Boyz’ on them. They used a recipe that Gray’s grandfather had developed, and months later people were asking about the sauce.

“So, we decided we’re going to bottle the sauce that we used and keep the same name from the barbecue competition, and that’s how Scotch Boyz as a product was born.” That was 2016, seven years ago.

The seven sauces under their brand include the flagship Scotch Bonnet, Habanero and Jerk sauces.

However, the competitive marketplace would see them knocking on doors, after doors, and having accepted the fateful word “no”, for so long, Gray said he is afraid to sound too boastful.

“I remember we went to a distributor in New York, and he told me, our products would never sell if we didn’t sell them for 70 cents, and this four hours into the interview. I just said, well maybe this just isn’t for you,” Hudson told The Gleaner.

Two weeks ago, they received a call from an agent who asked their price and when they said US$5 wholesale, Hudson said the response was, “That’s cheap, I thought you were going to say $10”.

That’s the type of inroad Scotch Boyz have made into the market, seven years after Gray quit his job at RBC Bank and cashed out his pension to invest in the company while Hudson placed his money where his mouth is. But, that was just the start. Their real breakthrough came about when they received a grant of US$100,000 from New Voices Fund, founded by SheaMoisture haircare and skincare founder Richelieu Dennis.

When The Gleaner went to the Target store online, the products were US$3.99, and Hudson qualifies the store’s mantra of ‘expect more, pay less’. “Target is an excellent partner, with good pricing, as well as value,” said Hudson.

Unique Scotch bonnet sauce

Of the seven products under their brand, the most popular is the Scotch bonnet, said Gray.

“Because it is unique. There are not many pepper sauces out there that are yellow. And the fruity flavour of Scotch bonnet is hot, but flavourful. A lot of people familiar with pepper gravitate towards that,” he added.

It is also the number-one seller on Amazon. The sauce, Hudson pointed out, is positioned to compete with the Tabascos and Cholulas of the world.

“Once people try our Scotch bonnet, they are converted,” said Gray.

Getting on the shelves in the United States is harder that getting into an Ivy League university or the NBA, declared Hudson.

“There is a finite amount of shelf space and it is very competitive, so we are very happy to be here and to say that it is Jamaica [that] has made us a success in the US,” he posited.

As they grow, he said he wanted to make sure an impact is felt by the communities surrounding their birthplace. Already they sponsor an early childhood institution in Negril.

The ‘Boyz’ live by the mantra, ‘night is darkest before dawn’, and admit they had a lot hinging on Target for their expansion.

“So we are on Amazon with a solid case, but I think the best case ever were put together for Target, it’s a whole other ball game here. We didn’t want the brand to be in just the traditional Caribbean market, we wanted to be on the mainstream,” said Hudson.

They want to be branded as the premium sauce with premium ingredients and exceptional flavours, a sauce for millennials with an adventurous palate.

Scotch Boyz is distributed in Jamaica by MDS, and the ‘Boyz’ speak of Hi-Lo Food Stores glowingly, having given them their first start. Today, they are in airports, the tourism sector and local supermarkets.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com