Jamaica Mountain Peak elevates International Coffee & National Cocoa Day activities in Emancipation Park

The heart of Jamaica’s agricultural innovation was on full display on October 1 as the country celebrated International Coffee Day and National Cocoa Day at Emancipation Park. The event, hosted by the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA), shone the spotlight on the creative strides being made by local coffee and chocolate manufacturers in adding value to two of Jamaica’s prized commodities.

Leading the charge in exhibiting Jamaica’s coffee excellence was Salada Foods Jamaica, through its iconic Jamaica Mountain Peak (JMP) brand, which had a vibrant presence with an engaging sampling booth, where its line of flavoured 3-in-1 instant coffees, instant, roasted, and ground coffees were on display. Attendees were treated to giveaways that showcased the brand’s diverse coffee offerings, reaffirming Salada’s commitment to sustaining Jamaica’s coffee culture. A notable collaboration with Everything Fresh Limited further enriched the experience, offering creamy indulgence with their International Delight creamers, available in tempting flavours such as Hazelnut, Pumpkin Pie Spice and its ‘Home Alone’ holiday-inspired Frosted Sugar Cookie.

In discussing the brand’s approach to local market innovation, Tamii Brown, general manager at Salada Foods, shared, “With our Jamaica Mountain Peak line, we’ve embraced the opportunity to add value and diversity to the local coffee market by creating products that reflect both tradition and creativity. We are driven by the need to offer unique, flavourful experiences that resonate with consumers and this gave birth to our instant 3-in-1 sachets and to adding flavours such as ‘coconut Cappuccino’, ‘cinnameg’ and ‘caramel’.

“Our collaboration with Everything Fresh Limited for today’s event further enhances this mission, allowing us to introduce new and more ‘delightful’ tasting flavour profiles to our offerings and further elevate the coffee experience for persons in attendance. The focus on innovation not only strengthens our brand, but also reinforces Jamaica’s position as a leader in coffee production and value addition.”

Advancements

In his keynote address, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green highlighted the government’s continued investment in Jamaica coffee and cocoa sector, focusing on both growth and sustainability. In addition to supporting farmers, Green stressed the need for greater innovation and value addition in Jamaica’s coffee and cocoa sectors. He pointed to the exciting advancements made by local chocolatiers and coffee manufacturers, especially the exciting innovations coming from manufacturers like Salada Foods with products like the JMP Coconut Cappuccino, as examples of the ingenuity driving the industry forward, calling for continued creativity in product development.

“We want to see more value addition. We also see a lot of innovation from coffee farmers and coffee manufacturers - from teabags, to coffee capsules and I’ve just indulged in coconut cappuccino ice cold. We want more value addition right here in Jamaica, that is how we are going to ensure we retain more of the money,” Green remarked.

The event saw a dynamic turnout of stakeholders including coffee farmers and local manufacturers partaking in this unique celebration of Jamaica’s coffee and cocoa industries. From the interesting displays to the powerful poetic tribute to local farmers done by the students of the Woburn Lawn Primary and Infant School, the atmosphere was one of unity and national pride.

As the celebration of International Coffee and National Cocoa Day came to a close, it was clear that Jamaica’s coffee and cocoa industries are not only rooted in tradition but are also moving boldly into the future through innovation and creativity.