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.
Salada Foods wins Gold ADDY award for ‘Day in the Life’ web series
Jamaican manufacturing company Salada Foods has been honoured with a Gold ADDY Award for its ‘Day in the Life’ web series. The American Advertising (ADDY) Awards, the industry’s premier competition, recognised the exceptional creativity and ingenuity displayed in Salada Foods’ visual campaign. Kerrine Tulloch, marketing coordinator at Salada Foods says, corporate partners Salada Foods and ESIROM Limited collaborated on the conceptualisation of the visual campaign series but were not forecasting any awards for the production, which was primarily aimed at promoting company culture and showing the day-to-day activities that drive the operations, with the added twist of including an external perspective. Tulloch added, “Winning this award is a testament to the hard work and ongoing commitment of Salada Foods to empowering the future of Jamaica’s workforce by providing valuable insight into our operations.” The ‘Day in the Life’ web series was conceived to create a motivational space for Salada Foods’ workforce and to provide mentorship to upcoming business leaders aided by real-time visuals. This initiative showcases the roles of various professionals within the company, capturing their passion and professionalism. Featuring Jevaughn Gordon, a graduate of the Caribbean School of Media and Communication, the series highlights the day-to-day activities across different departments, including administrative, laboratory, quality assurance and factory operations. Alex Morrissey, director at ESIROM Limited, said the goal is building purposeful brands through storytelling. He expressed pride in the recognition received and extended gratitude to the team at Salada for their trust and collaboration. ESIROM Limited also received a Silver ADDY Award for its Climate Change Initiative produced in partnership with Reggae Sumfest. “We were specifically recognised in the Webisode(s) – Series category. Jamaica falls under the Caribbean and Florida category. As an advertising and social media marketing agency we measure how well our campaigns work within the market and across the digital platforms but receiving an ADDY is validation that our work measures up creatively,” said Morrissey. Approximately 42 companies from six Caribbean island nations submitted more than 456 entries to be judged as the top creative executions for the ADDY Awards for 2024. Winners from AAF-Caribbean will compete with winners from Florida at the district competition with winners being announced in May at the district four annual meeting and gala presentation.
Jamaica Mountain Peak launches Golden Turmeric Pumpkin Spice Latte
Though autumn is months away, Jamaica Mountain Peak is hoping to bring a fall favourite into spring with their new Golden Turmeric Latte with Pumpkin Spice. Commercial and corporate affairs manager at Salada Foods, Kerrian Johnson, told Food the product is the latest in a long line of new products that they are launching. “Innovation has been a mandate for us and we vowed that we are gonna launch at least one new product, every year. We did that with our Ginger Turmeric Tea, we did that with our flavoured coffees last year and now we’re launching our Turmeric Latte flavoured with Pumpkin Spice.” Now available across the island and in Trinidad and Tobago, Johnson said the seemingly odd flavour pairing was meant to appeal to the widest audience. “If you’re a turmeric drinker, you know that it’s a little bit harsh, it burns a little bit going down. So we wanted to find something that is pleasing to all, so by merging all of the great benefits of turmeric into a latte, with a three-in-one formula, [we’ve done that].” She continued, “What we wanted to do now to appeal to a wider demographic, was to boost the flavour, which is how we got the pumpkin spice.” Though only on the market for less than a week, she said they knew it’d be a hit immediately. “We’ve been doing research and development and innovation for quite a number of years but this is the first time that we have had almost a 100 per cent satisfaction and love for our product when we did our taste test. Like everyone loved it.” Confirming their suspicion, Leroy Montaque said, “I think it was a great initiative for them to actually come up with it. The tricky thing about turmeric is that when people hear about it, with all the things that’s going around now about health, and the health benefits of turmeric it really intrigues people. And then now when you try it, it’s so wonderful. That creamy, milky, turmeric gingery, everything that you feel, the cinnamon and all of that, it was really, really great and I believe that it will be a hit in the supermarket when it gets out. I give it a eight out of 10.”
Salada brings non-dairy latte beverage to market
Manufacturer of instant coffee and teas Salada Foods has launched a new Golden Turmeric Latte, under its flagship brand Jamaica Mountain Peak (JMP). Drawing from global market shifts within the hot beverage sector, the Salada took cues to innovate this new offering. Crafted with a blend of turmeric and plant-based creamer, the 24-gram packet of latte offers a rich, creamy texture setting it apart in the market, said Salada Foods General Manager Tamii Brown. Packaged in a vibrant golden packet, the JMP Golden Turmeric Latte, unlike its 3-in-1 coffee sachets, offers a non-coffee alternative currently available in Pumpkin Spice flavour. Caffeine-free and free from artificial sweeteners, the turmeric used to craft the product, is responsibly sourced from local Jamaican farmers, the company noted. “Understanding that coffee and tea preferences are deeply personal, we developed the Golden Turmeric Latte to cater to consumers seeking a latte experience without coffee, while also accommodating non-dairy preferences with coconut milk,” Brown said. “Expanding our product portfolio to meet diverse consumer needs is crucial to our success. We are dedicated to creating delicious products that resonate with as many people as possible.” The new product was unveiled during the recent staging of Earth Hour Jamaica, the company provided patrons with a taste of the ‘latte with a twist’ showcasing its versatility – being served cold and topped with whipped cream and being served as a warm beverage. Brown emphasised the rarity of finding a treat that is both delicious and beneficial for health stating, “this indulgent latte combines healthy ingredients with just the right amount of sweetness and creaminess, contributing to the growing latte trend.” Containing curcumin which has anti-inflammatory properties, the Golden Turmeric Latte is a unique addition to Jamaica’s beverage portfolio, suitable for all ages, it offers immunity boosting, powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Salada Foods’ new offering is available on shelves of the tea aisle at the major retailers across the island with plans for wider distribution in various retail outlets and supermarkets across the Caribbean. The Salada Foods Commercial and Corporate Affairs Manager, Kerrian Johnson, is optimistic about the product and its potential impact on the local tea industry following the team’s activation at Earth Hour Jamaica. Not only did Salada Foods provide samples, but also treated patrons to five-minute massages. “We believe we could not have selected a more appropriate event to partner with for the official launch of our innovation. The organisers of the annual Earth Hour Jamaica live concert, ESIROM, have always aligned with our core values to deliver the highest quality and promote sustainable consumption,” Johnson remarked. Sourced responsibly from local turmeric farmers, the turmeric-based beverage leverages Salada Foods’ core manufacturing expertise in spray-drying without relying solely on Jamaican coffee beans.
Doc endorses ginger, turmeric for women’s health
Dr. Kiri-an Bridgewater-Lyon, obstetrician and gynaecologist, has endorsed ginger and turmeric products for women’s health, specifically in addressing pain associated with the menstrual cycle, conditions like endometriosis, and in alleviating pregnancy-related nausea. The endorsement comes in March, observed as Endometriosis Awareness Month. Dr Bridgewater-Lyon said that amidst the shifting medical culture from Westernised ideas to more holistic approaches, an increasing number of patients are seeking alternative solutions. “With the evolving medical landscape, we have witnessed women becoming more informed and empowered to advocate for themselves by doing research. With a pregnancy, I am able to help my patient on the journey and the outcome is a beautiful healthy baby; likewise, for menstrual health, I can make recommendations, outside of the usual prescribing medication for the symptoms, that reap successful results and persons are aware that food is medication too,” she said. Jamaica Mountain Peak unveiled a series of viral videos heralding a significant endorsement from Dr Bridgewater-Lyon, who lauded the natural and therapeutic benefits of Jamaican Mountain Peak Ginger and Ginger Turmeric teas. Concerned about the potential risks associated with conventional treatments, Dr Bridgewater-Lyon highlighted that many women seek safer alternatives to manage their symptoms. “Understanding the power of ginger and turmeric for women’s health can make a significant difference in how we approach our well-being. The remarkable anti-inflammatory properties of both have been well documented. Conditions like endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are often linked to inflammation. Studies have shown that ginger or ginger tea is just as effective as some over-the-counter medications in reducing nausea and vomiting in pregnancy,” shared the doctor, who herself recently gave birth to a baby girl. Pregnancy nausea, commonly known as morning sickness, affects a significant percentage of expectant mothers worldwide. Dr Bridgewater-Lyon noted that ginger, in particular, consumed as a tea, is a game-changer for women who experience pregnancy-related nausea. Ginger and turmeric are actually two of the powerful roots with anti-inflammatory properties that are important for women’s health. Turmeric has been studied for its potential to modulate hormone levels, aiding in maintaining a healthy balance, which is particularly important for conditions like PCOS. “Part of my mission is to help and to advocate with – and for – women,” Dr Bridgewater-Lyon expressed. “Everytime I see a woman’s life improve I become more fulfilled. I continue to endorse the teas because of the incredible healing properties of the two roots which have helped my patients.” Jamaican Mountain Peak Instant Ginger Tea and Instant Ginger Turmeric Tea are renowned for their potent flavour profiles and therapeutic benefits, thanks to the use of home-grown Jamaican ingredients. Ginger and turmeric have proven to be a dynamic pain-fighting duo. The partnership between Salada Foods and Dr Bridgewater-Lyon underscores a shared commitment to promoting women’s health and wellness. By leveraging Dr Bridgewater-Lyon’s expertise and endorsement, Salada Foods aims to raise awareness about the medicinal benefits of ginger and turmeric to provide expectant mothers with a safe and effective solution for pregnancy nausea relief. “We are privileged to have Dr Bridgewater-Lyon’s endorsement of our Jamaican Mountain Peak Ginger products,” expressed Salada Foods General Manager Tamii Brown. “Her expertise and dedication to women’s health aligns perfectly with our mission to provide high-quality, natural remedies that address the unique needs of women and enhance the overall well-being of our consumers.”
Salada touting exports, innovation to boost top line
Products from the Jamaica Mountain Peak line, produced by coffee company Salada Foods Jamaica Limited, are now on the shelves of major US retailer Publix Supermarkets in Florida, specifically in the Miami and Jacksonville areas. It will give Floridians a taste of Salada’s flavoured coffees such as Coconut Cappuccino, as well as non-coffee products such as its ginger teas. General Manager Tamii Brown says the foray into the southern United States is part of a larger export drive that’s meant to improve Salada’s revenues. It is also an expansion of Salada’s North American markets, which already include the Tri-State area of the US and Canada. Brown says the company is pushing for improvements on all fronts, with a particular focus on exports. The company is also aiming to drive up sales through product innovations. In the December quarter, revenue improved by two per cent to just under $300 million. In nominal terms, the gain was less than $6 million. And Brown says the company is looking towards the Caribbean and the diaspora to move the needle. “We’re focusing on our neighbourhood, first and foremost, that is to say, our Caricom footprint. We had our first shipment to St Lucia and Antigua, and they’ve just released our first shipment to Trinidad,” she said. Salada promised shareholders last April that the company would be pushing innovation. One new product has undergone extensive testing and should be ready for launch before the annual shareholders’ meeting set for March 20. “It has the highest sensory evaluation ratings that we’ve got in a few years. We’re very excited about it,” Brown said, as she teased about the new offering. “It’s a non-coffee product which is in line with our stated goal of product diversification. It is a Jamaican product using Jamaican inputs, but it’s not coffee,” the GM said. Despite the flat top line in the December first quarter, Salada delivered 12.8 per cent more in net profits relative to the previous year. The company earned $30.88 million, up from $27.37 million.
GoodHeart | Jebb Memorial receives eco-bowling alley from Salada Foods and ESIROM
Corporate partners Salada Foods and ESIROM Limited boosted the playtime and extra-curricular activities at Jebb Memorial Basic School located on Spanish Town Road with the donation of an eco-friendly bowling alley. School Principal, Leonie Salmon Wong-Sue said that the students and teachers welcome the eco-friendly bowling alley and were anxious to get the games on a roll. “From Monday, the children were peeping through the window curious to see what the main structure was. I don’t think many of our children (who are from the community) are exposed to playing outdoors, especially traditional games, when they are home. Now we have the bowling alley and a hopscotch too. They were initially happy coming outside to have a look at it and more so to play the games,” she said. Made from recycled materials, primarily plastic bottles for the bowling pins, an old pipe ‘up-cycled’ to make the gutter and ply board forming the land and the overall structure, the bowling alley was a large structure, adjusted to fit into the play area at the school. Salada Foods has been working with administrators at Jebb Memorial Basic School to improve infrastructure and welfare at the institution. The early childhood institution currently has 69 children enrolled and four teachers, inclusive of the principal, who also teaches. “The partnership with Salada goes way back, before I even arrived here in 1999, and since then they have done so much. They love the students very much and want to see the school up and the doors open so we can continue to have the little ones come in so we can educate them. Everyone loves the gift, it was a creative way to get their attention and get them listening and the token shows Salada was also listening. I know the children will be asking often when they can go out to bowl and this is also a medium for us to teach colours and help them with their fine and gross motor skills, through an experience they will love,” Wong-Sue stated. The bowling alley was originally constructed by Denzel ‘Trevor’ Edwards, a fisherman by profession, who is passionate about environmental sustainability and plastic waste management, for ESIROM’s 2023 Earth Hour Concert which was held in March. Salada was delighted to know that the team was able to find a way to repurpose the bowling alley, and according to Tamii Brown, Salada Foods’ general manager, the changes were appropriate and fulfilled the desired outcome of making the bowling alley “an edutainment tool”. “It was heartwarming to see how excited the children were to receive the bowling alley, and having visitors to share with them on the occasion. Children need these types of engagements in order to function and to enhance their learning capacities and all the better, that it can be done in the eco-friendly space that Salada Foods and our friends at ESIROM have partnered to create. Repurposing the alley was ingenious; and we wanted to build on immersive learning activities with a game such as bowling, that requires critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication amongst the children, all while empowering their educators,” said Brown. In her efforts to find sustainable projects and ways to educate the youths on their responsibility to the environment, Khalia Hall, sustainability coordinator at ESIROM Limited, discovered that games could not only attract the needed attention at the concert, but help to raise awareness. “In trying to host the event more sustainably, one of the things we included was the ‘Planet Play’ section and we were happy to have Salada on board to sponsor one of the games. After we saw the impact it made, we never wanted it to go to waste and they told us about Jebb Memorial Basic School and we thought it was a perfect solution to the situation,” Hall said. She continued, “Something I always say is, a big solution to environmental issues is to raise awareness and to educate; and thinking back to when I was a student in school, I never learnt about it. Now, they’re learning it from a young age and to have a symbolic game that is not only fun but entertaining and educational, they see something like plastic bottles being put to use rather than thrown in the trash. My heart was also warmed from setup to finish, I was expecting the excitement but never expected it to this level, I’m at a loss for words.”
Salada working to reduce carbon footprint….one plastic bottle at a time
Known as a roasted coffee company for more than 60 years, Salada Foods Jamaica Limited is moving to reduce its carbon footprint and in the process achieve a bonus of overall improved efficiencies in its operations. The company recently joined the Recycles Partners of Jamaica (RPJ) network of businesses which collect plastic bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), both of which are derived from petroleum and whose appeal for manufacturers lies in the fact that they can easily be shaped into bottles and containers for packaging foods and beverages, personal-care products, and many other consumer products. When The Gleaner team visited the factory at 20 Bell Road, off Spanish Town Road, Kingston, General Manager Tamii Brown and Quality Assurance Manager Nadine Francis were excited to share the progress Salada has made since getting involved just about two months ago. In addition to a metal cage for storing the bottles, the company also has 55-gallon capacity drums at strategic locations, such as the entrance to the canteen. “Our focus this year has just been on efficiency, in how can me do things better, including in our plant. How do we address the issue of waste management, how can we be a little cleaner with our approach?” Brown asked. “It’s making sure that as a corporate entity when we look behind, that footprint is something that we can be proud about.” Francis had for years been looking for a way to reduce the negative impact of the many plastic bottles she saw in her work environment, given the potential for pollution when they got out into the solid waste stream. “We do use a lot of bottles because we have a canteen and we were just putting the bottles in any bin, throwing them away and the thought came to me that there must be a more-structured approach to the collection and disposal of this product which becomes an environmental hazard once it is discarded,” she told The Gleaner. Francis contacted RPJ after seeing one of their television advertisements and was pleasantly surprised to find that they would provide the cage, on condition that Salada would do the maintenance for it. Once the cage is almost 75 per cent filled, Salada advises RPJ, and a pick-up follows within 5-7 days, by which time it is nearing capacity. The initiative has caught on so well that workers are encouraged to bring their drink bottles from home, but things weren’t always so smooth in the beginning, according to Francis. “At first, it was a bit challenging to get everybody to remember to put the bottles in a specific bin. Some persons were also depositing other materials in it,” he said. So to reinforce the message, notices were placed beside the bins reminding staff of their purpose. This is part of much bigger plan to get Salada on to a path of sustainable environmental activism and practices, Brown pointed out. “We are trying to be more action-oriented and one of our major initiatives in terms of our plant and production is waste management. Just doing cleaner manufacturing, reducing our waste, be better stewards of our resources. We are moving to engender a kind of culture among our staff to get the necessary support in terms of our corporate social responsibility. “We have to make sure that whatever talk we [are] talking, we [are] walking it as well,” Brown added. She and the rest of the management team are convinced that with enough corporate buy-in, initiatives like the one at Bell Road will redound to the national good. “Once you show people the connection between what they do and the likely impact on the food chain, this usually evokes a commitment to change.”