Suga Lifestyle’s Christmas Connection is back for another year at a NEW Venue, The Jamaica Pegasus!
Stay tuned.
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this Teaser, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
If you liked this Promo, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Our former Miss Universe Jamaica, Kaci Fennell, now Kaci Fennell Shirley has always been known to experiment in the kitchen. Looks like she has a winner! Kaci has produced a line of hot sauces and Pepper Jellies, FenMade. Suga sampled them at Christmas in July and they were scorching. Most impressive was the Cilantro Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce.
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
The Jamaican Peanut Butter Factory has produced a new flavour once again! Chocolate! They introduced it to me at the Table Talk Jamaica Observer Food Awards and I had to get it.
It is heavenly and made with our very own local Chocolate from Mount Pleasant Farm Chocolatiers. At the moment, you can only find this one in select grocery stores such as Loshusan Supermarket in Barbican. It is slightly more expensive than the other flavours they have, but totally worth it. #SugaEndorsed
Buy Local. Buy Jamaican. 🇯🇲
The Jamaican Peanut Butter FactoryÂ
Distributes to: Loshusan, John R. Wong, HiLo and General Foods Supermarkets
If you liked this Promo, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Jamaica has a handful of Chocolatiers that either support local Cocoa farmers or have their own Cocoa farm. They manufacture rich, high quality Chocolate Bars from the Cocoa Bean right here in Jamaica, more familiarly known as ‘Bean to Bar’ or ‘Farm to Bar’.
Our local Chocolatiers and where you can find their Chocolate Bars!
• Mount Pleasant Farm Chocolatiers • Likkle More Chocolate • One One Cacao • Chocollor Chocolate • Pure Chocolate Company
> Mount Pleasant Farm Chocolatiers
Founder: Local cocoa farmer, Averell French
They produce various products from Cocoa:
• Cocoa Powder
• Cocoa Nibs (Good antioxidants that can be blended with herbal tea, blended with smoothies/shakes and added to cereal with a sprinkle)
• Chocolate Bars
• Chocolate Spread
• Chocolate Wine
• Chocolate Tea
Fun Fact:
Adam & Eve Day Spa uses Chocolate from Mount Pleasant Farm Chocolatiers for Chocolate Face Masks.
***Where you can find Mount Pleasant Farm Chocolatiers’ Chocolate Bars?***
Loshusan Supermarket, Barbican; Fontana Pharmacy, Barbican; The Jamaica Pegasus Store, New Kingston
Costs: ~$430-$450JMD +tx per bar; ~$900JMD+tx for miniature variety pack;Â $350JMD per bar (Wholesale/Factory price)
Instagram: @mount_pleasant_farm_chocolates
> Likkle More Chocolate
• Founder: Nadine Burie (Table Talk Jamaica Observer Food Awards Dessert Chef of the Year – 2018 & 2019)
• Production of Chocolate Bars still in the creative process
***The brand is under continuous expansion or changes, so the percentages and flavours stated are what Suga Lifestyle has observed over the past few years and in speaking with Nadine Burie last December, 2018. There may be more or less variety to date***
• 62% and 70% Dark Chocolate Bars
• Produces Decorated Chocolate Bars with a unique variety of flavours!
– White Chocolate and Green tea matcha
-Â Dark Milk Chocolate with Hazelnut Caramelized
– Ginger
– White
-Â Dark
***Where can you find Likkle More Chocolate Bars?***
• Founder: Nick Davis
• BBC Caribbean’s correspondent
• Currently working on Production of Coffee in addition to his Chocolate Bars
• Factory in St. Mary overlooks the sea
• Started making Chocolate after he got a mystery illness, where he could no longer eat foods with preservatives
• He never thought he could give up Cadbury Dairy Milk, but when he decided to make his own Chocolate, he told Suga it was the best he has ever had. The need for sweet preservatives or artificial flavours was replaced by an appreciation for rich, strong, Dark Chocolate.
• Persons who make the switch to Dark Chocolate from Milk Chocolate with artificial flavours may find it bitter, but once you keep having it, you will love and appreciate the richness of Dark Chocolate like myself and Nick.
Fun Fact: Without getting access to Likkle More Chocolate, the majority of Suga tasters voted One One Cacao as the richest Dark Chocolate in Jamaica, May 25, 2019.
• Nick Davis wants Jamaican Chocolate to go global and be recognised as much as Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, because we have some of the world’s finest Cocoa.
• Nick helps local Cocoa farmers by paying them a decent price.
• His Chocolate is 70% Cocoa
• Cane juice is used to sweeten the rest
***Where can you find One One Cacao Chocolate Bars?***
The Butcher Block, Manor Park; Cannonball, Manor Park; Craft Cottage, Village Plaza
Cost: ~$900 – $1000JMD +tx per bar
Instagram: @oneonecacao
> Chocollor Chocolate
• Family business owned by Carl and Donna Sharpe from Trelawny
• Donna and Carl moved to Kingston and now have their business in Kingston
• Carl Sharpe is a certified Chocolatier from the Cocoa Research Centre in Trinidad and Ecole Chocolat
• Carl used to be a mechanical engineer and then he had a vision to create something authentically Jamaican
• Chocollor produces Dark Chocolate and Milk Chocolate Bars
• White Chocolate Bars are to be produced in the near future
• 6 and 12 – packs available with a variety of miniature Milk, White and Dark chocolates
• They use Cane juice to sweeten; no preservatives
Fun Facts:
Suga Taster, Tennyson Arnold still has a preference for Chocolate with artificial flavours. So, Chocollor Chocolate’s Milk Chocolate was his favourite at Suga Lifestyle’s Chocolate Tasting. Also, their White Chocolate was well received and their Dark Chocolate was richest for Suga Taster, Randy Burgess.
***Where can you find Chocollor Chocolate Bars?***
Costs:Â $290JMD per Milk Chocolate bar; $375JMD per Dark Chocolate Bar; $790JMDÂ for miniature variety 6-pack (Milk, Dark, White); $817.18JMD for miniature variety 12-pack (Milk, Dark, White); $667.94 for 12-pack Milk Chocolates; $959.66 for 12-pack Dark Chocolates; $796.90 for 12-pack Milk & Dark Chocolates
> Pure Chocolate Company
• Founders: Former Executive and Assistant Pastry Chefs at Half Moon, Wouter and Rennae Tjeerte respectively, who met working at Half Moon and found love. Wouter is from Holland and Rennae is from St. Catherine.
• Some time after Half Moon, Wouter worked at Jade Mountain Luxury Resort in St. Lucia, where they make their own Chocolate from scratch. Wouter had no choice but to learn how to make Chocolate. Rennae was quite enthusiastic about this and learned how to make Chocolate too.
• Eventually Rennae longed to return home to Jamaica. Wouter told her once she could source a good quality Cocoa bean, they would return and they did!
• They also produce Slow Roasted Cocoa Nibs
• Support local farmers
• The Cocoa is transported from Portland to their factory in Spanish Town, where they ferment and dry the Cocoa bean.
• They produce a variety of Dark Chocolates Farm to Bar: 68% slow roasted nibs, 75% Pure Chocolate, 84% Pure Chocolate and 70% Jerk Seasoning
• They have unique molding too!
• Pure Chocolate Company supports local Artist, Taj Francis, graduate of Edna Manley for their bold packaging
Check out what Suga Taster, Kimberly Nesbeth had to say about the local Chocolate that tasted the best to her on May 25, 2019 at Suga Lifestyle’s Chocolate Tasting!Â
Did you know Jamaican Chocolate made it to Amsterdam, Netherlands?!
***Where can you find Pure Chocolate Company’s Chocolate Bars?***
Costs: ~$950-$1000JMD +tx per bar; $800JMD per bar (Trade show price) $650JMD per bar (Wholesale price with a minimum of 24 bars)
Instagram: @purechocolatecompany
One last Fun Fact:
One of the Chocolate companies in Grenada uses a machine that they got from the Highgate Chocolate Factory in Richmond, St. Mary, Jamaica that closed in 2006.
My Suga Tasters, who you will hear more about soon, had a blast at Suga Lifestyle’s Chocolate Tasting. I hope you enjoyed reading about our Jamaican Chocolatiers and their stories. Please go out and try our local Chocolates soon. You will not regret it!
Buy Local, Buy Jamaican 🇯🇲
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Opening Hours: Tuesdays to Saturdays, 11am – 7pm
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this Promo, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
If you liked this Promo, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Suga Lifestyle (GW Art) and the Rotaract Club of New Kingston are extremely proud to see the young women from our Arts and Entrepreneurship Workshop have their own story, journey and success be highlighted today in the Jamaica Gleaner! Check it out! Hard work yields success.
They also made Craft Cart Jamaica’s Pop Up Craft Village event write up two Sundays ago!
Kudos to the Rotaract Club of New Kingston for inviting me to help execute this initiative.
Kudos also to Craft Cart Jamaica for providing us with the opportunity to showcase their products at their trade show.
Thanks to everyone who supported this initiative by purchasing art pieces, helping with their promotion and more!
Much love and respect.
XoXo,
Suga 💖
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Over the past 6 weeks, the young ladies from The Women’s Centre and Young Women’s Christian Association that dubbed themselves, Phenomenal Women United, showed significant growth in their approach towards art, their appreciation for their talents and the understanding that their efforts are what will yield results. Of course, there were some who learned faster than others, but in addition to learning artistic techniques, tips on entrepreneurship and customer service skills, they learnt how to have a sound work ethic and an appreciation for time management. They should never forget Suga telling them, “Time is moneyâ€.
Suga is extremely happy to report that the ladies’ artwork sold out at Craft Cart Jamaica’s Pop Up Village last Saturday at Campion Auditorium. The young ladies were grateful and felt a great deal of accomplishment for their weeks of hard work and efforts. The project was definitely a success reaping in a bit over $50,000JMD, of which the young ladies kept all the proceeds.
Thanks to the Rotaract Club of Kingston for choosing me to help spearhead this impactful project via GW Art, which falls under my brand Suga Lifestyle.
Many thanks to all who assisted with training the young ladies, helped in the marketing and promotions of this project and to those who stayed glued to our social media accounts, kept it buzzing with compliments and to all who supported the project with your purchases. You have contributed to the financial empowerment and independence of six young women with a promising future.
What’s next for them? They will continue their studies and a few plan to continue exploring the field of art.
Keep up with the New Kingston Rotaract Club by following them on Instagram @nkrcjamaica and if you are between the ages of 18-30 see how you can join them!
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.