Lowell Hawthorne (left), talking to the winning Calabar High School TVJ Schools Challenge Quiz team on a tour of the Golden Krust Bakery plant. Golden Krust Bakery is the only U.S. sponsor of the quiz competition. Aldion Lee, centre, captain of the team, listens attentively as the process of making patties is explained by CEO Hawthorne. - Contributed
GOLDEN KRUST Caribbean Bakery, which has 100 stores in the United States, aims to buy more agricultural produce from Jamaica.
President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Senator Norman Grant, in an interview with JIS News, explained that a collaborative venture comprising the JAS, Ministry of Agriculture and the Jamaica Exporters' Association (JEA), would be involved in producing particular crops to supply the chain.
AMONG THE TOP 100 BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES
Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery is the franchisor of Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery and Grill, a United States-based quick-service chain that specialises in jerk chicken and Jamaican patties. Other offerings include items such as pastries, cake and sugar buns. The company is listed among the top 100 black-owned businesses in the U.S.
Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery has 100 outlets in eight states, and it intends to grow to 250 locations by 2010. Chief executive officer Lowell Hawthorne and his family started the business in 1989.
Scallion, thyme, peppers and other condiments in the herbs and spices category are being requested by the fast-food chain. Pimento and ginger in particular are generating a great deal of interest and should be lucrative revenue earners.
"What we will be doing is a lot of contract farming. We will be putting farmers into clusters and groups to grow particular crops, which we will now provide to those markets," noted Senator Grant. This cluster farming would be similar to the one involving farmers who supply the hotel sector.
Emphasising that the Jamaican brand was a powerful one, the president said this promotion would advance the concept of a Jamaican taste.
The JAS and the Ministry of Agriculture will be targeting the youth in agriculture for this programme. The aim is to provide opportunities for those school leavers who need to hone their skills and experiences.
