My love for food started while watching the Food Network at age 16. My eyes would pulse from the beating of my heart anytime I heard the word “Bam!,” a catch phrase from my favorite chef, Emeril Lagasse. The Food Network was my first love, and it kept me coming back day after day.

My transition to less processed foods began when my skin started to break out in my teenage years. I was self conscious and wanted to find a way to minimize my breakouts and feel better. So I started consuming less fast foods, and more wholesome or plant-based meals. The results were incredible! I became a vegan, then a pescatarian, and finally, I found an optimal diet that worked for me.

Nearly 2 decades and countless food gigs later, I decided to focus on something I knew well, Caribbean food products. I was not satisfied with the quality of products sold in grocery stores and restaurants. Many Caribbean products were full of harmful preservatives and artificial ingredients. I wanted to create quality products that were minimally processed and preservative-free.

So, I decided to start with something that would be both affordable and accessible, a line of juices made from real fruits or plants. My first official product was tamarind juice, made from fresh sour tamarinds. From that first juice came four more, and the story continues.

-Shayaa