“This parish has the raw materials and creativity,” says Hassane Gordon of Assaney’s Foods. “If we had stronger links to tourism and more platforms to showcase what we produce, St.Mary could be a real leader in agro-processing.”
Her words capture what many entrepreneurs feel about St. Mary. Known for banana farms, banana chips,rivers, and rich history, the parish offers fertile ground for businessesrooted in both agriculture and innovation. And with its proximity to St. Ann’s tourism hub, the opportunities stretch even farther.
Gordon has been tapping into the parish’s potential for more than 15 years. From jams and jellies to wines and even a vegan spin on the traditional gundy, her products are a testament to what grows when innovation meets agriculture.
“St. Mary is a food parish -bananas, cocoa, coconut, you name it. It’s in our backyard. That’s what gives us, as business people, an advantage,” says Gordon.
Farming is rooted in St. Mary’s identity, and many families still depend on it for their livelihood. With agro-processing on the rise, farming provides the raw material for entrepreneurs to create new value-added products like that of Assaney’s Foods.
Tourism, too, presents a unique opportunity for St. Mary’s entrepreneurs. While nearby St. Ann has long been the go-to destination for visitors, but St. Mary’s rivers, beaches, and historic sites, and the Ian Fleming International Airport offer untapped potential.
The airport is named after the famed Ian Fleming- creator of the world’s most famous fictional spy, JAMES BOND. Golden Eye, the Jamaican home of Ian Fleming where fourteen (14) of the JAMES BOND starred novels were penned, is located just 5km from the airport in the quaint town of Oracabessa.
“Imagine a visitor experience where you can tour a cocoa farm, taste freshly made jams, and then enjoy the river or local heritage sites all in one day,” says Kim-Loy Chung, Business Development Officer at the JBDC Business Centre in St. Ann.
“That kind of integration between agriculture and tourism can elevate the parish’s profile nationally and internationally.”
The JBDC has risen to the challenge. Through the JBDC’s Business Centre in St. Ann, entrepreneurs in St. Mary can access business guidance for strategic business growth. For entrepreneurs like Gordon, this means the difference between simply producing and actually scaling their businesses.
For Roxanne Harrison of Organik Pickney JA, St. Mary’s identity is the heartbeat of her brand. During her pregnancy in 2021, she struggled to find local baby care products and decided to make her own. Today, her line of natural baby oils, soaps, powders and porridge mixes draws on Jamaican staples like sweet potato and banana.
“Our authentic foods are nourishing and part of our identity,” Harrison explained. “It was important to me to bring those back to the table while showing that global-standard products can come from right here in our parish.”
With JBDC’s guidance, Harrison has tested and refined her porridge mixes to make them shelf-stable, convenient and wholesome.
“I’m looking forward to further product testing and access to the JBDC Incubator and food technologists,” she said.
Kim-Loy says their stories reflect the wider possibilities for the parish.
“The parish operates much like St. Ann in terms of its profile – agro-processing and areas such as aromatherapy, skincare and cosmeceuticals,” she noted.
Although there isn’t a physical JBDC office in St. Mary, entrepreneurs don’t have to look far. The JBDC Business Centre at 5 Church Street, St. Ann’s Bay supports them through outreach programmes like Business Beyond ‘Town’ and partnerships with agencies including RADA and the Companies Office of Jamaica, where they aim to go to the entrepreneurs in their locale, and ultimately provide a deeper engagement in office.
Chung says, “These initiatives ensure that St. Mary’s innovators have the same access to coaching, training and resources as those in other parishes.”
St. Mary is full of possibilities. The land provides, the culture inspires, and with the right support, its entrepreneurs continue to prove that big dreams can grow ‘From Concept to Market’.
Like Hassane says, “We’re (St. Mary) not just for farming; we have things that can go up to a lot of the international brands and showcase the best of St. Mary to the world”.
Entrepreneurs in St. Mary are encouraged to visit the JBDC Business Centre in St. Ann’s Bay, call 876-972-2615 to schedule an appointment, or visit www.jbdc.net for more information.
