Bureau of Standards Approves Local Juice Formula

The Bureau of Standards has approved a juice blend developed by the St. Elizabeth-based Jamaica Exotic Flavours, which will enable the company to shortly begin supplying natural juices for the National School Feeding Programme.
“We have developed a product for the National School Feeding Programme, where some 136,000 lunches will be served to children,” said Managing Director of the company, Mr. Anthony Freckleton, at an agricultural expo held on Thursday (November 19) at the Sharon Baptist Church in Santa Cruz.
Mr. Freckleton told the gathering that he and his team spent three years working on the melon blend, which will be supplied to schools and local distributors.
“Thirty (30) per cent of melon has been allowed to rot over the years in the fields but now, not only will the children be getting a nutritious drink, but before Christmas, in partnership with the beverage companies, we will be replacing the imported products on our shelves, with our wholesome products of fruits and vegetables,” he informed.
Based in Bull Savannah, Jamaica Exotic Flavours was established through capital support from the Jamaican Government and technical expertise from the Dutch Government, the Scientific Research Council (SRC) and the Bureau of Standards.
The company, which is creating exotic fruit drinks has developed a locally-produced tomato sauce which, Mr. Freckleton said, is good for diabetics. The company has flavoured water on the market.
Mr. Freckleton is encouraging farmers to engage with his company, noting that he is willing to accept any excess in the production of fruits and vegetables.
“If there is a glut in cucumber (for example), we want to work with you, and process it and get it out there to the people. We have a lot of opportunities. We want to set up cosmetic industry, sauce, and beverage industry, so that if and when Alpart comes back on stream, they wouldn’t have to be the premier employer of labour,” he said.