Salada, Jebb Memorial students pack care packages for farmers
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Salada Foods General Manager Tamii Brown (right) greets the mini packing line of Jebb Memorial Basic School students at Salada Foods headquarters on Bell Road. Looking on is Jebb Memorial Basic School Principal Leonie Salmon Wong-Sue.
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Salada Foods Jamaica Gem Awards winners: (from left) Akeele Johnson; Karimah Shepherd; Richard Thomas; and Nadine Francis, collecting on behalf of Duane Taylor and Peter Collins.
Over 40 staff at Salada Foods volunteered to pack more than 600 care packages for farming communities hit by Hurricane Melissa, closing out the company’s 2025 production year at its Bell Road plant in Kingston.
General Manager Tamii Brown led the effort, joined by teachers and students from Salada’s adopted school, Jebb Memorial Basic. “Salada exists within an ecosystem, one that feeds and is fed by a tight-knit circle of people, communities and partners. Our farmers are a vital part of that ecosystem; when they hurt, we hurt too. These care packages reflect that shared connection and our deep commitment to supporting farmers, families and neighbours, particularly during challenging times,” Brown said.
The packages contained food and hygiene items, along with Salada’s newly launched sorrel hibiscus beverage, introduced in November 2025. The students from Jebb Memorial helped prepare the parcels for delivery across St Elizabeth.
Floyd Green, minister of agriculture, fisheries and mining, visited during the packing session. “I appreciate Salada and the intervention, especially as we approach the Christmas season. A number of our farmers are back out there [on the farms], but remain in very difficult circumstances. This does take a big burden off of them to have these items to carry them through the season,” he said.
GEMS AWARDED
The relief packing activity replaced Salada’s traditional end-of-year staff party, as the impact of Hurricane Melissa underscored the urgent need for practical support for farming communities. Later in the day, Salada turned inward to honour staff excellence with the presentation of its departmental ‘Gem Awards’.