Walkerswood Factory Tour This guided tour is of special interest to anyone who would like to learn
more about Jamaican foods or would just like to see the countryside outside
Ocho Rios. Walkerswood produces popular jerk sauces, jams, pepper sauces,
and more; this one-hour guided tour takes a look at the factory as well
as the site's herb gardens, a recreated countrystyle home, and even includes
a demonstration on making jerk marinade. The complex includes a restaurant
and gift shop. All About Walkerswood: If youve shopped
for Jamaican food either on or off the island, youre probably familiar
with Walkerswood. This small community produces the popular Walkerswood
Jerk Sauce, which spreads a taste of Jamaica throughout the world. Today
if youre traveling beyond Fern Gully, youll see this small
community. The factory isnt open to the public, but the efforts
of this village can be found island-wide. Thanks to the popular food purveyor, the tiny village exerts an influence
far beyond the borders of St. Annes Parish. Established in 1978,
the company was conceived as a project to provide employment to residents
of the area located in the hilly countryside just inland from the north
coast. Founder and Managing Director Johnny McFarlane recalls that initially
the company made fudge, then fish cakes to supply the nearby Jamaica
Defense Force Base, as well as selling seasoned sausages and pork to local
bars. While these dishes proved popular, it was the seasoning with
which they were prepared that really ignited the companys success.
Walkerswood
Jerk Sauce, made in the traditional way with hot peppers, scallions and
spices, was originally sold in a market in Ocho Rios. It soon became popular
not only with locals, but also with travelers who liked it so much that
they raved to their neighbors. Letters (and sometimes money) began to
pour in from customers desperate to replenish their supply of jerk sauce
from afar. In 1986, the company began exporting their Jerk Seasoning in earnest,
opening a small sales office in Miami. Walkerswoods first year of
exports, says McFarlane, were all of US $15,000, but have
since grown dramatically. As sales have increased, so has the variety of Walkerswood products.
In addition to traditional Jerk Seasoning, the company now produces and
sells a host of other seasonings, sauces and condiments, all derived from
traditional Jamaican recipes and using Jamaican-grown raw materials. Products
such as Coconut Rundown Sauce, Escovitch Pickle Sauce, Scotch Bonnet Pepper
Sauce, Solomon Gundy Fish Paste and Jonkanoo Pepper Sauce join an expanded
array of jerk seasonings (Traditional Jerk Seasoning, Spicy Jerk Marinade,
Dried Jerk Seasoning and Spicy Jerk Barbecue Sauce) to inflame palates
around the world. Walkerswood Caribbean Foods now exports 80% of its total
production, not only to the US, Canada, Western Europe and Japan, but
to other Caribbean islands as well. Although the company has grown, it remains very much a part of the Walkerswood community. The factory, located since 1978 on the grounds of the Bromley Great House in the village of Walkerswood, at present employs over 60 local residents. McFarlane notes that most of the ingredients are still grown locally as well. We have our own scallion farm in the parish of St. Elizabeth, and have a supply contract with another large farm in the neighboring parish which supplies us with peppers, allspice, bananas and coconut. In addition, we have arrangements with dozens of small farmers in the Walkerswood area to supply peppers and tomatoes to our factory. For More Information: • visit www.walkerswood.com |
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