Edward Johnston is not as apprehensive as he was two years ago when we first sat down to discuss the Port Royal Patty. Back then in October 2004 he was supplying two ASDA outlets (a large supermarket chain in the UK).

Today his authentic Jamaican patties with fillings that boast a secret mix of Jamaican herbs and spices and a special pastry called the ‘Kingston crust’ can also be found in yet another large UK supermarket chain. “We are in eight Tesco supermarkets,” explains Johnston, “and our patty production is now up to 12,000 a day. We still have a long way to go but the indicators are positive.”

No idle boast when one considers that the very first Port Royal Patty rolled out in October 2001 and the company has since then achieved STS Accreditation (required certification for NHS suppliers), accreditation to the Vegetarian Society for its vegetable patty, built demand for its products among NHS Hospital Trusts; HM Prison Service, stadium and entertainment events; restaurants and takeaways (over 400 outlets within London). Nowadays Johnston speaks to the Halal patty and patties in schools (hopefully Jamie Oliver got an email), plans that are in the pipeline but not yet ready to be fully disclosed, as well as his firm commitment to spreading the patty message.

“We have an authentic Jamaican product adapted and improved on for the UK market . our packaging, for example, lends itself to the chilled patty being heated in an oven for 15-20 minutes at 200 degrees F, for example, as opposed to a microwave, to protect the integrity of the product.” Johnston, a graduate of St George’s College who pursued a first degree in Agricultural Operations Management at the University of Florida and a Master’s in Maritime Studies at the University of Wales College of Cardiff, Wales, and then another – this time an MBA from City University, London – still prefers a factory existence to that of a chic city office. “There’s lots more work to be done .we’ve barely scratched the surface,” he says.

The UK’s dynamic and highly competitive food environment leaves only the brave standing, but already they’ve copped the Caribbean Food Emporium award for the Best Caribbean Patty in the United Kingdom and there’s a solid determination to deliver a consistently excellent product.

Johnston and his team of 24 (20 production members and four drivers) operating from a purpose-built 9,000 sq-ft factory in Willesden, North London, might very well lend further credence to the phrase ‘we likkle but we tallawah’.

Johnston leaves the offices of the Jamaica Observer to eat as many patties as possible prior to his departure – a sure way, we suspect, of maintaining the integrity of the patty.