Chemical engineer Jervian Johnson wants more Jamaicans to consume local fruits; in fact, she wants them to enjoy a diverse range of fruits year-round.

That motivation became the foundation for Johnson establishing Tropicks 365, a local manufacturing outfit engaged in the production of dried fruit snacks. Founded in 2021, the company also produces loose teas in pineapple-ginger and sorrel flavours that can be consumed hot or cold.

The company’s main product draws on Johnson’s experience living in South Korea, where she observed and was impressed by the level of innovation and production she saw while pursuing her graduate studies there.

“One of the products that I saw while I was there was dried mango and, interestingly, it was not produced in Korea because Korea does not have mangoes, but it made other dried fruit snacks. And I actually had a liking for it and I remember our own fruits. We have a lot of tropical fruits that are delicious and enjoyed by both locals and foreigners,” the Tropicks 365 managing director told the Jamaica Observer.

Recognising that dehydrating fruits could solve several problems, and was also a venture worth capitalising on, Johnson said she embarked on designing a process that would help her achieve similar results. Given her training in the sciences, the businesswoman pointed out that it is commonplace to design processes and engage in problem-solving, and so it was this approach to her life and career that she used to ideate and build out the business.

“So that was how the idea of the product came about and after looking at the problems that could be solved through it and the needs that could be met through it, I did further investigations with product development officers at the Jamaica Business Development Corporation, Scientific Research Council, and so on, and they were able to give advice as to how this product can be marketed,” Johnson shared.

Those consultations and the resulting assessment provided Johnson with a framework to go about founding Tropicks 365. Yet at the time she started the company there was another driving factor.

“I actually always wanted to start a company or a business. However, that push really came when I saw the impact of COVID on the economics of the country and, more personally, my family’s financial position,” she told Sunday Finance, adding that her sister lost her job due to health reasons.

While noting that the company was registered in 2021, ahead of building out a facility and purchasing equipment, Johnson pointed out that such a move afforded her opportunities such as access to grant funding and discounts on some government services.

Still, it was her own funding that fuelled Tropicks 365 in its infancy.

“Now in terms of capital… I was more for a lean start-up, and after talking to my business advisors, they also were in agreement. So I actually used my savings to start off the business, and so I looked at what was needed in terms of the equipment and I had to rent a place to set up the business,” she said.

Eventually, Johnson moved into a space that a close family member allowed her to retrofit and use as a production facility. There, Tropicks 365 produces classic dried mango, dried mango with salt and pepper, spicy dried mango, dried plantain, dried jackfruit, and dried pineapple.

“It’s like a small cottage industry business…They [products] are actually produced by locals, and packaged. So it’s dehydration, so I have a machine that I use to remove the moisture and that assists with the preservation of the fruits,” she explained.

Still in the start-up and seed phase, Tropicks 365 currently employs five part-time employees including Johnson — each taking on different responsibilities.

When asked about marketing, the entrepreneur explained, “This is one of the most challenging things: to get people to try the products and to continue buying the product. I have used all the different forms — telling people one on one, word of mouth, social media, trade shows, and pop-ups.”

In fact, the company’s showing at the Jampro/JMEA Expo Jamaica 2023 at the National Arena and the National Indoor Sports Complex created an opportunity for greater visibility and provided its founder with some feedback on product development.

In the early stages, however, not many Jamaicans were willing to try the fruits in their dehydrated form.

At present, Tropicks 365 uses online platforms CaribShopper Cool Market to sell its products both locally and overseas. The company also supplies supermarkets like General Foods and pharmacies such as New Kingston Pharmacy, and Tings Jamaican outlets at Jamaica’s two major airports and Devon House. These partnerships, Johnson highlighted, have been helpful in both boosting sales and the market’s reception of the product.

Looking ahead, she hopes the company will become a household name known for quality and affordable prices.

“I really hope that the sales volume will increase and that I can have a foot in, in the overseas market. This product is really ideal for export because there is a bigger market that can be accessed outside of Jamaica and people are more familiar with this type of product outside of Jamaica as well. So it’s really just to expand into the region and internationally, and to be known as a company that is contributing to the manufacturing sector in terms of increasing the inflow of revenues from outside,” she said.

In 2022, Johnson was recognised by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture as an outstanding youth in business. Just last year, Tropicks 365 picked up the Charles Henderson Award for Breakthrough Product/Service and got nominated for the Jamaica Emerging Manufacturer and Services Award.

“Even though we are small, we have actually been making an impact already. So I hope to continue on this path of excellence and, of course, plan to do the work — but being recognised for those efforts, it’s also encouraging,” Johnson concluded.