LIKE most cops retiring from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Herman Miller was never thinking of driving off into the sunset to spend his golden years sitting around doing nothing.

But, unlike most of his colleagues who start security-related businesses in retirement, Miller said he wanted to do something different, and was preparing to enter into agroprocessing years before his 2018 exit from the JCF after 39 years of service. The company he started, along with his wife, is called Liberton Industries, a small wet seasoning firm whose products have a big taste, according to users’ testimony on its Instagram page.

“This company’s genesis can be traced to me starting to cook for my wife a few years ago when she got ill,” Miller, a retired superintendent of police, said before adding that its name was derived from Liberton Estates, a small farm in St Mary which he inherited from his father.

He continued: “With my wife sick, I had to find healthier food options to give her and so I started experimenting with mixing fresh herbs and spices and found that not only my wife, but also my families and friends were loving the taste. They asked what seasonings I was using on the food and I told them it was a mixture of fresh herbs and spices that I made. All would ask for some and I would package it for them to take home to use. And that happened whenever I entertained,” Miller reflected.

Seeing the reception to his seasonings, Miller said his wife encouraged him to start writing down the ingredients so it could be standardised for him to start a business. He did, and the couple took the formula for a wet all purpose seasoning to the Scientific Research Council (SRC) where it was standardised. The product was also tested and passed by Bureau of Standards Jamaica.

Shortly after retirement, the Miller’s debuted their product at an expo hosted by the Jamaica Defence Force in November 2018. The product was well received, prompting them to pursue its potential, and they embarked on all out promotion in 2019.

Soon after, the fledgling company took a hit.

“COVID came in 2020 and my wife and I, we got sick and could not go out to do the taste testing and the sampling, so we did not do anything. It was not until last year, 2023, that we could pick up the business back and are reviving it,” Miller pointed out.

Since then, the Millers say they have been active again on the road, doing taste tests and have been getting responses that show they have a good product. In 2018, they had two products; now, the company produces seven.

“Our all purpose seasoning is the signature product. It is all natural, we pride ourselves as being farm fresh bringing our products from farm to bottle. So we promote convenience. We were the first all purpose wet seasoning introduced to the market,” he pointed out.

Miller said his wet all purpose seasoning must not be confused with the wet jerk seasonings, though he said people use it to marinate chicken ahead of jerking it. Other products are cinnamon ginger sauce, garlic honey glaze, white wine garlic sauce, minced ginger, minced turmeric and cinnamon infused honey.

“We built a brand on natural, convenience and fresh ingredients,” Miller said. He is the one who sources the raw materials used in producing his seasonings and sauces from farmers in St Elizabeth or his favourite ginger vendor in the Coronation Market in Kingston. The final products have no additives and preservatives and target people who are busy and need healthier, convenient options.

“If you notice in Jamaica, most of the sauces are fruit base. We went herb-based looking at the antioxidants in herbs like turmeric, cinnamon and so on and how consumers can benefit from them,” he added. “Other than the garlic and the packaging material, we are 95 per cent local inputs.”

But despite having a great product, according to the reviews, Miller said he has found it difficult penetrating the market in the way he envisions.

“In the short space of time, it has been a real struggle. We have had our fair share of challenges, many open doors, many closed doors. One of the challenges is market access. We are new. We are not known, we are not big, we are not known names. If we were known in the industry it would be easier,” Miller said of both the brand and himself and wife.

But he is grateful for those who have shown support and belief in the brand and hope more local retailers will give him, and others like himself, “a foot through the door.”

“Because there is the challenge to get it in the local supermarkets, what we have done is started doing personal selling. It’s not our business model, but for now we employ that strategy to get it into the marketplace and for persons to know it. So persons would order and we do personal delivery or send it through Knutsford Express.”

In December, the company made its “first large shipment” to the US bringing the products to supermarkets in south Florida. Though the shipment was “just over two pallets,” for Miller, it was big, especially with repeat orders following and another shipment to go out in June.

“We are seeking to expand our presence overseas because the growth potential in Jamaica is limited,” he noted and said efforts to boost export opportunities are underway.

He pointed out that the company is now “on a lovely growth path and want to maintain it especially with products that can be used in various ways.

“I have a brother in North America, he believes in the product so much. He tells me that he puts it in his soup, rice and peas, eat it with crackers, put it on eggs, sardines and so on.”

“The other day someone liked our post on Instagram, a chef, and I realised that she had a large following, and I asked her if she is interested in collaborating. She said OK, and asked me to send the products for her to try and that chef came back on Instagram asking her followers why no one had introduced her to Liberton products earlier. This is a person we have never met, and that is why we believe in the brand and maintain its quality and authenticity. When you get undiluted and unsolicited responses like that we have to know we are doing something good.”

Despite the initial struggles, Miller said he is not daunted.

“We are going to be a household name, because the product is good. Everyone who ever uses it testify to its taste while we highlight the health benefits.

Liberton products can be found in Family Pride – Havendale, General Food – Liguanea, Loshusan in Barbican, Master Mac in Portmore and Things Jamaica stores and we also sell online through Carib Shopper.”