FOOD enthusiast and content creator Ortolan “Tallonn” Powel is expanding his brand beyond social media storytelling by venturing into manufacturing with the launch of his own line of dulce de leche — a milk-based caramel spread popular in Latin America and Europe.

“I love telling stories, and I love food,” he told the Jamaica Observer in a recent interview, describing the passion that fuelled his journey from digital content to entrepreneurship.

Known online for his engaging videos exploring Jamaican food and culture, Tallonn’s rise in food content began unexpectedly.

“One day I was walking and I saw this guy selling porridge. There were so many people there. I did that video, and it went viral. That’s when it just sparked me doing food content,” he said.

After growing an audience, collaborating with local food producers, and creating social media campaigns, Tallonn felt a pull to offer something more than stories — something tangible. This inspired the shift from promoting food to producing it.

“I was dabbling with the idea of doing some form of water, like a Jamaican-flavoured sparkling water, but that never really manifested the way I wanted to,” he told Sunday Finance.

Then came the turning point. A friend overseas introduced him to dulce de leche. Tallon found it delicious and saw a gap in the Jamaican market. He decided to develop his own line, launching two locally made versions: an original caramel spread and a second infused with Jamaican cinnamon and spices.

“It is something that, even if you don’t like caramel, you’re going to love it,” he said confidently.

Getting the product to market took months of research, testing, and approvals. From February to September 2024 he worked through several rounds of label and packaging changes to meet the standards set by Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ). Once approved, he wasted no time, walking directly into supermarkets with samples and securing shelf space. Now stocked in 12 supermarkets — including Lee’s, Progressive, Hi-Lo, Super Valu, and Loshusan — the product, he said, is gaining traction. Though based in Kingston, many of these retailers operate across multiple parishes, helping with wider distribution.

“One of the things that I really love is the fact that somebody, when I launched, said, ‘It’s the first time I see a black man on a can,’ and that made me feel good. We don’t normally see our own on our products. That’s something I’m proud of,” he shared.

While Tallonn continues his work as a food content creator, he’s planning further product development. A squeeze bottle version and smaller grab-and-go containers are in the works. He’s also entering the food service space with his first restaurant partnership. Starting at the end of March, the product will be integrated into the menu at The Crêpe House at Devon House, St Andrew, where customers can enjoy dulce de leche paired with bananas, cream cheese, plantain, other fruits, and whipped cream.

“Dulce de leche is for everybody,” he told Sunday Finance. “It is great on pancakes, great on toast; you can put it on ice cream, in yoghurt, in your shake, or swirl it in your coffee. It’s so versatile that if you have a spread like this, you don’t really need much.”

Tallonn demonstrates how to use his dulce de leche spread on toasted bagels topped with strawberries, inside The Crêpe House at Devon House. (Karl Mclarty)

Toshieka Richards, chef at The Crêpe House, prepares a crêpe as part of a new partnership that will see Tallonn’s dulce de leche spread added to the eatery’s menu, giving customers a sweet new option, starting at the end of the month. A freshly made crêpe (inset) filled with Tallon’s Dulce De Leche spread, bananas and strawberries, topped with whipped cream.

Tallonn’s dulce de leche on the shelves of S Foods supermarket.

Ortolan “Tallonn” Powel (left), creator of Tallonn’s Premium Dulce de Leche caramel stands next to customer Christopher Fuller who first discovered and fell in love with the product during an in-store tasting.

A freshly made crêpe filled with Tallonn’s dulce de leche spread, bananas and strawberries, topped with whipped cream, is displayed at The Crêpe House at Devon House. The partnership takes effect at the end of this month.