IN the breadbasket parish of St Elizabeth, where agriculture remains a cornerstone of community life, entrepreneur Jheanell Wilson has been transforming locally grown fruits into premium, handcrafted wines through her growing business, Jineru Wines.

Operating under the slogan, “Beverage with a Difference”, the three-year-old company has steadily gained attention for its distinctive fruit wines that celebrate authentic Jamaican flavours while creating opportunities for innovation within the local agro-processing sector.

Born from Wilson’s personal interest in wine-making and fascination with the process of transforming fruits into alcoholic beverages, the business has grown into a standout attraction at pop-up events and agricultural shows across the island.

“Jineru Wines first started as a hobby through my interest from work, but I have since elevated that passion to create a unique, commercially competitive, and viable product,” Wilson told the Jamaica Observer recently while sharing details about the business.

Since launching in November 2023 the business has operated from Wilson’s home, where she and one other team member manage production and day-to-day operations. Despite its modest size, the company has, over the past two years, built a loyal customer base through consistent participation in various events and exhibitions.

“Our main clients are persons who attend pop-up shows and agricultural exhibitions,” Wilson said. “These events have helped us to introduce customers to our locally made fruit wines and build awareness for the brand.”

Jineru Wines currently produces five signature flavours — sorrel, java plum, Otaheite apple, cashew and pineapple — in addition to limited seasonal offerings such as passion fruit, starfruit and guava, among others. While all flavours have generated strong appeal, Wilson said sorrel and java plum remain the company’s top-selling wines.

“Our competitive advantage is that there is very little local competition for the type of wines we produce,” Wilson shared, noting that customers continue to be drawn to the rich, crisp, and unique flavours of the wines, as well as the fact that the products are made using fruits sourced in the parish.

Like many start-up businesses, the company continues to navigate several operational challenges. Wilson pointed to limited production space, sourcing raw materials, upgrading equipment, and achieving a faster return on investment as some of the biggest hurdles faced since opening.

“Because we are still a new and growing business, we have not yet reached profitability, however, we remain focused on growth and improving our operations,” she said.

Despite the challenges, Jineru Wines has already secured some major accomplishments such as its 2025 win in the Wines and Liqueurs category of the JCDC Culinary Competition — a milestone Wilson described as one of the company’s proudest achievements to date.

“That achievement gave us confidence that our products are of a very high standard and capable of competing at a national level,” she said.

The business, largely self-funded, the CEO further said continues to require prudent and careful management. However, she remains optimistic about the future and is already looking to carve out greater successes within the next three to five years.

“Our vision is to be recognised as one of the best exotic fruit wine producers on the global market,” Wilson stated.

Among the company’s future ambitions are plans to expand operations through the establishment of its own orchard for fruit cultivation, thereby increasing employment opportunities within the community; strengthening its supply chain; and incorporating more innovative technologies into production.

“These developments will not only help to strengthen the business but also contribute positively to local agriculture and community development in St Elizabeth,” Wilson said.

Jheanell Wilson and business partner Barrington Barnes photographed with wines at a recent pop-up shop event held at Janga’s in Kingston.

The sorrel flavour remains one of the top-selling products for Jineru Wines.

Operating under the slogan, “Beverage with a Difference”, Jineru Wines has steadily gained attention for its distinctive fruit wines that celebrate authentic Jamaican flavours.

Jineru Wines currently produces five signature flavours — sorrel, java plum, Otaheite apple, cashew and pineapple, in addition to limited seasonal offerings.

In 2025 Jineru Wines secured the top prize in the JCDC culinary competition when it won the gold medal in the Wines and Liqueurs category for the Central Region.