THE first locally manufactured tea with ginseng has hit the market. Shavuot International raised the curtain on its latest masterpiece, “Boost” tea, at an exclusive product launch event last Friday in St Mary. The tea is a combination of turmeric, ginger, and ginseng. Marketing director and owner Joel Harris expressed to the Jamaica Observer that the choice in the combination of herbs came from strategic thinking and meticulous craftsmanship.

“What we recognised is that Jamaicans and the Caribbean love instant ginger tea, especially in the morning. For convenience, you are able to take the instant ginger and pour it into water, whether cold or hot. I also recognised that people are feeling lethargic these days, and when I saw that, I thought about what the different healthier alternatives to creating stimulants are,” he said.

Acknowledging the challenges faced by those who are caffeine-sensitive and actively seeking alternatives to coffee, Harris said research was done to determine what natural product was safe for consumption and would offer the desired result of energy as opposed to caffeine.

“It’s not giving you energy,” he said about caffeine as he drew a clear distinction between caffeine and ginseng. “It’s preventing your need to sleep while ginseng increases your endurance as well as your energy levels.”

Addressing any lingering doubts about the product’s safety, Harris reassured that the product has been tested and approved by the Ministry of Health and is Food and Drug Administration-compliant, meeting and exceeding all safety standards. While Shavuot had already established its presence with regular herbal, non-caffeinated Jamaican teas, the introduction of Boost marked a significant expansion, adding nine new flavours.

“We wanted to make a difference on the [tea] shelves, and we feel that the ginseng additive would be a bonus on the shelves. For people who are studying hard and have to focus on memory, ginseng plus ginger adds a more potent combination to boost energy,” Harris elaborated.

Shavuot International’s spanking-new 15,000-square-foot factory in St Mary has now become the nucleus for the manufacturing of Boost tea and gluten-free flour. Boost is one of several new products being worked on by Shavuot through a substantial $16-million loan from the Development Bank of Jamaica, facilitated through BIGEE (Boosting Innovation Growth Entrepreneurship Ecosystem) grant funding.

“For this product, I would say at least averaging $2 to $3 million for this product alone,” Harris told the Business Observer.

At the product launch, DBJ representatives lauded Shavuot for successfully implementing its product within budget.

“What we have witnessed here today is a big dream becoming a to reality. The DBJ-BIGEE team is very proud of this project for many reasons; it is taking place in rural Jamaica; it is providing employment for the residents of the community area and most importantly, it is poised for export,” said DBJ officer Carlton Dunkley.

Boost was launched as the flagship for instant tea after six months of crafting. The other products are expected to be launched in the coming year, with market focus in Jamaica, North America, the Caribbean, and the diaspora.