Countdown to the 27th Staging of the Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards
2026 Nominee For Best (New) Local Product: GRAY’S
Principals
Drew Gray
Andrew Gray
A history of the company
The company was founded over 50 years ago by my grandfather, Lloyd Gray. My father, Andrew Gray, moved back to Jamaica from Canada in the 1980s to help my grandfather grow the business.
The range of new products
Sriracha Sauce
Oxtail Marinade
Spicy Green Seasoning
Honey Scotch Jerk Seasoning
Scotch Bonnet Jerk Seasoning
Where the ingredients are sourced
We source our ingredients locally wherever possible. We purchase local peppers, scallions, pimento, and ginger for our products.
Where the products are currently being sold
We are selling our products in supermarkets in Kingston and St Andrew, as well as airport gift shops. Products are also available directly through our authorised distributor, Amalgamated Distributors.
The story behind the packaging for the products
Our packaging was updated to coincide with the launch of our new range of products. Emphasis was placed on bright, solid colours along with bold and visible graphics that allow the consumer to know the ingredients before reading it on the bottle.
We made these products because…
We made these products with the aim of making cooking as easy and as accessible as possible to everyone. We process clean, fresh ingredients with no preservatives to save you time in the kitchen.
Our first breakthrough came when…
After initial hesitation to carry the Oxtail Marinade because it is a competitive category, our distributor decided to carry the product and distribute it in retail outlets.
The products became available to the public in…
September 2025
Our core customers are…
Our core demographic is anyone who enjoys cooking at home. We have a wide age range from 21 to 65 years.
The response to the products has been…
The response has been great so far, so much so that we are actively working on new products to launch.
Our products are successful because…
We put a lot of emphasis on quality ingredients and sustainable sourcing. We are putting new twists on traditional flavours, such as our Honey Scotch Jerk Seasoning.
We plan to grow the business to become…
The plan is to grow the business and take it global. We are launching our D2C website in Q3 of this year, which will support shipping across North America.
Our major challenge is…
The constantly changing macroeconomic landscape — navigating tariffs; rising energy costs; and disrupted supply chains.
This issue remains and managing the raw material inventory is…
Managing the raw material inventory still remains a challenge. We lost a significant portion of our inventory in Hurricane Melissa that we had to replace at higher prices due to reduced supply.
Jamaicans should support my products because…
Because by purchasing our products you are directly supporting Jamaican farmers.
Our post-Hurricane Melissa message, having given consideration to the importance of food security, sustainability and supporting our local food ecosystem, is…
We all have to do our part to buy Jamaican whenever possible and develop local industries. We have seen an increase in natural disasters over the years and all indications are that this trend will continue. In times of natural disasters we will always be our own first responders, so that means we have to be self-sufficient to ensure that we can bounce back from disasters as quickly as possible.
Photographer: Naphtali Junior
E-mail Addresses: drewgray@grayspepper.com, grays.pepper@grayspepper.com
Tel: 1 876-397-0945
GRAY’s Oxtail Marinade (Photo: Naphtali Junior)
GRAY’S General Manager Drew Gray explains the convenience of the Oxtail Marinade during his presentation. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)
Jamaica Observer Food Awards judges Kadean Vendryes (left) and Josina Jackson tuck into their oxtail dishes enhanced by GRAY’s Oxtail Marinade. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)
