Tasti is the new kid on the block of the many juice varieties already on the market.

Manager of Tasti, Marlene Campbell, said she is cognisant of the fact that the market for natural juices, especially in the metropolitan areas, is to a great extent saturated.

"However, we believe that there is a value-denial gap in terms of people with a particular taste profile," said Campbell.

She explained that this market segment produces its own juices from fresh fruits and vegetables at home, not wanting to consume additives in the form of dyes and preservatives. "This segment of the market is still relatively untapped and it is this segment that we are targeting."

She told Food that she learnt to manufacture natural fruit juices in the late 1980s. At first she said she made them just for her household consumption and then as a fund-raising effort for her church. It wasn't until 2002 that she began supplying a very small cookshop daily with freshly made natural juices. Campbell noted that the first day she was contracted to deliver the juices, she turned up to find the business closed.

"My husband and I were disappointed but quick thinking resulted in us taking the juices to our respective workplaces where we sold them to our friends and colleagues. Since then, we have supplied natural juices on a small scale."

Tasti is manufactured by Kernet-Mout View in St Catherine. The new juice brand has an array of delicious blends: apple, carrot-beet, cherry, cucumber, cucumber-carrot, fruit punch, guava-pineapple, mango-carrot, orange-pineapple, and sour sop. They offer great taste at an affordable cost.

The product is a premium brand of the finest quality. The two main flavours are sorrel and June plum which are supplied throughout the year. She pointed out that unknown to many people, sorrel is supplied by our local farmers in the marketplace all year round. This ensures consistency in the taste and the strength of the product, which the customers demand.

Cottage industry-type business

She added that over the years, the venture has been a cottage industry-type business that supplies friends and this guarantees instant feedback which has assisted greatly in product development and quality control. She noted that colleagues who lecture in the tourism and hospitality industry have been of great assistance.

Campbell said there are fluctuations in the price of raw material throughout the year due to supply and demand, climatic conditions and natural disasters such as droughts and hurricanes. But close relationship with suppliers at Coronation Market guarantees security of supply during times of shortage.

"This is vital as we manufacture only from fresh fruits and vegetables and not from concentrate."

She added that she and her husband also take advantage of the wide diversity of fruits available throughout the year. And the scale of their production also lends itself to the flexibility of manufacturing whatever fruits are in season, along with their main flavours.

Currently Kernet-Mout View is engaged in vigorous marketing efforts to expand product reach. Their aim is to establish their reputation for quality and supply products the way their consumers would produce them at home if they had the time. And they are looking that in 10 years they would become a household name with a complete line of products manufactured in Jamaica from indigenous fruits, and supplied both locally and internationally.

To contact Campbell, tel: 869-5408 or 570-7149.

What people think

It is very good, especially for people who don't drink alcohol.

I like it, tastes good.

I like it because it is not too sweet.

It is refreshing, not too sweet.

Tastes good, just the right amount of ingredients especially the ginger.

It has a very good balance.

It's refreshing ... it's just right, not too strong and not too weak.

Ideal for diabetics.

There was not enough sorrel in the mix to counter the ginger.

Tasted a bit bland. There was way too little sorrel.

Too much ginger.

The ginger was too strong.

I love the rich, deep red colour and I believe this is the only commercially made sorrel I would buy if I was unable to make my own. I can always add rum!

The ginger was too strong; too much sting at the throat.

Wicked, I would buy it.

Very rich and absolutely delicious but has a bit too much ginger.

No too bad.

A little too much ginger.

What impresses me is how thick it is, not as watery as the others on the market. I believe it had the right amount of ginger for a commercially made juice.

Definitely taste the ginger which I'm not crazy about. For me it could use a little more sugar.

Very pleasant tasting but I, personally, would prefer a little JB and a little sugar to enhance the flavour.