Caribbean Dreams Foods, the manufacturing division of Jamaican Teas Limited, has named a new generation of young managers to champion strategic growth and succession planning.

Jonathan Mahfood, general manager commercial; Charles Barrett, general manager operations; and Kimone Meikle, marketing manager, have been actively engaged in honing their skills in the commercial and manufacturing arm of the company over the years.

Now, in their newly assigned roles, they are charged with the responsibility of expanding the footprint of Caribbean Dreams Foods.

The wholly owned subsidiary of the JTL Group will manufacture and export Jamaican Teas’ renowned Caribbean Dreams brand to the Caribbean, US, UK and Canada, and will also manufacture the Tetley brand, under license, for Jamaica and the Caribbean.

The company’s food certifications – Safe Quality Food (SQF), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and FDA approval remain valid.

Jonathan Mahfood

With a background in sales, marketing, and business development, Jonathan Mahfood’s experiential knowledge of the marketplace and relational engagements position him to enhance revenue generation and market expansion.

He assumes a pivotal role in shaping the overarching Company’s commercial strategy with his mandate encompassing sales, marketing, and business development initiatives, aligning them closely with the organisation’s overall goals and objectives. His strategic acumen will be instrumental in identifying and capitalising on new market opportunities while fostering strategic partnerships to fuel growth and long-term profitability.

Central to Mahfood’s responsibilities is the optimisation of customer engagement, ensuring that the organisation maintains a strong rapport with its clientele.

“Having interfaced with companies across the Caribbean region and North America, I have gained an in-depth understanding of diverse market dynamics and consumer preferences …. the critical importance of maintaining open lines of communication, fostering not just business relationships but also true partnerships that are built on trust, collaboration, and shared goals. This approach has been vital in aligning our strategies with the needs of varied demographics, thus enhancing the appeal and market penetration of our Caribbean Dreams and Tetley brands.”

Notably, his portfolio extends to export management, underscoring his commitment to maintaining and growingsales relationships with the Company’s Caribbean and North American export customers.

“I am dedicated to leveraging the insights gained to advance Caribbean Dreams Foods Limited’s strategic vision, focusing on nurturing these partnerships and ensuring consistent dialogue as we navigate market challenges and opportunities together. This commitment to effective communication and collaboration is central to driving our collective success, ensuring that our products continue to embody quality and innovation and resonate deeply with our customers.”

Mahfood has a B.A. in International Hospitality & Tourism Management from St. Leo University, Florida.

Charles Barrett

Charles Barrett has served in various leadership roles during his 15-year tenure with Jamaican Teas Limited. His extensive experience in marketing, regional retail trade, new product development, exports, food safety management, and operations management has given him a foothold in his assigned role as general manager for operations.

Entrusted with planning, directing and coordinating the functions of the manufacturing arm, he will also be engaged in fostering a work environment that incorporates the company’s values, culture and strategy, while ensuring business growth, continuity, and achievement of profitability targets.

In his former role as head of the Dry Pack Manufacturing & Quality Division, he spearheaded its operational plans, organisation and direction, which helped in preparing him for his new assignment.

“It was an opportunity for me to gain more insight and practical appreciation of the production process; grow a newly formed division; improve staff engagement and efficiency and reduce costs while simultaneously fostering a work environment that has people at the centre of its growth.”

Having led the company in the implementation of GMP and HACCP food safety and quality certification, he underscores that “maintaining our food safety certification is critical for us as it ensures our access to the lucrative US market, which represents 30 per cent of total revenues or just about half of our export revenues.”

Barrett was recognised in 2022 as an influential leader under 45 years of age with the inaugural JMEA/Consular Corp Next Generation Leadership Award, which is impacting the growth and development of Jamaica’s manufacturing and exporting landscape, through innovative, transformative, and inspiring leadership.

He holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) with distinction from the School of Business and Management at the University of the West Indies, Mona campus.

Kimone Meikle

In tandem with new generational leadership at its Manufacturing Division, Caribbean Dreams Foods, Jamaican Teas previously named Kimone Meikle as marketing manager of the company.

Over a decade of experience, specializing in marketing strategy, event management, digital marketing and purchasing, prepared Meikle to undertake the position of Marketing Officer in JTL’s Marketing and Food Safety Department in 2020.

As a driven team builder with dynamic interpersonal skills, within 3 years, she now leads marketing for the manufacturing and retail divisions with responsibility for planning, organizing and implementing JTL’s marketing strategies, in addition to being a member of the company’s quality team, participating in the development of new products.

“Being charged with this pivotal marketing portfolio, I developed integrated marketing strategy across multiple markets in the Caribbean, which are all at different stages in their growth life cycle and therefore, require different levels of involvement, while efficiently managing the marketing budget.”

Under her management, the company was awarded JMEA’s ‘Best Digital Marketing Campaign’ in 2022 for Caribbean Dreams Condensed and Evaporated Coconut Milks and at Expo 2023, ‘Best Packaging’ for Tetley Super Teas.

Her expertise is also extended to the implementation of the group’s HR management software, which has improved the company’s data efficiency and staff management.

She has a B.Sc. in Management Studies and an MBA from UWI Mona.