The Brussels Policy Briefing n. 53 on ”The next generation of farmers: successes and new opportunities” took place on 20th November 2018 (ACP Secretariat). It was co-organised by CTA, the European Commission (DG Devco and DG Agri), the ACP Secretariat and CONCORD.

1. Jamaica Jerk branding – Concept note
Creating a branding strategy for an iconic Jamaican product
© Windward Strategic Ltd www.windwardcommodities.com Page 1
1. Overview
This document outlines a strategic approach to branding Jamaica Jerk that builds on
the Geographical Indicator recently agreed in order to drive consumer awareness,
reinforce authenticity, increase processing volumes and margins for Jamaica
producers and drive wider social impacts through sustainable sourcing in Jamaica.
The key issue that this approach looks to address is that there is a very large gap
between creating a new Geographical Indicator (GI) and creating commercial value
from it. While consumer awareness of Jamaica Jerk and existing local brands is
high, leveraging a new GI requires significant investment, commercial partnerships
and effective branding in export markets. Windward Commodities has wide
experience in creating this sort of value from intellectual property in commodity
categories across Africa and the Caribbean. It’s regional experience includes the
establishment of Plantation Reserve sugar, a joint venture with the government of
Barbados that has introduced branded sugar into over 2,000 stores across Europe
and the Caribbean. Plantation Reserve will
deliver just over $2m to the Barbados sugar
industry above the world price in 2014. The
following approach has been developed
following regional meetings with the World
Intellectual Property Organisation as part of
Windward’s wider work across the
Caribbean. This draft document is for
discussion purposes only and is one of a
number of regional projects that Windward
is currently looking at.
2. Rationale
Agricultural commodities contribute to over half of total employment and more than a
quarter of GDP in developing countries, where over 1 billion farmers derive at least
part of their income from their production. Most of these farmers are smallholders
and therefore adding value to basic commodities has enormous potential to reduce
poverty. According to the Jamaican Ministry of Agriculture, 6% of GDP is derived
from agriculture; whilst over 17% of the Jamaican workforce is engaged in the sector
and the jerk industry based on exports has a significant potential impact on the
agricultural sector and particularly on pimento and chilli production. Effective
communication and commercial implementation of GI’s with partners creates
consumer and therefore business demand that gives producers and partners
leverage with major manufacturers and retailers, drives security of supply, grows
margins and mitigates long term pricing volatility. The challenge is that it also
requires marketing expertise, brand investment, effective category management and
strong customer relationships. Windward Commodities would look to provide this
expertise in conjunction with the Jamaica Jerk Association and its members.
3. Objectives
Windward Commodities will look to create a brand for Jamaica Jerk that:
• Builds on existing initiatives:
Create a brand that supports the on-going initiatives and planning of the Jerk
Association to establish a GI, in additional to any sector-wide strategies related
to Jerk and the required ingredients.
• Increase commercial volumes:
Generate higher volumes and associated margins for Jerk association members

2. Jamaica Jerk branding – Concept note
Creating a branding strategy for an iconic Jamaican product
© Windward Strategic Ltd www.windwardcommodities.com Page 2
and their suppliers through increased penetration of export markets and direct
sales to foreign manufacturers and retailers who wish to use the GI.
• Establish leverage:
Provide a clear point of difference for end consumers and therefore major
manufacturing and retail customers in order to secure access for the GI.
• Enforce the new GI:
Build capacity where possible so that the Jerk Association has sufficient
knowledge and access to police the GI.
• Reinforce sustainability:
Create a direct, quantifiable impact on increased incomes and poverty reduction
that in turn creates strong consumer and media interest in authentic Jerk .
4. Approach
Windward Commodities builds sustainable, profitable brands based on principles
used by Fast Moving Consumer Goods companies. These have been used to
successfully establish premium brands across a wide range of primary products
including Supima cotton, V-Power gasoline, Plantation Reserve sugar, Pink Lady
apples and Chiquita bananas. This approach takes consumers as the starting point
and builds brands that give producers leverage when dealing with major
manufacturers and retailers in traditional commodity supply chains. In all cases, the
end consumer is the focus of investment as a means of adding intellectual, rather
than physical, value to commodity products. Windward Commodities uses its
relationships with global advertising groups, sustainability bodies, retailers and
manufacturers in order to mitigate the up-front risk of branding through a focused
approach to New Product Development.
5. Jamaica Jerk
The case of Jamaica Jerk serves to illustrate both the process and potential impact
of commodity branding in the Caribbean. The approach below is an example only for
discussion with the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO), the Jamaica Jerk
Manufacturers Association and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
(a) Market opportunity
Unlike most commodities that Windward brands, Jamaica Jerk already has very
significant consumer recognition both in Jamaica and in US and UK export markets.
This has helped to increase total sales from Jamaican producers to US$14.5m in
both domestic and export markets, higher than equivalent revenues derived from
Blue Mountain coffee. However, the largest single sector of the export market,
particularly in the US, is taken by external brands such as McCormick (the largest
spice company in the world) as well as smaller manufacturers who sell ‘Jamaican
Jerk’ products (illustrated here) without any Jamaican ingredients, or production.
With the introduction of a formal Geographic Indicator for ‘Jamaica Jerk’ by Jamaica
and an associated brand, this represents
an opportunity to capture significant value
onshore in Jamaica for the Jerk
Manufacturers association, which includes
large companies including Grace
Kennedy. It also provides an opportunity
to create renewed interest in purchasing
‘authentic’ Jerk products for both the
tourist and export markets.

3. Jamaica Jerk branding – Concept note
Creating a branding strategy for an iconic Jamaican product
© Windward Strategic Ltd www.windwardcommodities.com Page 3
(b) Industry implications
Creating additional volumes and value for Jamaica Jerk also represents an
opportunity to make a fundamental impact on commodity input suppliers in Jamaica.
It demonstrates the opportunity to recapture production and value in Jamaica, whilst
at the same time requiring a range of different agricultural ingredients and therefore
presenting a strong case for developmental impact amongst farmers supplying to
processors. Jerk seasoning and paste primarily relies on two ingredients: allspice
(widely known as pimento in Jamaica and making up 85% of the sauce) and scotch
bonnet peppers. Other less fundamental ingredients include scallions, cloves,
cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, garlic and salt. However, as part of the Geographical
Indicator (GI) discussions that have already taken place, it has been agreed that
“Jamaica Jerk’ cannot be produced with less than 75% Jamaican ingredients,
processed in Jamaica. For the purposes of illustration a simplified Jamaica Jerk
value chain is located below.
Jamaica was the top global exporter of allspice throughout the 1990s, though has
now lost this market position to Mexico, which exported 408 MTs in 2010, as
opposed to Jamaica’s 318 MT. This is largely due to Mexico’s proximity to the US,
lower costs and ability to produce at great scale. Jamaica however is still perceived
as producing premium grade allspice, which is reflected in its higher price per MT
(almost double that of Mexico). Guatemala and Honduras now produce allspice and
scotch bonnet peppers on a commercial basis, with a 30% market share. These
geographic changes in production, coupled with the absence of protected intellectual
property (specifically Geographical Indicators) has led to a string of unauthentic
Jamaica Jerk sauces being sold in retail outlets. There are over 200,000 workers
engaged in Jamaican agriculture with a total of 8% production being dedicated to jerk
ingredients. Approximately 16,000 Jamaican farmers directly generate their income
from providing ingredients for jerk sauce, with close to 3,000 of these being women.
(c) Geographical Indicators
The issue with creating Geographical Indicators is that, unless executed effectively
and supported by a comprehensive supply chain, legal and communications
strategy, it can have no additional value to producers or farmers. For every well-
established GI with high value (well known examples include Champagne and
Darjeeling) there are thousands that have little additional value. Windward is looking
to support the Jamaican Jerk Association to develop and execute a GI and any other
associated IP required (e.g. trademarks) with a focus on turning a mark into a
valuable commercial property. This strategy would be developed, along with an
implementation plan, with technical input from WIPO, JIPO and the Jamaican Jerk
Association. For the initial pilot phase of this, we would work to create incremental
sales representing 5% of the current market. This would look to create an ingredient
brand and associated campaign that is applicable both to external manufacturers
and existing genuine Jamaican brands.
(d) Branding illustration
Branding would be based on a small, but iconic ingredient brand (an example
illustrated here). As with all ingredient branding, this needs to be simple enough to
Farm
Suppliers
(Allspice, scotch bonnet,
peppers, scallions etc.)!
Retailers !
Jerk
Processors !
(e.g. Grace Kennedy
& Walkerswood) !
Logistics &
Distribution!

4. Jamaica Jerk branding – Concept note
Creating a branding strategy for an iconic Jamaican product
© Windward Strategic Ltd www.windwardcommodities.com Page 4
stand out on other brands packaging but not so simple that it fails to communicate
the key messages (in this case, Jamaica and authenticity). The three options above
are for illustration only and simply serve to show a range of potential possible
executions that could be developed for Jamaica Jerk.
(e) Branding application
Key to an effective GI strategy for Jamaica Jerk is the clear targeting of the brand to
distinct groups in order to maximise its value to the industry:
• Foreign brands - rather than threaten
large US companies with legal action,
Windward would look to develop a
programme with the Jerk Association that
allows us to approach manufacturers in
the US and EU and introduce the brand to
them with clear public relations, corporate
and CSR benefits if they use the logo on
one of their product portfolio with sourcing
from Jamaica. While we most would not
be interested, we believe that there is
enough potential participation to create
incremental volumes of around 100,000
cases per annum (just over 15% of the
total volume) with an additional value for
the industry of around US$ 2m per
annum.
• Jamaican brands - would be given the opportunity to benefit from investment in
a generic “Make it Jamaican” message that would look to drive both domestic
tourist sales of existing brands and reinforce authenticity credentials in key export
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5. Jamaica Jerk branding – Concept note
Creating a branding strategy for an iconic Jamaican product
© Windward Strategic Ltd www.windwardcommodities.com Page 5
markets including the UK and EU. Given the expense involved in marketing to
export markets, the focus would be on seeding the GI and branding in a tourism
environment with a direct promotional link to repurchasing when back at home as
a means of creating additional retail sales for producers and seeding the GI to
potential future consumers in their home US and EU markets. This has the
potential to create incremental volumes of 50,000 cases per annum (7% of total
current volume) with an added value to producers of at least US$1m each year.
This authenticity would also support existing Jerk brands in competition with
established spice categories (e.g. Chilli sauce) and marinade and rub equivalents
from other origins. Brands would be given the option of a range of applications
from the small logo by itself to a larger ‘Make it Jamaican’ stamp with marketing
and social media support. Example for illustration only below
6. Business model
Windward has offices in Barbados and the UK and acts as a social enterprise. This
means that everything we do has a social impact and benefits producers in the
countries in which we operate. As such, we are supported by institutions including
the Shell Foundation (the charitable arm of Shell Oil) and the Common Fund for
Commodities (a UN organisation). We operate in three main ways:
(a) On a ‘gain-share’ model;
Where producers have limited financial resources or do not want to take the risk of
branding we invest our own funds up-front to create a brand. This typically ranges
from US$250k to US$500k. If the brand does not generate a commercial benefit to
producers we do not get a return on this investment. If the brand succeeds, we take
a fee based on a percentage of the additional value generated. So if a producer in
Africa was selling sugar for US$1,000 per tonne before branding and was able to sell
it for US$1,500 per tonne as a branded product, we would take a percentage of the
US$500 per tonne of added value generated. This means that we take on the up-
front risk and make a return only if the brand is commercially successful.
(b) On a consultancy basis
Where producers are willing to take the up-front financial risk we are paid for the time
we spend in supporting them to create and implement brands.
(c) As an investor
We invest to take a shareholding in the producer (e.g. in Barbados we established a
joint venture with the government there for branding Barbados sugar).