Hesma Tyson inspires us and you?

Hesma Tyson, Managing Director and Founder, Specialty Foods Company, Trinidad & Tobago

Hesma Tyson founded Caribbean Specialty Foods Company Limited in 2008 to change the way hot sauces are made, without artificial ingredients, and to see her favourite condiment on the international stage. Hesma has worked in the food industry for over 15 years. She was inspired by the experience of mixing sauces in her home kitchen. The company was formed after three years of research and development, during which time the founder had no formal training in food technology, but eventually managed to produce her first batch of natural, shelf-stable hot sauce. Today, Caribbean Specialty Foods produces unique, natural and vegan Caribbean condiments, including four ranges of hot sauces, three ranges of dips and green seasonings – all free from artificial colours, preservatives and flavours.

The company has two main aims:

• To produce natural Caribbean condiments.
• To market the products in the CARICOM region, North America and the EU.

Relationships with producers, youth and women

The company uses locally and regionally available raw materials and supports local farmers in marketing their products. Its raw materials come from farmers in the area where its factory is located, in Moruga, a rural farming community. In the year the factory began production, founder Hesma established the Moruga Sauce Farmers Group, made up of farmers who agreed to supply products to tenants of the Moruga Agro Processing Industrial Park. The company also recruits its factory staff from the local community.

In addition to her role as managing director of Caribbean Specialty Foods, Hesma is a mentor for Youth Business Trinidad and Tobago, where she helps young entrepreneurs set up businesses in the agri-food industry. She also consults with start-ups and MSMEs looking to expand their businesses.

As an entrepreneur, Hesma has joined the She Trades TT movement, launched by the International Trade Centre (ITC) to improve economic opportunities for women around the world and promote fairer, more inclusive global trade.

Winner of the 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year Award

On 7 November 2024, the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Commerce and Industry presented Hesma with the 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year Award. This is the most prestigious award given by the country’s business community and has been well received by players in the SME agri-food sector.

Hesma has also been selected to take part in the Celebrating Women in Entrepreneurship event organised by She Trades to mark International Women’s Day in 2023.

The Speciality Foods Company is a member of the Agrinnovators.org community. As part of the FFM+ programme, the company participated in the IICA trade mission to the Caribbean in November 2022, organised jointly with COLEAD.

Hesma Tyson presents her company

This activity is supported by the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme, implemented by COLEAD within the Framework of Development Cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union. This publication receives financial support from the European Union and the OACPS. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of COLEAD and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the OACPS.