Annual revenue has doubled in just six months

Durrant Pate/Contributor

Jamaican food distribution company Portland’s Finest Distribution is entering its next phase of growth with the launch of Flame2Fork, a premium line of chef-prepared refrigerated meals. 

The formation of this new business segment comes as the company continues an expansion that has seen annual revenue double in just six months. Portland’s Finest is set to double its 2025 revenue by the end of the 2026 financial year, driven by increased distribution through PriceSmart Jamaica, expansion into new product categories and its first regional market outside Jamaica.

Founder and Managing Director, Ronica Bryan, says the launch represents far more than a new product line but another milestone in a vision to build a world-class Caribbean food company. For her, “What started as a seafood distribution business has evolved into a diversified food company supplying premium seafood, fresh produce and now chef-prepared meals. Every expansion has been intentional, allowing us to build an integrated business that responds to how Caribbean consumers are eating today.”

Expanding over the years

Founded in 2019 as Portland’s Finest Seafoods, the company initially supplied fresh seafood to restaurants along St. Ann’s tourism corridor before expanding into supermarket distribution. Over the past several years, Portland’s Finest has broadened its portfolio to include fresh fruits, vegetables and ground provisions under its Green Crate Producers brand while investing in its own phytosanitary processing and manufacturing facility. 

Today, Portland’s Finest Distribution supplies major retailers, including PriceSmart Jamaica, and has developed a growing e-commerce platform serving customers directly. The latest addition to its portfolio, Flame2Fork, has been created to meet increasing consumer demand for nutritious, chef-prepared meals that offer convenience without compromising quality.

New business segment

Unlike frozen meals, Flame2Fork products are freshly prepared, blast-chilled and refrigerated to preserve flavour, texture and nutritional integrity. Each meal combines premium proteins, vegetables and wholesome carbohydrates, delivering balanced nutrition and authentic Caribbean flavours for busy professionals, families, fitness enthusiasts and anyone seeking healthy, ready-to-eat options.

The launch collection features:

• Herb-Crusted Salmon with Sweet Potato Mash and Steamed Vegetables
• Golden Pork with Sweet Potato Mash and Steamed Vegetables
• Grilled Chicken with Calypso Rice and Sautéed Vegetables
• Curry Chicken with Brown Rice and Sautéed Vegetables
• Curried Chickpeas with Brown Rice and Steamed Vegetables 

Commenting on the idea for the new business line, Brown explains, “The company understand that today’s consumers want meals they can trust. They want food that tastes homemade, uses quality ingredients and fits into increasingly busy lifestyles. Flame2Fork was developed to deliver exactly that.”

The products are currently available at PriceSmart’s Red Hills Road and Portmore warehouse clubs, with distribution expected to expand to Montego Bay following the retailer’s third Jamaican location later this year.

Expansion into Barbados

Looking beyond Jamaica, Portland’s Finest has already registered the Flame2Fork trademark in Barbados and developed meal offerings tailored specifically for the Barbadian market. Bryan believes regional expansion is a natural progression for the business.

According to her, “Barbados is the first step in our wider Caribbean strategy. Our objective is to build one of the region’s most respected food brands, one that represents innovation, consistency and authentic Caribbean flavour while strengthening partnerships with regional retailers.” The company’s ambitions extend beyond prepared meals.

With continued investment in manufacturing, food safety systems, cold-chain logistics and value-added food production, Portland’s Finest is positioning itself as an integrated food distribution and manufacturing company capable of serving both retail and export markets. 

 Industry analysts estimate that the Caribbean’s fast-moving consumer goods sector continues to grow steadily, creating significant opportunities for companies capable of delivering high-quality, locally inspired products at scale.

Bryan says Portland’s Finest intends to capitalize on that opportunity by expanding throughout CARICOM before targeting export markets in Europe and North America.