Hertfordshire-based business helps bring the UK's first Jerk Festival to life
A Hertfordshire-based food business is helping put authentic Jamaican cuisine firmly on the UK's culinary map by launching the country's first-ever Jerk Festival.
Grace Foods UK, headquartered in Welwyn Garden City and the UK's leading supplier of authentic Caribbean food and drink, has joined forces with Black Eats London to bring the inaugural UK Jerk Festival to Hackney Wick on 25 and 26 July.
Thousands of food lovers are expected to attend the two-day celebration of authentic Jamaican food, culture and music, with some of the UK's leading jerk vendors competing to be crowned the UK's Best Jerk Vendor. Every competitor will cook using authentic Grace and Dunn's River jerk seasonings and marinades, with Grace Foods UK presenting the inaugural Grace Jerk Winner Award to the public's favourite.
The partnership builds on the expertise of the wider Grace Foods Group, which has helped establish some of the world's biggest Jerk Festivals in New York and Florida, while reinforcing Grace Foods UK's commitment to celebrating Jamaican food, culture and heritage here in the UK.
Grace Foods UK is supporting the festival to inspire more people to discover genuine Jamaican flavours and give consumers the confidence to recreate authentic jerk dishes at home.
Kimberley Lue Lim, Head of Marketing at Grace Foods UK, said: "Jerk is one of Jamaica's greatest culinary exports, but many people in the UK still haven't experienced authentic jerk cooking or understand the traditions behind it. As the authentic Jamaican brand, we want to inspire more consumers to discover what real jerk is all about and show them how easy it is to enjoy those flavours at home.
"With our farming network in Jamaica where peppers are grown to produce the authentic jerk used in our Grace and Dunn's River wet jerk seasonings, we take great pride in supporting the people and communities behind this iconic flavour. Educating overseas markets such as the UK about authentic jerk is an important part of that mission.
"Partnering with Black Eats London on the UK's first Jerk Festival is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate Jamaican food, culture and community. Together, we're helping people experience authentic jerk while supporting the outstanding vendors who are keeping these traditions alive."
Jackson McLarty, founder of Black Eats London, added: "Jerk is so much more than great food – it's part of Jamaica's history, identity and culture. UK Jerk Fest is about giving people the chance to experience authentic jerk in the way it should be enjoyed, while shining a spotlight on the incredible chefs and independent businesses who have dedicated themselves to keeping those traditions alive here in the UK."
Grace Foods UK will have a major presence throughout the festival, with product sampling, competitions, signature cocktails, influencer collaborations, recipes and live cooking inspiration. Visitors will also enjoy live DJs, Caribbean cultural performances, artisan traders and a host of family-friendly activities celebrating Jamaica's rich culinary heritage.