With the backing of state agencies and angel investors, Patria-Kaye Aarons has taken her Sweetie Confectionery business out of Kingston and is now operating from the Clarendon capital of May Pen.
She now has a larger factory, spanning 4,000 square feet, which was developed with backing from entities like First Angels Jamaica, the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and the Development Bank of Jamaica.
“It’s 10 times the space,” said Aarons, the chief executive officer of Sweetie Confectionery Limited. She previously operated from rented space at the Trade Centre on Red Hills Road in Kingston.
Aarons told Gleaner Business in an interview on Thursday that her candy-manufacturing operation, which features natural fruit oils, is already running 24-hour operations to catch up with demand. Production started from the new space in August.
Sweetie Confectionery is the only candy maker in the island, after Miel shuttered its business. There are other confectionery businesses, but they largely focus on chocolates.
The candy company, aided by its new capacity, will be ramping up exports by year end.
“We have orders from 180 locations in Jamaica waiting to be filled,” Aarons said. “While setting up the factory, we had a brief hiatus in production. The priority over the next three months is to restock Jamaican shelves. By Christmas, we’ll be servicing up to four export markets, two of whom already have put in firm orders,” she said.
Aarons gave up office work and became an entrepreneur two years ago. The former communications manager, who did advanced management studies at University of Edinburgh, started the confectionery company in 2015, having reached out to the Scientific Research Council to create flavour profiles for her products.
Her candy lines include traditional favourites such as peanut brittle, paradise plum and a range of fruit-flavoured sweets made with real oil extract including guava, June plum and jackfruit.
