From Jamaica to Kenya: A Journey of Taste and Culture

Introduces the broader Trelawney story and the cultural connection between Jamaica, Kenya and Africa.

A connection that felt familiar

When Trelawney’s founder moved to Kenya in 2024, one thing quickly stood out: the depth of affection for Jamaica. Reggae, Jamaican personalities and the island’s unmistakable cultural influence were already familiar to many people. Yet beyond names such as Bob Marley and Usain Bolt, there was still much of Jamaica’s story waiting to be discovered.

That experience became the beginning of a broader journey. Trelawney was created not simply to bring Jamaican products to Kenya, but to open a window into the island itself: its people, culture, creativity, history and the many things being produced there today.

Beyond the Jamaica you already know

Jamaica’s global presence is remarkable, but the island is more than the icons for which it is best known.

Behind the music and familiar cultural references is a world of artisans, designers, artists, change makers and distinctive products, each offering another way to experience Jamaica. Trelawney exists to help tell those stories and, in doing so, to become a gateway into Jamaica’s rich culture; through its history, its present and its future.

The name itself is part of that story. Trelawney takes its name from the Jamaican parish where the founder’s mother was born, giving the journey a connection that is personal before it is commercial.

From Jamaica, through Kenya

For Trelawney, Kenya is more than a destination for Jamaican products. It is where a new conversation between Jamaica and Africa began to take shape.

Jamaica is home to the founder, while Africa has long represented a spiritual home and a connection to the roots from which Jamaican identity emerged. Trelawney brings those two worlds together through storytelling, shared experiences and an appreciation of the cultural commonalities that can be found across both sides of the Atlantic.

Kenya is the starting point, but the ambition is wider: to build connections between Jamaica and communities across Africa through culture, creativity and discovery.

Telling stories through taste

Sometimes a culture can be discovered through what is poured into a glass, brewed in a cup, unwrapped at a table or shared in conversation.

That idea sits behind the Trelawney collection. Cigars, chocolate, coffee, rum and tea have been brought together not as unrelated products, but as different expressions of Jamaican craftsmanship and character. The collection is deliberately curated so that the products complement one another while highlighting the variety and quality found within Jamaica.

A bar of Jamaican chocolate can introduce unexpected combinations of local flavours. A cup of coffee can offer another glimpse into the island. A carefully aged rum speaks to traditions developed over generations. Each becomes an invitation to look beyond the product and discover more of the place and people behind it.

More than a collection

Trelawney’s journey is ultimately about connection.

It is about introducing African audiences to sides of Jamaica they may not yet know. It is about creating space for Jamaican artisans, artists and designers to tell their own stories. It's also about recognising the shared threads between cultures while allowing each to retain its own identity.

From Jamaica to Kenya, and increasingly across Africa, the journey continues through flavour, culture, craftsmanship and conversation.

Because discovering Jamaica should be about more than knowing its name. It should be about experiencing its story.