Dreams baked into reality

Like the perfect loaf, cassava farmer and agro-processor Nadesha Campbell’s business has risen from humble beginnings to a market-ready venture. With a donation of J$125,000 from Michael Lee-Chin through NCB Foundation’s Grant a Wish 2024 programme, Campbell is now on the cusp of launching her coconut bammy bread.

From accounting to agro-processing, Campbell’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2019, following the loss of her accounting job during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, she was a new mother with her third child, facing the daunting task of providing for her family.

“I needed to make something work. I had to think quickly, and that’s when I turned to farming.”

She started Hazelymph Farm, initially planting peppers and plantains, but with little success. However, she made a pivotal shift to cassava, a crop that was in high demand and relatively easy to grow. This decision sparked the beginning of a new chapter.

“I never imagined I would be where I am today,” says Campbell, 45, who hails from the Cornwall Court community in St James. “At first, farming was a survival strategy. But then I realised the opportunities it could open up, especially with cassava.”

In 2021, Campbell said she secured legal tenure for five acres of land, and with the steady success of her cassava farm, she began dreaming bigger. Her big idea? A coconut bammy bread, which had always been in short supply but was hugely popular in her community. She built relationships with MegaMart, Pier 1, and SeaGarden, where she began selling her bammies.

As demand for the product grew, so did the vision for her business – but there was one challenge: funding. That’s when fate stepped in.

While seeking a loan at NCB’s Fairview branch, Campbell met Lee-Chin. She shared her story with him, describing her vision and how she needed to secure capital to build a factory. Lee-Chin, who had long wanted to find a good coconut bammy bread, was immediately drawn to her determination.

“I told him that cassava products were always hard to find, and I had this vision for a coconut bammy bread,” Campbell recalls. “His response was incredible. He said, ‘I’ve been looking for a coconut bammy bread for years! Let me help you.’ I never expected him to offer me 70 per cent of the funds I needed, but he did – J$125,000, which is exactly what I was hoping for.”

Campbell is nearing the final stages of her product’s development. Her coconut bammy bread is currently undergoing testing with the Scientific Research Council of Jamaica, with plans for a full market launch this March. Driven by her vision to scale, she is on a mission to secure a dedicated space to establish a factory to ramp up production.

BEYOND THE BREAD

Campbell has ambitious plans, and dreams of taking her business public within five years. She aims to expand production and offer employment to more Jamaicans, particularly farmers, who could benefit from the opportunity to work alongside her.

“My vision is to eventually list my business on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. I want to create more jobs, help more farmers, and show people that anything is possible with hard work and the right support,” she said.

Lee-Chin’s donation is part of NCB Foundation’s ongoing efforts to build a better Jamaica by giving people the resources they need to make lasting change in their communities.