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Tortuga celebrates milestone with Kingston factory grand opening

Published:Wednesday | December 21, 2016 | 12:00 AMKimberly Goodall
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Darien Robertson
The quartet of (from left) Nicky Clarke, Tina Matalon, Tania McConnell and Karen Myers.
Darien Robertson
Director of the board of the Jamaica Producers Group Sanya Goffe is looking lovely in this black-and-white ensemble with red heels.
Darien Robertson
From left: CEO of Jamaica Producers, Jeffrey Hall celebrates the milestone with Tortuga's Monique and Marcus Simmonds.
Darien Robertson
Tortuga’s assistant manager in Cayman, Delrose Williams (left), enjoys a glass of wine with president of Marketing Counselors Limited, Susan Fox.
Darien Robertson
From left: Tortuga International’s founders, Robert and Carlene Hamaty share smiles with their daughter and director of brand development – Monique Hamaty-Simmonds, and her husband, Marcus.
Darien Robertson
From left: Corporate Affairs Manager for Jamaica Producers Group Lisa Johnston and her husband and director Charles, share a photo op with Honorary Consul of Ethiopia Yodit Hylton and her husband, Anthony.
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After four years of providing Jamaica with delicious rum cakes, Tortuga International Holdings Limited, along with Jamaica Producers Group, invited

well-wishers and supporters to celebrate the opening of their Kingston factory, Tortuga House.

With cocktails by the Valencia Room at the Spanish Court Hotel, Worthington, it was a celebration as guests arrived in high spirits to congratulate Tortuga on its milestone. Greeted with signature cocktails made from Tortuga's pineapple, mango and coconut rums, guests made their way into a room filled with good music, food and limitless samples of Tortuga's banana, coconut, Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee rum cakes and rum balls.

 

Tears of Joy

 

Tortuga's director of brand development, Monique Hamaty-Simmonds, took to the stage to welcome guests and share her joy at the growth of the company she grew up in. CEO of Jamaica Producers Group Jeffrey Hall thanked their friends in business and government, who have helped in making many decisions, and had stuck their necks out for a company they believed in.

Formalities continued with a Tortuga update from CEO Marcus Simmonds, a celebratory speech from Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation Daryl Vaz, followed by a tearful greeting from founder, Robert Hamaty.

"It's been a long journey, " he stated. "It started when my wife's recipe became a success, and it was all about finding the right partners like Jamaica Producers," Hamaty shared.

After, guests engaged in a video presentation that showcased Tortuga's growth over the past three decades.

The evening ended with a ceremonial cake cutting, drinks and cakes galore.

kimberly.goodall@gleanerjm.com