Tue | Feb 17, 2026

Homestyle Bammies are ready

Published:Thursday | April 7, 2011 | 12:00 AM
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CEO of Jamaica Producers (JP) Group Jeffrey Hall (left) chats with Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton and Florence Reid, operations and new product development manager at JP before the opening of the Jamaica Producers Homestyle Bammy Factory in St Mary last Thursday.
Rayon Richards operates the press machine that smoothes out the grounded cassava before it heads to the sifters.
Kay-Ann Graham 'cleans up' the edges on these bammies, just before they are packaged. - photos by Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
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Jamaica Producers Tropical Foods to the Rescue!

Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

Take a hike rice, beat it bread; cassava bammies are taking over as the starch of choice.

At least that's what Jamaica Producers (JP) Tropical Foods hopes to do with its new Homestyle Bammy-making facility which was opened last Thursday. Located mere metres from JP Farms' main office in St Mary, the facility has been fully operational for one month but open for three months overall.

Florence Reid, operations and new-product development manager said they can put out up to four tons or 200 cases a week. If they work on a double shift, the number can increase to 500 cases. At the moment, there are two sizes, the 'regular' medium size and the 'beenie', while the sticks (bammy chips) and wafers should also be in stores this week.

JP Simply Fresh Bammies are low in salt with half the fat of white bread and 25 per cent more protein. There is zero transfat, they are gluten-free and totally organic, plus they are grown and processed right here in Jamaica, an ode to the Eat Jamaican campaign. JP Simply Fresh Bammies are made only from freshly reaped cassavas from the company's farm in St Mary's Agualta Vale district.

After touring the 'house of bammies', guests were treated to brunch with different dishes including bammy pizza, bammy lollipop, and there was even a dessert alternative - the delicious sugar cinnamon bammy. The good old cassava taste coupled with sweet sugar crystals was irresistible!

convenient

Perhaps the best thing about the different styles (like the cinnamon toast) is that the JP Tropical Foods factory can produce them for you. Rolf Simmonds, JP Tropical Food's director of commercial operations, said that apart from providing an alternative starch, JP also wanted to make things more convenient. They want customers to spend less time preparing bammy and more time consuming it.

Easy to prepare, the bammies are perfect for any major meal or as a snack in-between. Whether steamed and fried, or dipped in soups and sauces, there is no end to the possibilities.