The food we eat every day tells a lot about us; who we are, where we come from, and how we choose to be. Ever wondered why people from different regions of the world like certain spice levels, and flavours in their food? How some recipes and culinary traditions are so important to a specific culture?
There is more of a connection between food and culture than one can imagine. The food we grow up eating becomes a part of our identity. That is the main reason why people tend to associate food from childhood with nostalgia and emotions. Food ties us to our origin and becomes a wholesome hideout in times of frustration and stress. Such is the story of the brand Cool Runnings.
The famous Caribbean spice company started in 1992 in a friend’s garage with a handful of products and high ambitions of dominating the spice market. Paul (Founder of Cool Runnings Foods) came from a middle-lower-class background. His father was a rice farmer, and his mother had a stall where she used to sell clothes and food in the local market. Being raised in a business-driven family, Paul opted out of University to pursue his dream of setting up his spice shop. His source of motivation was to buy a car, but his ambitions were driven by his family’s background. He saw a massive opportunity in the Canadian market for west-indian spices. Fast forward 30 years, and Cool Runnings Foods is not only bridging the gap between Canada and the Caribbean but the emotional distance we have from our loved ones in pursuit of a better life.
Cooking brings us closer to our loved ones because we share our culture and heritage through food. Sharing a meal with family and friends is an emotionally binding practice in Jamaica, and these are the emotions Cool Runnings Foods wants to inspire among its customers. Jamaicans who immigrated to Canada left behind tons of warm memories they cannot return to. Cool Runnings Foods took them back to their homeland through nostalgia and gave them a moment of peace in the hustle and bustle of the city through the mesmerizing aroma of their authentic spices.Though the world is divided by iron walls, food transgresses all boundaries and restrictions, allowing cultures to adapt and accept each other. The recent rise in diversity is accredited to flavours of different lands rejoicing to form culinary marvels. Through Cool Runnings Foods, Jamaicans prevail over their heritage and transfer their culture to their children. But that alone isn’t what the spices from Bob Marley’s homeland are all for. Flavours like Caribbean spice and roasted garlic, and all-purpose seasoning enlighten a boring meal and bring stories with them to a land where canned food and ready-to-eat meals dominate the market. Cool Runnings Foods has been migrating culture and traditions for three decades, connecting the Caribbeans to the west. The brand is creating a new market in Canada by migrating distinct flavours and spices that rock Canadian meals to the bone, relishing basic cuisine, and creating mouthwatering dishes that bring people together and build community.
