Bresheh (Breadfruit) Enterprise “Mi Love Breadfruit!”

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

I am not sure if the reason I appreciate this business feature is because of my extreme love for breadfruit, or if it is the fact that two Jamaican brothers have taken this wonderful fruit and found a way to make it not only popular in Jamaica, but around the world.

For those who do not know, Bresheh is the Jamaican term for breadfruit, a beloved food found in many Caribbean Islands. This very important plant has become a staple in Jamaica and many do not know that the ancient voyaging Polynesians brought it to Hawaii. Before western contact, Hawaii called this fruit tree ulu, and it was a large part of the cultural and spiritual life of ancient Hawaiians. Some of these groves were so large that they were capable of sustaining around 75,00 people. A breadfruit tree is one of the highest yielding food plants producing between 50 to 150 fruits per year and can be as heavy 12 pounds. Captain William Bligh brought the breadfruit tree to Jamaica in 1793; it made sense because it became an inexpensive and nutritious way to feed the large number of slaves who worked on the island.

Rumour has it that the very first breadfruit tree was planted in Path, St. Thomas, which makes the Bresheh brothers, Davian and Randy McLaren’s story a story of strategic opportunity. The McLaren brothers hail from St. Thomas, home of the breadfruit, which is why they choose to call their enterprise Bresheh. The brothers wanted to translate their love of Jamaica food, and culture into a business venture that would help their community.

Randy McLaren, the Chief Dream Maker, and Spoken Word Artist trained at the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship, and brother Davian had worked in retail for years and had a naturally creative mind. Together they began to research the textile market, and they found that there was a lot of waste when it came to making baggage and luggage. They began to craft a way to tackle the imported luggage and accessory market that would cut down on the waste, and still produce a luxury product that people would love. On August 1^st, 2015, they launched Bresheh Enterprises on their veranda; their goal was to not only bring a high-quality alternative to the mass imported luggage market in Jamaica, but they also wanted to create opportunities for people in their community.

“You have to collaborate to be great!” (Randy McLaren)

What makes this brand beautiful is that when you buy one, you know you are buying an authentic product made with love. Their initial tenacity paid off and they successfully sold close to 150 bags in less than three months of launching.

The McLaren brothers realized that in order to grow, they would need to collaborate, so they went straight to their community. They hired 10 people to help with their project, which included single parents and the deaf community. Things were going so well that Davian McLaren quit his job, and he and Randy pooled their funds to buy an industrial sewing machine. Over time, they went from their veranda to a larger home in Portmore.

“How are you going to compete with China?” (Jamaican Locals)

 The McLaren brothers are not about competition they are about quality. The custom made, original bags are made from quality canvas material and upholstery fabric; the plans were to eventually make the bags using rice bags and denim. There were three collections of bags that became very popular; they included: the Bresheh Basic. Bresheh Basic Flip, and the Bresheh Rucksack. Over time they have upgraded and their new line; the newest Roast Collection is made using vegan leather, with calico insides. Most vegan leather is made using polyvinyl chloride or polyurethane, both of which are plastic-based material, and even with the world’s plastic problem is still viewed as the more sustainable and ethical option when it comes to making: handbags, belts, wallets, shoes and anything else you would typically find that uses leather.

Fashion Fact: One of the leaders in fashion design Stella McCartney uses vegan leather in her designs.

Their new collection called the Roast Collection is exclusive because they patterned it off the breadfruit. It comes in three colours: Black, Charcoal-Grey, and Dusty Brown; the insides of the bags are a light tan colour resembling the inside of breadfruit.

This creative duo has sustained clientele like Miss Jamaica Sanneta Myrie, Emprezz Golding, Chronixx and I-Octane. They would like to eventually bring their brand to the international market and are currently finding ways to streamline their operations so that this can become possible. They see Bresheh as a social enterprise and continue to work with young people helping them understand the inner workings of running a business and being entrepreneurs. You can check out Bresheh on Facebook @pickbresheh, and Twitter @pickbresheh. After all this talk about breadfruit, I am hungry; I may not be able to pick one off a tree here in Toronto, but I can surely improvise with a fashionable option. There is always time for some breadfruit.