Black History Month 2022 Showcase: Mama's Jerk

Tell us a bit about yourself and your business

My name is Adrian Luckie, and I'm the founder of Mama’s Jerk. I’ve been a chef for over 25 years and have a passion for food.  I’ve been operating Mama’s Jerk since 2010 from a market stall to trading at events & festivals to permanent retail sites such as our Canary Wharf site. 

Mama’s Jerk was created as a legacy to my great grandmother Mama Charlotte and her love of food & recipes that were passed down generations to my grandmother, mum, my sister & myself. Mama’s Jerk’s journey is to use her inspirational food and become an innovative Caribbean food brand by being brave & innovative fusing traditional flavours with modern styles of food. 

2. What are some of the challenges you face regarding innovation? (e.g. new menu items, keeping up with industry trends etc)

I personally believe that we have to keep up with some trends eg: Vegan / Plant Based etc but we have to be real & have faith in what we do! If we changed our menu to always suit every current trend, then there’s a risk of not being seen as specialists with our offering. 

I believe that if we can improve what we currently offer, and are courageous with being innovative then this will keep our already-consistent customers coming back to us. Most Caribbean food and culture covers so many food trends  as long as you know how to to be creative with the ingredients without losing authenticity in the end product. 

3. What’s the one piece of advice you’d give to other entrepreneurs who are beginning their journey?

Have faith in your product, research the product(s) that you want to create, and try to stand out from what’s currently out there. Ask questions & ask for help from other entrepreneurs who are further forward in their journey - many people will be happy to help, as we all know how tough the journey is!

Perseverance is key to the journey as is having a great team. As an original solo entrepreneur I can’t recommend highly enough the necessity to having a partner or partners, each with different skill sets, to enhance the business.  

It’s essential to get other viewpoints and support with vital decisions to help the business to grow. 

4. The theme for 2022’s Black History Month is ‘Time for Change: Action Not Words’. What does this mean to you?

To me, this means exactly what it says! Promoting a clear and unbiased viewpoint of black culture and the positive impact it’s had on British culture.  I also think it's time for a change of the perception of Black Businesses. Whether it's entrepreneurs, the lack of representation in leadership or having more black women in positions of power, it's all things that need to be improved.

I think we should also teach entrepreneurship in schools, to inspire the next generation and make sure that we're highlighting and recognising past, present and future people of colour, showcasing and honouring the achievements of black culture in the UK. 

At Mama's Jerk, we're planning to celebrate with a series going out on our social media for the whole month talking about BHM and explaining our culture though our recipes. We have worked on a special dish for Black History Month and it’s important for us to also highlight each one of our amazing crew that help us everyday achieve our goals

5. What would you like to achieve next for Mama's Jerk?

To open other sites alongside other well known brands such as Leon, Itsu, Wagamama, Nando’s and Five Guys, as we have done in Canary Wharf. We are a small black-owned independent company that’s managed to operate alongside well funded food brands. 

We also hope to launch a range of our own products online like sauces, seasonings, prepared meals, bbq’s & bbq kits. We would also like inspire the next generation of young entrepreneurs and are happy to help any budding entrepreneur with advice, tips and guidance. 

6. Anything else you'd like to add?

7.  

We would just like to add a big thanks for the support Canary Wharf management has given to us a small business over the last few years, without their support and understanding we probably wouldn’t have survived. We think it’s great that the Canary Wharf management see the importance of celebrating our culture and the diversity within the area.