Grace Foods UK has joined forces with Black Eats London to bring the UK's first Jerk Festival to life.
Thousands of food lovers are expected to descend on Hackney Wick in London on 25 and 26 July for the two-day celebration of authentic Jamaican food, culture and the very best jerk cooking from across the UK.
UK's leading jerk vendors will serve dishes cooked with authentic Grace jerk seasonings and marinades, competing to be crowned the UK's Best Jerk Vendor in a public vote. Grace Foods UK will present the winning vendor with the inaugural Grace Jerk Winner Award, recognising the very best in authentic jerk cooking.
The partnership draws on the expertise of the wider Grace Foods group, which is behind some of the world's biggest Jerk Festivals, including events in New York City and Florida.
The jerk chicken at the UK festival will be priced at £6.50 by all vendors.
As the UK’s leading food and drink supplier, Grace Foods UK is using the festival to inspire more people to discover genuine Jamaican flavours and give consumers the confidence to recreate authentic jerk dishes at home.
Whether visitors are already fans of Caribbean food or discovering jerk for the first time, they'll be able to experience the depth and versatility of authentic Jamaican flavours.
From the bold heat of traditional jerk to the sweeter, milder taste of Grace Jamaican Honey Jerk Seasoning, the festival has been designed to showcase jerk for every palate while demonstrating just how easy it is to cook with at home. Grace Jamaican Honey Jerk Seasoning has a two-star “outstanding” Great Taste Award
Festival-goers will be encouraged to recreate their favourite dishes using Grace Jerk Seasoning, Grace Jerk BBQ Marinade and Grace Honey Jerk products, available in major supermarkets and independent retailers across the UK. Alongside sampling exceptional food at the festival, visitors will discover recipes, cooking inspiration and serving ideas that make it easy to bring authentic Jamaican flavours into everyday kitchens.
Globally, Grace Foods UK’s sister company Grace Foods has a long history of supporting jerk festivals internationally, including some of the world's largest celebrations in New York City and Florida, where the events have received civic recognition for their positive impact on local communities.
The UK festival marks the next chapter in Grace's mission to celebrate Jamaican food, culture and heritage while introducing authentic jerk to an even wider audience.
Grace Foods UK is also using the festival to celebrate the authenticity of Jamaican jerk and support the businesses that keep the tradition alive. By partnering with Black Eats London and bringing together many of the UK's leading jerk vendors, the company hopes to educate consumers about what authentic jerk really is, while strengthening the community around one of Jamaica's most iconic culinary traditions.
Kimberley Lue Lim, Head of Marketing at Grace Foods UK, said: "Jerk is one of Jamaica's greatest culinary exports, but many people in the UK still haven't experienced authentic jerk cooking or understand the traditions behind it. As the authentic Jamaican brand, we want to inspire more consumers to discover what real jerk is all about and show them how easy it is to enjoy those flavours at home.
"With our farming network in Jamaica where peppers are grown to produce the authentic jerk used in our Grace and Dunn's River wet jerk seasonings, we take great pride in supporting the people and communities behind this iconic flavour. Educating overseas markets such as the UK about authentic jerk is an important part of that mission.
"Partnering with Black Eats London on the UK's first Jerk Festival is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate Jamaican food, culture and community. Together, we're helping people experience authentic jerk while supporting the outstanding vendors who are keeping these traditions alive. We hope visitors leave inspired to recreate their favourite dishes using Grace products and continue exploring authentic Jamaican cooking long after the festival has finished."
Looking ahead to the festival, Jackson McLarty, founder of Black Eats London, said: "Jerk is so much more than great food – it's part of Jamaica's history, identity and culture. UK Jerk Fest is about giving people the chance to experience authentic jerk in the way it should be enjoyed, while shining a spotlight on the incredible chefs and independent businesses who have dedicated themselves to keeping those traditions alive here in the UK."
"Teaming up with Grace Foods UK has allowed us to create something that goes beyond a food festival. Together, we're celebrating Jamaican culture, educating people about authentic jerk and creating opportunities for the community to come together. We hope visitors leave with a deeper appreciation of the heritage behind the food, as well as a few new favourite flavours."
Grace Foods UK will have a major presence throughout the festival, with Grace branding across the event, dedicated activations, signature cocktails made using Grace mixers, influencer collaborations, recipe content and competitions.
Every participating vendor will cook with Grace jerk products, while festival-goers will be able to enjoy specially created Grace Jerk Special dishes and vote for their favourite vendor to win the inaugural Grace Jerk Winner Award.
The partnership will continue beyond the festival with exclusive cooking videos, recipe inspiration and a Grace Recipe Competition, giving consumers the chance to win Grace products and have their own recipe featured across Grace Foods UK's social media channels. Ticket giveaways, influencer collaborations and digital content will further encourage consumers to discover authentic Jamaican cooking and recreate the flavours at home using Grace products.
Founded by Jackson Mclarty and powered by Black Eats, London's food and culture platform, UK Jerk Fest celebrates Jamaican food, culture and heritage while bringing together the country’s best jerk chefs, live entertainment and independent food businesses for a weekend dedicated to authentic Caribbean flavours.
Alongside incredible food, visitors can enjoy live DJs and entertainment, Caribbean cultural activations, artisan retailers, brand experiences, product sampling and giveaways, creating a vibrant celebration of Jamaica's rich food and cultural heritage.