Ainsley Deer is an entrepreneur, and the owner and managing director of Taste Jamaica. He is originally from Jamaica but immigrated to Canada in 2009. His path to becoming an entrepreneur was an unconventional one, as he was a semi-professional soccer player, while studying at the University of Florida. After leaving soccer, he took many different career paths; from working as a player developmental host at a casino, to working in the corporate world, to working as a bouncer, and then even working in the pharmaceutical industry. He eventually became dissatisfied with working for someone else, and realized that he needed to focus on finding a purpose and vision. He decided to pursue his passion for creativity, for food, and to make profit, by starting his own Jamaican food/snack company, called Taste Jamaica. 

Ainsley initially started off with launching his rum cakes in 2021, to test his market and audience. The rum cakes gained in popularity but he still faced hurdles. But in true athletic form he pressed forward.

Ainsley wants people to know that starting your own business is not easy, it is a slow and steady climb. 

In the beginning, there were ups and downs especially during the pandemic, which was ironically a time when many people branched out and became entrepreneurs. 

But now, Taste Jamaica’s brand has gained momentum and their easter bun was even rated as the number one easter bun in Jamaica, for 2023 to 2024. Ainsley has expanded from selling his snacks in local stores and distributing his products with other companies in Canada. 

Now two years into the business, Taste Jamaica has many more branded products (snacks) including: easter bun and cheese, taste Jamaican tamarin balls, spices, smoke bonnet pepper, coconut drops, rum cake ( vanilla, coconut, black cake).

You can try samples of these wonderful treats in the Taste Jamaica gift boxes, including their Easter box. You may purchase Taste Jamaica snacks on their website or locally in 40 different stores in Toronto. It can also be found in stores located in the  tri-state area in the US.

Taste Jamaica not only sells great snacks but they also is starting to venture into spices and seasons, to give  both your Jamaican and non-Jamaican dishes the extra kick of mouth-watering flavour.

To purchase some Taste Jamaica products, visit: www.tasteja.ca 

Connect with Taste Jamaica on social media:

@tastejamaicaja

Linked in

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ainsley-deer-0aa86762/

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