About Hey Mama Products

• Company status: Sole proprietorship.
• Year of registration: 2022.
• Number of employees: One employee, the founder.
• Business sector: Aquaculture processing.

Kamarsha Sylvester – Managing Director

Kamarsha Sylvester hails from Paix-Bouche, a village in the north of Dominica.

Her love for agriculture was evident as she began growing herbs and corn after completing her degree.

Her passion for entrepreneurship truly ignited in 2012 during her final year at the University of the West Indies, where she teamed up with a business partner to produce ice pops.

Kamarsha is undoubtedly an all-rounder. She is an electrician with a degree in Psychology and International Relations, currently employed as a Social Safeguards Specialist, and is also a well-known performance poet.

A firm advocate for healthy eating, Kamarsha’s latest venture, Hey Mama, reflects her commitment to promoting nutritious food. Her ambition is to see her products sold in supermarket chains internationally, but for now, she aims to conquer the wider Caribbean.

Background

Ms. Kamarsha Sylvester founded Hey Mama after she personally experienced the powerful health and wellness benefits of sea moss. Following market research, Hey Mama was established with a name designed to stand out in the market and not limit the business to only sea moss production.

Hey Mama is a growing business specializing in the packaging and production of a variety of high-quality, dried, and packaged wildcrafted sea moss, while maintaining a commitment to ethical and sustainable business practices. Located in Portsmouth, Dominica, Hey Mama is passionate about educating customers on the benefits of sea moss and helping them incorporate it into their diets.

Its social media platforms provide abundant information about sea moss, including preparation and usage tips.

The ultimate goal of Hey Mama is to make sea moss accessible and easy to use, supporting improved health and overall well-being. The sea moss is carefully dried and packaged in attractive packaging to ensure convenience and accessibility for customers.

Vision: Hey Mama aims to be a brand which uses honest ingredients to provide customers with premium quality they can trust.

Mission: Hey Mama will provide sustainably sourced, naturally nutritious foods that enhance people’s health.

Hey Mama focuses on:

• Quality: the best ingredients, from quality sources, to provide quality nutrition.
• Innovation: continuously experimenting and testing of new formulations, combinations, and processes to develop the healthiest and most nutritious foods for increasingly discerning, health conscious, and demanding consumers.
• Integrity: committing to the highest standards, which is the foundation of customer trust in Hey Mama. The business stands behind its products and services.

Relationships with the community

Hey Mama sources from suppliers that engage in sustainable cultivation, ensuring that the areas where the moss is farmed are protected and maintained.

Hey Mama bridges the gap between farmers and the market.

Main products

Hey Mama Products sells sun dried wildcrafted gold, green and purple sea moss (also known as Irish moss). The term wildcrafted refers to the fact that the sea moss is cultivated in its natural, “wild” habitat. Marketed as a superfood with a high source of vitamins and other nutrients. The products are natural, vegan, organic, non-GMO and gluten free.

Customers are encouraged to try the products for their numerous benefits, including increased energy levels, a great source of iodine important for thyroid health, and rich antioxidants. Sea moss is also known for its ability to boost the immune system, improve digestion, and support healthy skin and hair. The company suggests adding sea moss to smoothies, soups, or salads for an easy and delicious way to incorporate this superfood into diets.

Hey Mama shares unique recipes, such as salad dressings and sea moss cocoa tea, to promote their products. These recipes are posted on social media and YouTube.

Main markets

Hey Mama products are sold on retail, wholesale and bulk. They can be found at several local locations, including markets, boutiques, shops and the Douglas-Charles airport. To date Hey Mama’s products are sold in two online marketplaces (including Jollys Pharmacy Online Store and Shopdm) and are also exported to St. Kitts and Antigua.

Main services

Packaging and marketing sea moss-based products.

Milestones

One of the initial business challenges of Hey Mama was creating product packaging that would appeal to consumers. After conducting market research, the founder was able to create packaging that was visually attractive and informative. The business is also currently developing its own value-added sea moss products. As of July 2024, Hey Mama relocated to a new 480 sq. ft. dedicated space, which includes a production area, storage room, and washroom. The proposed operational layout will include an assembly line to increase productive efficiency and deter cross contamination.

Needs for upscaling

A challenge for Hey Mama is sourcing locally based packaging materials suitable for the products and ecommerce.

Success factors and lessons learned

The success factors of Hey Mama can be attributed to social, economic and environmental sustainability.

Sea moss cultivation is seen as a viable and sustainable livelihood across the Caribbean for under-served and sea-faring populations. Multiple sea moss farmer groups and associations have been created in Dominica to share knowledge and pursue collective actions.

Consumer trends indicate a shift towards healthy eating due to high healthcare costs and a desire for longer lifespans, resulting in increased demand for whole foods, superfoods, and natural products.

The main ingredient in Hey Mama’s current and future products is sea moss, viewed as a super-food due to its high nutrient levels and the variety of non-communicable health issues it can address. These benefits are attributed to the natural environment in which it is grown. As such, the success of the business is inextricably linked to the sustainability of the natural environment of the Dominican waters.

Hey Mama is committed to environmental sustainability by:

• Promoting organic farming and sourcing only from farmers engaging in sustainable practices.
• Supporting the conservation of sea wildlife and wildlife protection in general.
• Using environmentally friendly and reusable packaging.

Moreover, the Compete Caribbean Partnership Facility (CCPF) assisted Hey Mama through a Capacity Building Initiative and a Women-owned Firms Accelerator Mentorship Project, which helped develop an in-depth business plan. Additionally, the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute provided training, including the Blue Economy workshop and the Introduction to Food Safety – GMPs and HACCP 2023, where certifications were earned.

Furthermore, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture supported Hey Mama by providing equipment, namely an automatic plastic bag sealer and a handheld printer. This equipment enabled the business to transition from hand-sealing its products, thereby increasing productivity and reducing production costs.

Hey Mama’s efforts were recognized and rewarded. The Dominica Export Import Agency (DEXIA) recommended a selection of entrepreneurs to be featured at the OECS Virtual Trade Expo in May 2023, including Hey Mama, which showcased its goods and services at this digital event. Additionally, Hey Mama was one of the top seven entrepreneurs to pitch at the Gems Entrepreneurship Challenge in May 2023.

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