ABOUT THERAPY®

Company status: Registered

Year of registration: 2015

Number of employees: 4

Business sector:Processed fruit and vegetables.

Danielle Thompson, CEO

Danielle Thompson is a former architectural designer who became a certified personal nutrition advisor after graduating from the University of Technology of Jamaica. Prior to starting THERAPY, Danielle changed her lifestyle to veganism and went into the world of fitness and body-building.

Missions & vision: THERAPY promotes a vegan plant-based lifestyle to provide the maximum benefit to our bodies and our planet. The brand’s ethos is “Make Healthy Fun, Delicious & Convenient!” and its missions are to:

• make plant-based vegan options trendy and accessible
• assist people to make lifestyle changes for optimal health and total well-being
• support the growth of organic farmers and promote sustainability.

Context

Background: THERAPY, created in 2015, produces balanced, nutrient-rich, vegan, sugar-free and preservative-free products. The plant-based foods are made from local organic fruit and vegetables grown by a network of Jamaican organic farmers.

Nature My Therapy LLC rebranded as THERAPY in 2019 to reflect the company’s focus on the total spectrum of wellbeing.

The company has a policy of composting all the peels, pulp and produce that didn’t make the cut to complete the food cycle by enriching the earth.

Position in the market: THERAPY is a major Jamaican wellness actor, especially in Kingston.

Relationship: The company sources organic produce from small-scale farmers across Jamaica whose farming practices support the local ecology and the natural richness of the soil.

Products covered and markets (with photos)

Main products: THERAPY provides a wide range of organic products: herbal teas, cold pressed juices, vegan protein blends, shots, ice pops and detox packages.

All-natural, cold-pressed, blended juices are available in different flavour combinations and packaged in bottles and as shots (16 oz/ 473 ml, 12 oz/ 354 ml, 2 oz/ 59 ml).

Several flavours are also available as ice pops and teas.

Main markets:Domestic – THERAPY delivers island-wide and has three retail outlets in Kingston and St Andrew, Jamaica.

Certifications: Organic and Made in Jamaica.

Innovations: Milestones and expansion plans

Milestones: Danielle has become a member of the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean, the region’s leading business accelerator which provides skills training, mentorship and financial investment opportunities.

The company has been twice nominated for the award of “Best New Food Product” by the Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards (2018 and 2021).

Needs for upscaling: THERAPY plans to continue expanding its carefully designed and prepared products, as well as to make healthy eating delicious, sustainable and fun. The company also plans to expand into the export market and enhance its e-commerce offer.

One of its major challenges lies in finding affordable and biodegradable packaging for its products. 100% biodegradable packaging is currently not practical and would greatly increase the cost to consumers.

Success factors and lessons learned

Growing and developing a business requires patience, setting of realistic goals, and adaptability. The COVID-19 pandemic initially disrupted the supply and production of THERAPY products – but it also led to a spike in demand for its immune system-boosting juices. The challenges have accelerated THERAPY’s transition to online retail and its effective use of social media. Using technology enables the company to continue to connect, innovate, and provide healthy options and ‘edutainment’ to customers through direct deliveries and strategic collaborations.

THERAPY’s business model is based on holistic development and well-being: as a healthy company, it is committed to making positive and lasting impacts and innovations in the agri-food sector.

Therapy was created thanks to the strong support network of its founder’s friends and family. Danielle is encouraging young entrepreneurs to use networking to their advantage and to outsource some of the work, for example accounting and webpage development.

Additional Resources

• Business profile (English)
• Business profile (French)
• Business profile (Spanisih)