I am a medical practitioner and a research scientist whose career pathway has been forged by faith, discipline and ‘happenstance’ – that is, the art of capitalising on unexpected circumstances. The COVID-19 period was one such circumstance. This was a difficult time for many, but during that time many of us also built resilience, took risks, and created solutions. In short, we brought to life the classic tale of “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” As the lead scientist of the Barbados Diabetes Remission Study-2 (BDRS2) – a research project with the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre (GACDRC) of The University of the West Indies (The UWI) – I had the responsibility for guiding clients with type 2 diabetes through a structured weight-loss programme designed to achieve diabetes remission. This was an extremely rewarding time for me not just because of the results, but because of the human stories that unfolded as I worked with and through persons in the community, equipping them with tools to either manage their own health or to support persons along their journey. Then came the national shutdown which disrupted the supply chain for the low-calorie drink that formed the base of our clients’ weight-loss regimen.

While many studies opted to discontinue operations, I was motivated by this challenge, spurred on by the interest of my clients in their own transition, and determined to fill the gap. I reached out to a colleague, Mrs Eden Augustus-Rocke, who I was confident would be both willing and able to lead the charge on creating menus that fit the nutritional profile using readily accessible produce. Hailing from the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Eden is a Nutritionist and Certified Chef who had recently embarked on her PhD journey with the GACDRC family. Eden recalls, “During this time, I taught clients within the BDRS2 how to eat well within a budget, while maintaining their weight loss and glucose control. I challenged them to take ownership of their health journey by integrating the nutritional principles they had learned to create their own recipes. Together, we explored ways to prepare healthier versions of traditional dishes, turning Bajan cuisine into a source of inspiration rather than a challenge”.

Simultaneously, Eden was experimenting with local ingredients to develop a replacement low-calorie drink for participants; her vision for the product was that it would be affordable and could both nourish and delight the Caribbean palate. Drawing inspiration from the island’s agricultural richness, she focused on combining low-glycaemic foods and complex carbohydrates which avoid blood sugar spikes, with fruits and vegetables for taste and nutritional balance. Guided by the honest feedback of her children and husband, she refined the formula until the prototype drink was ready – it was delicious, nutritious, and unmistakably Caribbean.

We realised we had an opportunity to not only meet the immediate needs of our clients but to impact the market by expanding the availability of our nutritionally balanced, meal replacement shakes, which were suitable for persons who wanted to achieve or maintain a healthy weight, whilst also introducing new and exciting flavours that reflected the Caribbean identity and taste. However, we reached a hiatus – we had an excellent product but needed the right partnership to advance to the next level. We are deeply grateful to the leadership of The UWI at the Cave Hill Campus – Principal Professor Clive Landis and Deputy Principal Professor Winston Moore – who recognised the potential of our work, trusted in its scientific and nutritional underpinnings, and invested in the development of the product. Their belief in a homegrown innovation was instrumental in moving the needle from an idea conceived out of need and incubated in a research kitchen, to the delivery of a commercially viable product.

With the business acumen of Dr. Dion Greenidge, Executive Director and CEO of the Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business and Management, and the legal knowledge of Dr. Yolande Cooke, Senior Programme Officer, we successfully navigated a licencing agreement with our industry partner, Pine Hill Dairy, a trusted name in Caribbean nutrition and beverage manufacturing. This collaboration represents more than a business transaction; it highlights what can be achieved when innovation is grounded in community, supported by science, and driven by purpose. The formula of entrepreneurship backed by academia and operationalised through industry is a model for success – one that merges three distinct silos of expertise into a functioning and dynamic whole, adept at solving real-world health problems using local resources and knowledge.

Today, we are perched on the cusp of the production line. Each bottle will represent resilience, science and the spirit of innovation and collaboration that describes who we are as a people. And as the saying goes, the rest is about to make history …