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Jamaican Canadian entrepreneur Sabrina McDonald left her 9-to-5 job in banking and finance to start a business that ultimately became known as City Eats in Kelowna, British Columbia. She was inspired to create her company because she could no longer ignore health issues like diabetes and hypertension that plagued so many people she knew in the Black community, including her own family members.

In The Beginning

McDonald’s background in food stems from her childhood in Spice Grove, St Elizabeth, where she often supervised her younger brothers and sisters while her parents worked; her father worked on the family’s farm, and her mother was a market vendor and shopkeeper. McDonald attended the Hampton School for Girls which inspired her to become a financial advisor. In 2016, She traveled to Canada to study business at Okanagan College, and after earning her degree, she took a job at a bank. Wanting to connect with her family during the COVID-19 pandemic, McDonald shared meal prep videos on social media, and when a friend encouraged her to start a cooking business, she left her bank job and invested all of her savings in renting a commercial kitchen to prepare foods she would sell on UberEats. After a time, it became difficult to support this endeavor, and she was forced to close her business. Thinking of herself as a failure, she experienced periods of shame and depression, which led her to connect more with her church. McDonald shared that it was during a church service that God gave her the idea for City Eats.

Healthy Products For Healthy Outcomes

McDonald started her company in 2022, making low-sodium Jamaican seasonings. She recognized that many people living in the Caribbean are susceptible to lifestyle illnesses like high blood pressure and diabetes, and she wanted to offer products that would help them change how they care for themselves and improve their health. She has worked hard to educate her customers about reading labels to discover nutrient facts and ingredients that can help them make good decisions about what they eat. She tested her first batch of seasonings at a farmers market in April 2022 and received positive feedback from customers, and in August 2022, McDonald’s City Eats launched signature brand seasonings – all-purpose, fish, chicken, jerk dry, meat, and seafood – with ingredients sourced from Jamaica. In 2023, she added curry powder and chicken dry seasonings to her brand products, all of which are made in Kelowna and shipped to customers throughout Canada and the United States.

From Perceived Failure to Fulfilling Purpose

Today, City Eats is the largest authentic Jamaican seasoning brand in Canada, and she has earned praise on social media from celebrities, including Olympic champion Usain Bolt and dancehall artist Konshens. With the success of her seasoning business, McDonald has also realized that she did not “fail at life” and that what she experienced was “just God writing my story.” She said that she also realized that everything in life has a purpose. That purpose may not be obvious until things start to manifest, so she advises anyone starting out as an entrepreneur to “never let fear cripple you.”

Future Plans

McDonald now intends to start a foundation that will provide aid to international students in Canada via scholarships. She also plans to give back to the “bread basket parish” in Jamaica. She is glad to have a platform from which she can make an impact on society and help people. She is particularly committed to helping international students in Canada. McDonald noted that she was de-registered from her university classes at times because her tuition was three times that paid by domestic students, and she lacked the funds to pay for her schooling. These experiences from her own life have inspired her to provide aid and support for students now.

Photo – CityEatsCa

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Jamaicans often use traditional herbal medicines to treat illnesses. Jamaican Guinea Hen Weed, which grows abundantly on the island, is believed to have significant benefits for the treatment of cancer. This belief is bolstered by numerous anecdotal stories told by individuals who cited Guinea Hen Weed as the reason their tumors or other conditions were cured. Said to have anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor characteristics, its scientific name is “Petiveria Alliacea;” it is called “amasu” in South America. It is also known in Jamaica as “gully root” or “garlic weed.”

Anecdotes and Testimonials

In a story shared on YouTube, a woman describes how her mother’s friend picked some guinea hen weed from her backyard, boiled it up with some orange peel, and it cleared up her gastroenteritis immediately. Other social media users have shared their experiences with the plant and its beneficial effects, calling it a miracle cure. In fact, the plant has been the subject of a recent study by two researchers, adjunct professor at Jamaica’s University of Technology in the College for Health Sciences, Dr Lawrence Williams, and American Dr George Levy, who received a patent in the US for their discovery of the anti-cancer benefits of the plant.

Traditional Knowledge

Before the discovery of these cancer-fighting properties by Drs Williams and Levy, the plant was known in South America to provide many health benefits. According to nutritionist Chloë-Faith Perez, the plant has been used widely in Jamaica and South America to strengthen the immune system, and it has shown itself to be effective in fighting harmful organisms like bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

Beneficial Properties of Guinea Hen Weed

The plant is known to be rich in antioxidants and is used to treat symptoms of respiratory illnesses like colds and flu, among others. It has a fever-reducing property and is also good for relieving pain. Guinea hen weed has also been shown to have antispasmodic properties and is effective in lowering blood sugar levels. When its leaves are crushed, made into a paste, and applied to the body to ease aches and pains, it represents a traditional remedy for rheumatism and arthritis. The weed can be used to relieve digestive problems like bloating and flatulence, fight infections, boost the immune system, promote the release of toxins via sweat and urine, and is effective as a natural insect repellent. Significantly, guinea hen weed contains phytochemical compounds that are believed to destroy cancer cells while leaving healthy cells undamaged.

Experts Express Caution in Use

While guinea hen weed does offer benefits in treating many conditions, experts recommend against its use by pregnant women and women who are trying to conceive as it may cause spontaneous abortions. Additionally, Perez said that people with chronic conditions should always consult physicians or trained herbalists before taking any kind of herbal tea or supplement.

Photo – YouTube

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