Flavours in the Forest: My Delicious First Taste of Grenada Diaspora Homecoming 2026
There couldn’t have been a more fitting introduction to the Grenada Diaspora Homecoming than food, community and the island’s breathtaking rainforest.
After arriving on the island, I had barely dropped my bags in my room before I was back in the vehicle, this time making the winding journey into Grenada’s lush interior for Flavours In D Forest, my first official event covering Grenada Diaspora Homecoming 2026.
Nestled within the cool, mist-covered surroundings of Grand Etang, the event offered a distinctly different side of Grenada. Gone were the postcard images of sun-drenched beaches and turquoise waters. In their place stood towering trees, rolling green hills and a rainforest so dense that low-hanging clouds seemed to weave effortlessly through the landscape. A light drizzle came and went throughout the afternoon, while the crisp mountain air provided a refreshing contrast to the tropical warmth found along the coast.
Yet neither the rain nor the chill did anything to dampen the atmosphere.
Instead, visitors eagerly moved from vendor to vendor, drawn by the irresistible aromas of authentic Grenadian cuisine. Tables overflowed with hearty soups, rich fruit stews, freshly baked breads, banana bread, muffins and an array of other local delicacies, each offering a taste of the island’s culinary traditions. For many, it was an opportunity to reconnect with familiar flavours; for others, it was a chance to experience them for the very first time.
As memorable as the food was, it was the people behind it-the farmers, cooks, bakers and entrepreneurs-who truly brought Flavours In D Forest to life.
I took full advantage of the opportunity to sample many of the dishes on offer, but I was equally eager to hear the stories behind them.
One of my first conversations was with husband-and-wife team Petra and Chris, the owners of Tingz Local Grenada.
They explained that Tingz Local embodies everything that Flavours In D Forest and other events like it, seek to celebrate- authentic Grenadian flavours, locally made products and a genuine passion for sharing the island’s rich culinary heritage with both residents and visitors alike.
“We try to do things that represent something about the local culture and everything local about Grenada,” Petra explained.
Their growing product line reflects that philosophy. From an assortment of handcrafted rum punches-including traditional, sorrel, pepper, bois bonde and their signature “Jab Rum Punch” to homemade eggnog in both classic and coffee flavours, every bottle is inspired by local tastes. They have also expanded into Grenada-themed apparel and keepsakes, including T-shirts featuring distinctly Grenadian sayings and lapel pins shaped like the island’s iconic nutmeg.
What started as an experiment during the COVID-19 pandemic has since grow into a thriving business.
“We decided, why not let other people try it and see what they think?” she recalled.
The response encouraged them to continue experimenting, introducing new flavours and refining their products while gradually expanding into supermarkets across the island, including Food Fair, Foodland and Real Value IGA.
For Petra, however, events such as Flavours In D Forest offer something that shelf space alone cannot.
“They are very important for the exposure, especially with the diaspora people who are in Grenada right now,” she said. “They get to see what we have and what we can do.”
She noted that small agro-processors often face challenges accessing wider markets, making initiatives such as Grenada Diaspora Homecoming especially valuable.
“People know what we have, they can contact us, and hopefully it can lead to bigger opportunities,” she said.
With export firmly in their sights, Petra revealed that they have already begun preparing for the next phase of the business by attending seminars focused on packaging, labelling and export readiness.
“We’re upgrading our labels, upgrading our packaging and preparing ourselves for the export market,” she said. “Hopefully that will happen sooner rather than later.”
Looking at the broader Homecoming initiative, Petra believes it has tremendous potential to strengthen connections between Grenada and its diaspora while shining a spotlight on local entrepreneurs.
“I think it’s a very good initiative,” she said. “It’s the first year, so there will be hiccups, but if it continues and grows every year, I think it can become a really big event.”
If Petra and Chris introduced me to Grenada’s entrepreneurial spirit, Romero, better known as Flavours by Fireras, reminded me that food is as much about personality as it is about flavour.
Long before I reached his booth, Romero’s infectious energy had already drawn a crowd.
With a warm smile he enthusiastically walked visitors through a menu that celebrated some of Grenada’s best-loved comfort foods.
“Today I’m offering a wide variety of soups,” he said with obvious pride. “We had lentil, split peas with turkey, callaloo with pigtail and chicken wings, corn soup and mannish water. There was something for everybody.”
His stall quickly became one of the busiest at the event, with patrons lining up to enjoy steaming bowls of soup-particularly welcome given the cool temperatures and persistent mist that settled over Grand Etang throughout the afternoon.
But Romero insists the secret isn’t simply the recipes.
“We don’t do anything artificial,” he explained. “Everything is strictly local when it comes to our seasonings and the ingredients we use.”
That commitment to fresh, locally sourced ingredients is central to the Flavours by Fireras brand, which has developed a loyal following among Grenadians looking for authentic homemade soups and traditional dishes.
As he proudly lifted the lids from one pot after another, Romero described each offering with the enthusiasm of someone who genuinely enjoys introducing people to Grenadian cuisine.
Whether it was the hearty split pea soup packed with corn, dumplings and ground provisions, the rich callaloo with pigtail and chicken wings, or the ever-popular mannish water, every dish reflected the same philosophy: celebrate local ingredients and let the flavours speak for themselves.
For Romero, events such as Flavours In D Forest provide the perfect opportunity to introduce both visitors and returning nationals to the tastes that many Grenadians have grown up enjoying.
And judging by the steady line at his booth, they were more than happy to oblige.
From hearty soups, I made my way to another stall celebrating a different side of Grenadian cuisine-inviting visitors to take a nostalgic journey through some of Grenada’s most cherished childhood treats.
For nearly seven years, Davis Howard, founder of Strictly Local, has been producing an assortment of fruit stews, jams and preserves inspired by flavours many Grenadians grew up enjoying.
“The name of the business is Strictly Local because everything we do is centred around local produce,” he explained.
Among his most sought-after products are his mango stews, available in both original and spicy varieties, alongside damson stews and a tamarind stew that offers a modern twist on a familiar Grenadian favourite.
“Most people know about tamarind balls,” Howard said with a smile. “So I decided to do a tamarind stew. It’s a healthy product, it’s not too sweet, and it’s something everybody can enjoy.”
Like many of the entrepreneurs at Flavours in the Forest, Howard has built his business around celebrating the abundance of locally grown produce while reimagining traditional favourites for today’s consumers.
His display, much like those around it, served as another reminder that Grenadian cuisine is as much about preserving cherished traditions as it is about creating new ones.
While Petra and Chris, Romero and Davis each offered something uniquely different, they were only a small sample of the dozens of entrepreneurs, cooks and artisans who transformed Grand Etang into a celebration of Grenadian food, culture and creativity.
Over the coming days, Your Caribbean Guide will introduce readers to many more of the remarkable people behind the products, sharing the stories, passions and entrepreneurial journeys that continue to shape Grenada’s vibrant culinary landscape.
Flavours In D Forest was a welcome introduction to the people whose talent, creativity and national pride continue to shape Grenada’s cultural identity.
It was the perfect first stop on my Grenada Diaspora Homecoming journey.
