Book lovers filled The University of the West Indies Regional Headquarters on Saturday for the second day of the Book Fairy Festival (BFF), browsing the Artisan Village, meeting authors, and adding new titles to their collections. But between the panel discussions and literary activities, another pairing proved just as popular: freshly brewed coffee and handcrafted cookies. For first-time festival vendors, Sun Club Coffee and Cookie Craft JA, the literary celebration was a chance to introduce their brands to new customers, with both entrepreneurs saying the response surpassed expectations. SUN CLUB COFFEE Although Sun Club Coffee officially launched in March, founder Brandy Wilson said every detail of the mobile speciality espresso bar was intentionally curated, from sourcing Jamaican ingredients to creating a memorable customer experience. Products are offered at pop-ups and curated events, with plans to expand into private and corporate events, weddings and birthdays. Committed to keeping the brand 100 per cent Jamaican, Wilson sources local supplies, uses Blue Mountain coffee and ensures everything is made from scratch with quality ingredients.“It was important for the coffee and the flavours to marry well together. Coffee is important to me. I love coffee. I want to give the best possible coffee to anybody who comes to Sun Club. So, if you were to just drink the coffee black, it would be a great cup of coffee with no sugar in it, no milk; it would [still] be great,” Wilson told Food.The proof, in this case, is in the coffee cup, as patrons returned for second cups or asked for details about Wilson’s coffee beans, as some were “very picky about [their] coffee”. The top seller for the day was Sun Club Coffee’s cookie butter latte. Other items on the Book Fairy Festival menu included the off-white, which made its debut at the festival and is made of brown sugar, oat milk, and shaken espresso; and the cinnamon roll latte.Patrons also had the option of lattes, cappuccinos, matcha lattes, mochas, Americanos and hot chocolates, all served with almond milk, oat milk, or whole milk. Although every flavour profile was carefully curated, Wilson shared, “I was surprised to find that quite a few people came back to tell me how good the coffee was.” One customer even returned while Wilson was packing up for the day. “When I was packing up, she [asked], ‘Where are you going?’ And I [said], ‘We’re finished for the day’. She [replied], ‘You’re crazy. I came back to buy another cup of coffee to take with me in my car’”. Talking about the future, Wilson shared that the intention is to continue the pop-up model and the newly introduced service for Sun Club Coffee is bottled coffees, which are done as private orders. COOKIE CRAFT JA Like many small businesses born during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cookie Craft JA began as a creative outlet for Founder Shauna Smith before evolving into a business that is now celebrating almost six years in operation. Reflecting on the moment, she realised she had fallen in love with the craft. Smith said, “I would bake different treats just for fun with my family, and one day we decided to have a family baking competition. [I] baked sugar cookies for the first time, and I absolutely fell in love with the process”. Experimenting with the versatility of cookies, Smith tried different flavours, fillings and designs and shared her finished products with her loved ones. Their positive feedback encouraged her to start Cookie Craft JA. Smith received an enthusiastic response to her cookies at the Book Fairy Festival and sold out of all her offerings. “Our Cozy [Corner] section was also the first to sell out — iced cinnamon rolls, double mocha, s’mores and cappuccino.” Cookie Craft JA’s menu was divided into three signature collections. Whimsical features playful favourites such as pixie sprinkle (funfetti), butterfly kiss (strawberry and vanilla swirl), fairy berry crunch (strawberry crunch) and sugar cookies. World Wanders takes inspiration from global flavours with churro, coconut rum, almond croissant and crème brûlée-inspired offerings. Meanwhile, Cozy Corner delivers comforting classics, including double mocha, s’mores, iced cinnamon roll and cappuccino.Excited that customers were so supportive of her local business, Smith shared with Food, “Our goal is to continue expanding the brand by reaching more customers across Jamaica, introducing exciting new flavours and seasonal collections, and growing our event experiences. We also hope to partner with more organisations and participate in larger festivals while continuing to build a brand that people associate with quality, creativity, and community.” ruth-ann.briscoe@gleanerjm.com