From the ashes

WHEN fire destroyed almost everything she had built, Christal-Ann Thompson Jones, founder and chief executive officer of Honey Vera — a company that makes natural, chemical-free hair and skin-care products — was forced to start again.

Thompson Jones lost her factory and equipment in a blaze on New Year’s Day 2023, leading to a two-year rebuilding journey and a rethink of how she wanted the business to grow.

Speaking with the Jamaica Observer on the trade room floor at the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) 2026 at Moon Palace Jamaica in Ocho Rios, St Ann, on Tuesday, Thompson Jones reflected on the setback and the lessons it taught her as she showcased Honey Vera’s growing range of Jamaican hair and skin care products.