Charmaine DaCosta @ Limation: Healthy drink made out of limes, available online + grocery stores

BASED IN: NEW YORK, FROM: JAMAICA

Born in Jamaica, I grew up in the cool hills of rural St. Andrew, in a town called Mt. Friendship, drinking “lemonade” made with limes and brown sugar. In the fertile “gully” where my grandmother grew various produce, limes, oranges and grapefruit were abundant but lemons were few.

The sweet, tart drink, as I remember it, was delicious, refreshing and altogether satisfying. Imagine my surprise, then, when I first asked for lemonade in the United States. What I received in no way resembled what I had come to recognize as lemonade, neither in color, taste nor bouquet were they the same.

Although I later developed a taste for lemons, I really missed the homegrown version of my favorite drink, so I started making it whenever I would find limes at the market. I started making lemonade for my friends whenever I had a gathering at my home and everyone loved it but no one identified it as lemonade.

The misnomer corrected to limeade, I realized that there was a space in the market for a really good limeade, after having unsuccessfully tried to find one for years. Thus, Limation was born.

What are the most rewarding aspects of your business?

The business is still quite young but I love that I am able to bring a product from concept to reality and that I am able to provide jobs for people in my community.

What makes a good limeade?

The lime and the way it is juiced...if you want good food you must start with good food.

We love your branding and design for the brand- Is there any inspiration behind the logo or the color scheme you chose?

Our tag line says "It's About Lime". That is the inspiration. Limes are a wonderful, magical citrus fruit and that truly is the inspiration.

It must be wonderful physically seeing your product come to life- what are the challenges with a consumer packaged good along the journey of conception, production and distribution?

Too many to list them all but to begin with one must meet several basic requirements before being able to make a bottle for sale.

1)Food Handler's Permits;

2) Millions of dollars of insurance;

3) Manufacturer's License;

4) Manufacturing process;

5) Shelf life extension and on and on. But above all these, the chief challenge is being under funded. A manufacturing business is very expensive and being a woman in the business, especially with no previous experience in the business, it is very difficult to raise money because when you show up as a woman you are seen more as a woman than as a business. Women are not really seen as good managers. I think men run businesses get to be viewed as businesses and better business managers.

What do you envision for the future of Limation?

Crude Food is the company under which Limation is a brand. Our values reflect a certain order: People, Product, Profits. I envision a multi-layered company of multiple brands that will be able to provide well paying jobs in the communities where we operate. I see us being leaders in business with corporate social responsibility programs that better the lives of our workers and our communities.