Brooklyn's Progress
February/March 2007

BY HAROLD EGELN, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Educator and entrepreneur Karenga Arifu began operating his home-based business, Jakada Juice, in mid-2006. This family-run operation was born in the historic and energetic community of Bedford-Stuyvesant.

"The business arose from my work as an educator at a great local charter school, where I engaged young students in working hands-on for a healthier life. It was part of an overall fitness curriculum I developed," said Mr. Arifu who was the school's Director of Community Health and Fitness, and a coach.

“Too many of our young people drink high-carb, super-sweet, ultra-processed drinks, which can lead to health problems now and later in life. So I came up with my own nutritious alternative, making delicious flavored lemonades and fruit smoothies with natural ingredients. I like to call fruit nature’s dessert," Mr. Arifu said.

Nine out of ten of his students told him they truly enjoyed the beverages, which helped inspire them to live a healthier lifestyle. The feedback led Mr. Arifu to found the business, named after his first son, Jakada, born in 2004. He and his wife Rabi have another young son, Chiwonesu.

Today, Jakada Juice is a supplier of gourmet lemonade and natural fruit smoothies, using only freshly squeezed lemon juice, no concentrates, and raw sugar or agave nectar. His lemonades are flavored with 100% juice or nectar in flavors such as mango, blackberry, guava, peach, strawberry-mint, limeade and watermelon.

Jakada supplies private and corporate catered events. The beverages are a hit at street fairs including the Seventh Heaven in Park Slope, International African Arts Festival in Fort Greene, the Harlem Book Fair and Odunde Festival Day in Philadelphia. Jakada supplies restaurants and bars, including Dodo Cafe at the South Street Seaport and Bread-Stuy Cafe (403 Lewis Ave.), a popular Bedford-Stuyvesant coffee shop owned by fellow Chamber Member and neighbor Lloyd Porter.

It was there at the local coffee shop in Sept. 2006 that Mr. Arifu began speaking with Leticia Theodore-Greene, the Brooklyn Chamber’s Vice President of Communications and Government Affairs. "She informed me of the advantages of Chamber membership and how Chamber resources could aid my new business. That excited me and I joined," he said.
 
In November, Mr. Arifu was able to take advantage of the Chamber’s Brooklyn Goes Global booth at the Expo Comida Latina food show at the Jacob Javits Center, Manhattan. "It exposed me to potential clients and suppliers, one in particular, a manufacturer of a new natural sugar alternative, who may help my business," said Mr. Arifu. He also learned how he might develop his product for the kosher market.

Mr. Arifu attended the Brooklyn Chamber’s Member Orientation at the Brooklyn Business Library in November. He has also begun to discuss ways to grow his business with Darryl Hollon, the Chamber’s Director of Industrial and Manufacturing Services.

Karenga Arifu can be contacted at 718-913-7347, or at info@jakadajuice.com. Visit the Web site at www.ibrooklyn.com/jakadajuice or http://www.jakadajuice.com/.

To learn more about Brooklyn Goes Global, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce’s program for Brooklyn-based manufacturers, please contact Steve Kaplansky, Director, at 718 875-1000 ext. 104, or at skaplansky@brooklynhchamber.com.