DeJaFrut (meaning "from Jamaican fruit") was founded in January 2013 by twin sisters Marie and Maria Wilson. Native New Yorkers and the children of Jamaican parents, they saw that the island had no all-natural, fruit-based frozen dessert, and set out to make one.
What began as a tropical spin on Italian ice grew into a small-batch sorbet found in over a hundred retail outlets. After Marie's passing in 2017, Maria carried the dream forward, determined to see DeJaFrut reach its full fruition.
A small, family-owned business run by the children of Jamaican parents, DeJaFrut began to take shape around 2010. On regular visits to Jamaica, twin sisters Marie and Maria Wilson noticed something striking: there was no sorbet-like product on the island. In a warm climate that invites a cold, refreshing treat, the only options carried the heaviness of cream or the cloying sweetness of artificial sugars.
They set out to introduce a lighter, healthier alternative to ice cream, built on the very fruits traditionally grown in Jamaica and used in Jamaican kitchens. Flavours such as mango, coconut, pineapple and sorrel were the first they experimented with. With the help of their younger brother, Chris, that experiment grew into the DeJaFrut brand, formally launched in 2013.
DeJaFrut has a twofold mission: first, to create high-quality desserts made from all-natural ingredients that meet the consumer's expectations of quality, convenience and nutrition; and second, to contribute to the Jamaican economy by purchasing our main ingredients from the island's farmers and manufacturing our signature sorbets right here on the island.
Always mindful of their family's Jamaican background and the original idea behind the company, the Wilsons are committed to light yet satisfying sorbets that contain no artificial dyes, colourings, preservatives or additives. Our sorbets are dairy-free, gluten-free and, with the exception of the natural fat found in coconut, fat-free.
Our story began with theirs. Norma and Wesley Wilson migrated to New York City in 1968, where they raised a family of eight children and placed education at the heart of the home; six of their children went on to earn advanced degrees.
Established by the founders of DeJaFrut in honour of their parents, the Norma & Wesley Wilson Foundation continues that commitment, working with other organisations to support the educational needs of young Jamaicans island-wide.