Quality has been a defining standard at Caribbean Food Delights since Vincent and Jeanette HoSang first began selling patties in the Bronx. Today, that standard is safeguarded not only by tradition but also by rigorous compliance and oversight. Caribbean Food Delights’ Jamaican-style frozen patties are produced at its 103,000-square-foot facility in Tappan, New York, while Royal Caribbean Bakery operates separately in Mount Vernon. The intentional division reflects both scale and compliance: the USDA mainly oversees meat, poultry, and egg products, while the FDA regulates most food products that do not fall under the USDA’s jurisdiction including processed foods, dairy, eggs, and seafood. By housing them in different facilities with dedicated staff, the company ensures that one side of the business never jeopardizes the other, this structure also allows each to specialize and excel.
This level of strategic foresight and commitment sets a standard of discipline that carries through every ingredient and process. Caribbean Food Delights has been Safe Quality Food (SQF) certified for 15 consecutive years, holding the highest level of certification available. “SQF is not required and it’s costly,” Sabrina HoSang Jordan explained, “but it’s something we go through to show our customers that we go above and beyond with food safety and quality.” Audits are rigorous, unannounced, and continuous, and the process requires preparation year-round, not the night before. It is no wonder that visitors often remark on the exceptional cleanliness of their facility.
Every product begins with carefully sourced ingredients and a commitment to authenticity. The beef, imported from Australia, comes from grass-fed, hormone-free, and steroid-free cattle – a higher-quality choice that sets Caribbean Food Delights apart from many competitors. To achieve the perfect spice, the company relies on Scotch bonnet peppers grown in Florida by a Jamaican farmer. When they briefly tried substituting habaneros, loyal customers immediately noticed the difference. As Sabrina explains, “We wanted the taste that you get in Jamaica and bring it here to the U.S., and we’ve learned what not to sacrifice.”
Inside the plant, precision ensures that authenticity is matched by consistency. Beef is seasoned and simmered in kettles with the family’s secret recipe before being wrapped in dough through a highly automated process that is as impressive in scale as it is in accuracy. Depending on the product line, patties may be sold baked or unbaked to suit customer preferences. “When we say the product is unbaked, we are referring to the dough – not the filling, which is thoroughly cooked,” explained Sabrina HoSang Jordan. “A lot of people like it that way because baking it at home makes it come out fresh, and it’s a very different experience than pre-baked products.”
After filling, patties move through nitrogen flash-freezing, a technology that freezes them in seconds rather than minutes or hours. This prevents ice crystals and preserves the original texture, taste, and nutritional content. From there, the patties are packaged and stored in a freezer large enough to hold 30 trailer loads of products, ready to ship while still at their peak freshness.
This careful balance of selectively sourced ingredients, hands- on oversight, and scalable automation allows Caribbean Food Delights to produce more than 20 varieties while maintaining the scratch-made standards customers expect. “No matter where you buy it, whether it’s a spicy beef patty at Costco, a vegetable patty at ShopRite, a chicken patty at your local West Indian bakery or online for cocktail-sized patties for your next party, you’re going to experience the same authentic taste and quality ingredients,” said Sabrina HoSang Jordan.
In addition to its renowned patties, the company offers a diverse selection of seasonings and sauces in smaller batches, while Royal Caribbean Bakery produces an array of baked goods. Together, these offerings solidify the company’s reputation as a true provider of authentic Caribbean flavors.
