Johnson’s Utopia Blends satisfying tastes

If you are in St. John and you are looking to add some extra flavour to your meals, then Michelle Johnson has you covered with her company Utopia Blends.

Utopia Blends is a company that was started a month ago and offers herbs infused cooking oils.

A former student of the Springer Memorial School, Johnson said initially she wanted to make candles.

“At the beginning of my journey I  wanted to make candles, and this was going to be a candle company.

“I searched the internet for ideas and tried to come up with something that was still me. My first option for a company name was Lit4life but when it came to registering the business, I was told it was too close to an already existing business, so I had to come up with something else on the spot.

“Utopia Blends was my fourth submission and by then I was just tired of being rejected. I prayed to God that this one would be accepted because not only did I end up loving it more than the first one (Lit4life) but I was already thinking about expansion and what other products I wanted to produce so the name had to reflect that.” she said.

One of the highlights of her business thus far is winning the Barbados Trust Loans Fund Limited Pitch It To Win It Competition.

“Two weeks before entering this competition I had met some of the representatives of the Barbados Trust Loans Fund Limited in Sky Mall. One of the representatives and I chatted for a few minutes, and I left with all of the information

“I would have needed to apply for the loan. Fast forward to the 24th of November, as I was scrolling Instagram I came across the poster for the competition.

“Upon closer inspection I realised it was the very last day to register and figured it

was fate. I wasted no time and submitted my information on the spot. Later that night I got a call confirming that I would be one of the finalists and it was then I knew, this was not fate but God working on my behalf, and I believed that with Him guiding me I’d be the one walking away with the grand prize of BDS$5000.”

Johnson said this belief was so strong that she immediately began to think about how she was going to spend this money.

“The competition was the very next night, and I held my composure until about 2 p.m. when I started writing my pitch.

“At that point, I started sweating, shaking, talking really fast and non-stop, I even experienced a mental block and nothing was making sense so I had to enlist the help

of my older sister.

“Time was running out, the competition had started, and I was fumbling with what shirt to wear and trying to practise what  I had written as fluently as possible without biting my tongue. I said a prayer, presented my pitch and left the rest to God.  It had been the most nerve-racking three minutes of a lifetime.

“A few days later the email from the Barbados Trust Fund Limited finally came, announcing that I had been the winner of the New Business category. Immediately the tears came down and the praises went up thanking God for all the blessings he bestowed upon me and all the blessings he was about to,” she said.

Johnson has been steadily climbing the ranks in the culinary industry as a chef for over 10 years, so it comes as no surprise that inspiration for her business came from her years on the job.

Particularly her last place of employment where the concept is farm to table and all things local .

“During my research the one thing that became evident was that if I wanted my brand to stand out, I needed to do something that would set Utopia apart from everyone else.

‘While using oils to season meat is not new nor is the concept of infused oils, I decided to step outside the box a bit with the creation of these products. These oils are just the beginning,” she said.

When asked about her favourite blend, Johnson stated it would have to be the Rosemary and Garlic as the versatility was unmatched.

“The actual infusion is very easy to be honest, as simple as 1,2,3 but it is most satisfying when the aroma lights up the entire house and makes everyone hungry.”

“My goal for these products is that they become a household brand and a must-have in a year or two from now.

“With people becoming more health-conscious, I thought this would be a great place to start and a great way for me to do my part to help sustain the economy by giving back to the locals and utilizing produce from our lands.

“While this practice may not take hold next year or even the next five years, we have all the resources we need on the island to sustain ourselves; we just have to be proactive about it,” she said.

At present the Herb Edition is the only line of blends available for sale which comprise of four blends but Johnson is seeking to expand her business in 2022 with five new additions and a service of customisation that will target restaurants, restaurateurs, or any small businesses selling food.

“Why restaurants, you ask? The one thing I have learnt from working in a kitchen is there is always a million things to do and never enough time. I am offering to shave time off your prep.

“How does it work? Let’s say they have a particular dish they would like an oil to go with for plating purposes or add to the list of ingredients. We will make that blend and it will be exclusively owned by them. No other person or company would be allowed to have that blend, so you are not only saving time, but you are always adding your secret blend to your signature dishes.

“Tantalising their customers’ taste buds is their #1 priority and I’m here to help you do just that,” she said.  (Write Right PR Services)