05/14/2026
Meet Mrs. Palomino, a friend and mentor for over 20 years and the owner-operator of the iconic, The Grog Shoppe at Devon House.
Today we met, as I often try to do whenever I am in Jamaica. Like all our previous meetings, the afternoon was filled with laughter, wisdom, and wonderful food prepared by her team.
This meeting, however, carried special meaning.
Mrs. Palomino generously offered to host the Brown’s Hall Rocksteady Gold Coffee liqueur launch at The Grog Shoppe - an offer that truly touched me. ( a launch date coming soon )
During our conversation, I reminded her that she was also the very first person to open the doors to another one of her famous Blue Mountain locations, The Gap Café, by listing and retailing Rocksteady Coffee Gold in its early days.
In many ways, this is where the journey quietly began.
Today, Rocksteady shares trade on as part of our long-term UK capital markets journey, yet it is important to remember that many international stories quietly begin with local belief, conversation, and community.
An engineer by trade, Mrs. Palomino is also widely respected for her lifelong contribution to community development and national service. She received the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service to the Police in 1976 and was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Government of Jamaica in 1998.
She is a founding member, patron, and trustee of Woman Inc. and has also served as Chairwoman of the Greening of Jamaica Foundation and the Holywell Conservation Trust.
Some people help shape businesses. Others help shape journeys.
Mrs. Palomino has quietly done both.
Years later, moments like this remind me that meaningful journeys are rarely built alone.
Biographical details sourced in part from the Jamaica Observer.