Public Advocate Jumaane Williams honored Jamaican meat patty pioneer company Tower Isles with a city proclamation as it celebrated its 50th Anniversary on Oct. 12.
Williams presented the award at an anniversary banquet for the Brooklyn-based company, at the Hilton New York at JFK, attended by long time and current employees and supporters of the company.
In the proclamation, Williams highlighted the organization’s humble beginnings as a small Brooklyn bakery, opened by Beryl and Earl Levi “to meet the desires of Caribbean expats seeking traditional Jamaican baked goods with a flavor of home.”
“Today, Tower Isles is a multi-million-dollar family-run company, with a 41,000 square foot facility in Brooklyn,” Williams told Caribbean Life.
He underscored Tower Isles’ generosity in “supporting the Brooklyn community it calls home, empowering other local businesses to succeed.”
“Tower Isles continues to put family and community first after five decades of growth and success,” the public advocate said.
Tower Isles said on its website that it was founded by the Levi’s in 1968 as a small family bakery in Crown Heights, and is now “one of the largest patty-making companies in the world.”
“In order to avoid confusion with the traditional American Patties, we coined the term ‘Jamaican Style Patties’ in 1969,” the company said, adding that a Jamaican style patty is made with beef or chicken filling and a flaky pastry crust.
“Our original Jamaican-style patties are made with only the finest Grade A USDA beef, chunky white chicken breast and freshly picked island spices,” the company continued. “Tower Isles’ commitment to producing the absolute best quality of Jamaican style patties is what sets us apart from the rest.”
