Fast, convenient and contact-free -- lockdown has seen a boom in fruit and vegetable delivery boxes, as people are having their five-a-day delivered to their doorstep.

Start-up grocery business, Motherland Treats, is offering something slightly further afield, bringing the tastes of afro-Caribbean produce to Londoners.

Co-founders, Remi Curtis and Courtney Anderson, realised there was a gap in the market for “exotic boxes” while on their daily walk, with their one-year-old daughter during lockdown.

Near their home in Plumstead, South East London, they encountered an elderly Caribbean woman, who was struggling to source her favourite home foods.

With no family nearby she was limited to shopping locally and was unable to access staples, such as yam and plantain.

Traditionally, afro-Caribbean produce is picked up from areas such as Shephard's Bush and Brixton, but in lockdown this was impossible.

After gifting the woman a box, the couple felt so “heart-warmed” they committed to making afro-Caribbean produce “accessible and affordable for all”.

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Co-founders of Motherland Treats Remi and Courtney 

They pitched the idea of Motherland Treats -- ‘a business for the people and about the people’ -- to entrepreneur and author of Self Made, Byron Cole.

In June, it was announced they had won his new investment and business partnership, beating out over 155 others in the process.

Motherland Treats is now up-and-running, delivering across London and Surrey.

Each “exotic box” comes with a card explaining the health benefits of items such as scotch bonnet pepper, sweet potato, mango and lychees.

Add-ons of “homeland favourites”, including banana and pumpkin punch, are also available at an extra cost.

More information about the boxes can be found here.

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Exotic Box contents menu