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Are you a vegetarian but watch enviously as others dive into their hams at Christmas? Entrepreneur Phillip Cox has come up with a solution to the dilemma – a fish ham made out of tuna.

Cox, who also makes sausage and pepperoni from tuna, said he came up with the idea to make the products because he doesn’t eat meat. “I’m a fish fanatic, so I wanted to get the style of what you do with meat, but in fish. The ham is baked with herbs and spices, the sausage is pan-seared with herbs and spices and is formed like a mini-hamburger, and the pepperoni is boiled with the herbs and spices. So they are done three different ways and they all have a unique taste. I also do things like geera fish, Chinese-style fish, fish souse for home use.” The pepperoni and the sausage are similar in texture and taste to those made of beef, chicken and turkey, while the ham is flavourful and spicy.

He also said the products are named after a very special person in his life. “The product is named after my mother and it’s called Elma’s Secret. My mom taught me to cook at a very young age and she passed away 25 years ago. So it’s in dedication to my mom. I was born in East Dry River, grew up in the United States and I returned home about 12 years. I always liked being an entrepreneur and that’s what I’m doing at present.”

Cox launched two of the products in Sing Chong Supermarket on Charlotte Street, Port-of-Spain, on November 23. “I’m looking for clients at the present moment, both people to buy the product and supermarkets to distribute to. I want to target the pizzerias with the pepperoni, so you could have a pepperoni pizza but it’s fish pepperoni instead of the pork. I think that would be very exciting for people to experience, and then Lent is coming up very soon, besides Christmas where people will gravitate towards the ham.”

Cox said patrons can buy the fish products at US1 Sports Bar, Capital Plaza, Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain, from Sing Chong Supermarket or call him to place an order. “I am presently making the products out of my home which is in D’Abadie but the factory is in process now, it’s being re-done, and that’s going to be 31 Picadilly Street in Port-of-Spain. All my products have been approved by the Ministry of Health. Each frozen pack is $40 for eight ounces, while the pre-sliced ham is sold by the pound. They last up to six months in the freezer, two weeks in the fridge and defrost overnight. It’s good as a cold snack, as ham and eggs, with pasta, as sandwiches, on pizza, and sauteed with onions and tomatoes. I can also supply the cured, uncooked product for people to cook as they wish.”

The entrepreneur said the response to the product has been gratifying from those who have tried it. “They really can’t believe that it’s actually fish they’re eating. Some people I don’t tell them right away what type of meat it is and some say it’s chicken, some say it’s turkey and when I tell them it’s fish, it’s unbelievable to them because it has the look, the density, and the taste of meat. It’s only someone who’s really into fish will realize that it’s a fish product.”

Cox wants to push his products islandwide and further. “I want the product to grow exponentially in Trinidad to start with, then venture to other Caribbean islands and then to the big stage which is the Americas and even Europe. I want to make it a huge product on the market because there is nothing like it on the market, so I’m trying to be the first out of there with fish ham.”Are you a vegetarian but watch enviously as others dive into their hams at Christmas? Entrepreneur Phillip Cox has come up with a solution to the dilemma – a fish ham made out of tuna.

Cox, who also makes sausage and pepperoni from tuna, said he came up with the idea to make the products because he doesn’t eat meat. “I’m a fish fanatic, so I wanted to get the style of what you do with meat, but in fish. The ham is baked with herbs and spices, the sausage is pan-seared with herbs and spices and is formed like a mini-hamburger, and the pepperoni is boiled with the herbs and spices. So they are done three different ways and they all have a unique taste. I also do things like geera fish, Chinese-style fish, fish souse for home use.” The pepperoni and the sausage are similar in texture and taste to those made of beef, chicken and turkey, while the ham is flavourful and spicy.

He also said the products are named after a very special person in his life. “The product is named after my mother and it’s called Elma’s Secret. My mom taught me to cook at a very young age and she passed away 25 years ago. So it’s in dedication to my mom. I was born in East Dry River, grew up in the United States and I returned home about 12 years. I always liked being an entrepreneur and that’s what I’m doing at present.”

Cox launched two of the products in Sing Chong Supermarket on Charlotte Street, Port-of-Spain, on November 23. “I’m looking for clients at the present moment, both people to buy the product and supermarkets to distribute to. I want to target the pizzerias with the pepperoni, so you could have a pepperoni pizza but it’s fish pepperoni instead of the pork. I think that would be very exciting for people to experience, and then Lent is coming up very soon, besides Christmas where people will gravitate towards the ham.”

Cox said patrons can buy the fish products at US1 Sports Bar, Capital Plaza, Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain, from Sing Chong Supermarket or call him to place an order. “I am presently making the products out of my home which is in D’Abadie but the factory is in process now, it’s being re-done, and that’s going to be 31 Picadilly Street in Port-of-Spain. All my products have been approved by the Ministry of Health. Each frozen pack is $40 for eight ounces, while the pre-sliced ham is sold by the pound. They last up to six months in the freezer, two weeks in the fridge and defrost overnight. It’s good as a cold snack, as ham and eggs, with pasta, as sandwiches, on pizza, and sauteed with onions and tomatoes. I can also supply the cured, uncooked product for people to cook as they wish.”

The entrepreneur said the response to the product has been gratifying from those who have tried it. “They really can’t believe that it’s actually fish they’re eating. Some people I don’t tell them right away what type of meat it is and some say it’s chicken, some say it’s turkey and when I tell them it’s fish, it’s unbelievable to them because it has the look, the density, and the taste of meat. It’s only someone who’s really into fish will realize that it’s a fish product.”

Cox wants to push his products islandwide and further. “I want the product to grow exponentially in Trinidad to start with, then venture to other Caribbean islands and then to the big stage which is the Americas and even Europe. I want to make it a huge product on the market because there is nothing like it on the market, so I’m trying to be the first out of there with fish ham.”

Originally published in the Trinidad Guardian on December 1, 2018