When, having completed his secondary school education, Jonathan ‘Lil Red’ King’s mother, the popular Guyanese entertainer Michelle ‘Big Red’ King suggested that he “find a job,” the amiable and articulate Jonathan embraced her urging as a personal challenge, except that contrary to what might have been her expectation, he had no plans to join the ranks of the salaried employees. Instead, now 25, he opted for business and since December last year, he has been preoccupied with his modest entrepreneurial venture, Fruitylicious, a fruit salad venture which he says assertively is “catching on” encouragingly.
Every morning he is out of bed by three o’clock and along with his mother – his “biggest supporter” he calls her – begins to wash and chop the assorted fruit before packing the mix into plastic containers, a neatly designed Fruitylicious label pasted prominently atop each fruit bowl. At around 5 am the two are joined by a hired helper. The job done, the packaged fruit is stored in a giant cooler and placed in the back of a vehicle. ‘Lil Red’ is ready to hit the road.