[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 47 (Wednesday, April 26, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E616-E617]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      A TRIBUTE TO VINCENT HoSANG

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 26, 2006

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Vincent 
HoSang, a distinguished member of the business community. It behooves 
us to pay tribute to this outstanding leader and I hope my colleagues 
will join me in recognizing his impressive accomplishments.
  Mr. Speaker, Vincent HoSang was born in Springfield St. James, 
Jamaica WI to Mr. and Mrs. Henry HoSang who migrated from China in the 
early 1900s. He is the eighth child of ten, six boys and four girls. 
Mr. HoSang's parents operated a store, similar to a department store 
today, selling everything from groceries, hardware, and raw materials 
for making clothes, to liquor. They also operated a bakery, which 
consisted of a brick-oven and a machine called a ``doughbreak'', 
everything else was done by hand; bear in mind that there was no 
electricity and no running water.
  At the age of about 12 years, Mr. HoSang's parents sold the business 
and moved to Montego Bay where he went to live with an uncle. Mr. 
HoSang attended Cornwall College High School for three years and had 
the ambition of studying medicine; however, he had to leave school in 
fourth form to help his uncle in his grocery store. At age 19, Mr. 
HoSang rejoined his parents who had just started a grocery store in 
Kingston, at the same time; he also helped his cousin who operated a 
bakery nearby.
  In February of 1968, Mr. HoSang migrated to the Bronx, New York. He 
got a job in a briefcase factory assembling attache cases, where he 
received the minimum wage of $1.60 an hour, taking home $49 per week 
after taxes. Mr. HoSang stayed at that job for only a short time until 
he got a better job with Imperial Dairies on East 233rd Street in the 
Bronx, delivering milk to homes at night. In 1974, Mr. HoSang met his 
wife, Jeanette, who is from Spanish Town, Jamaica, and got married in 
August 1976 and started a family in April of 1977.
  Mr. HoSang always wanted to have his own business ever since he came 
to the United States, but lack of capital, inexperience, and he admits, 
a bit of cowardice held him back just a bit. However, with the burning 
desire ever-present, Mr. HoSang waited until he saved some money and 
built up his courage to jump right in. In February 1978, Mr. HoSang and 
his wife bought a fast food store known as ``Kingsbridge Delight'' in 
the West Bronx, selling fried chicken, shrimp, ribs, and French fries. 
He knew the business was not making a profit but their goal was to 
introduce the Jamaican cuisine and patties. Jeanette was very 
instrumental in the development of the Jamaican dishes and after about 
six months, some long hours per day for seven days a week, and a lot of 
sacrifices, the business started to show a small profit. In 1980, 
Sunrise Bakery on Dyre Avenue, which was owned by another West Indian, 
became available. Mr. and Mrs. HoSang bought it in December 1980 with 
the intention of making it a full-fledged Jamaican bakery and changed 
its name to Royal Caribbean Bakery and operated as a retail bakery. In 
1984, they expanded into a 15,000 sq. ft. facility on East 233rd street 
in the Bronx where Caribbean Food Delights was incorporated and became 
the frozen food division of Royal Caribbean Bakery. The company at this 
stage expanded into the wholesale trade. Three years later in 1987, 
both companies expanded into a 20,000 sq. ft. facility in Mount Vernon, 
New York.
  The HoSangs took a big risk when they bought a 73,000 sq. ft. 
building on 10 acres of property in Tappan, New York in 1993 and named 
it Caribbean Food Delights. It produces a variety of Jamaican cuisine, 
including Jamaican style patties: beef, chicken, vegetable, soy and 
shrimp, which are oven-baked, unbaked, and microwaveable. New to their 
product line are jerk chicken and jerk fish patties. Today, the HoSangs 
own the largest Jamaican frozen food plant in the U.S. and the Mount 
Vernon plant continues to manufacture the bread, buns, cakes, and 
pastries.
  The patties, which are in great demand, are available nationwide 
through retailers such as

[[Page E617]]

Costco Wholesale, BJ's Wholesale Club, Sam's Wholesale Club, Wal-Mart, 
PathMark, Key Food, Stop & Shop, Met Food, and many other neighborhood 
supermarkets. The patties are also available through Caribbean Food 
Delights by contacting them directly at 845-398-3000. The company can 
also be found on the worldwide web at www.caribbeanfooddelights.com 
where one can learn more about product information and their upcoming 
JerkQ'zine Caribbean Grille Franchise Opportunities.
  The kindness shown by Mr. HoSang and his wife in giving back to 
communities, organizations, churches, fundraisers and scholastic events 
such as the Penn Relays keeps multiplying their efforts.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize 
the accomplishments of Vincent HoSang, CEO, Royal Caribbean Bakery and 
Caribbean Food Delights, Inc., as he offers his talents and 
philanthropic services for the betterment of our local and national 
communities.
  Mr. Speaker, Vincent HoSang's selfless service has continuously 
demonstrated a level of altruistic dedication that makes him most 
worthy of our recognition today.

                          ____________________