Marie Sharp Honored on Forbes’ 2026 “50 Over 50” List

Marie Sharp, the name alone is Belizean to the core. Her sauces and seasonings have reached kitchens around the world, and today, the woman behind the iconic brand is getting global recognition once again. Marie Sharp has been named to Forbes’ 2026 Fifty Over Fifty Global list, honoring leaders and innovators making an impact well beyond their borders. Sharp started her company back in 1981, and since then, she’s taken Belizean flavors to nearly forty international markets. From pepper sauces to jams, her products have become staples both at home and abroad. We caught up with her today to hear how it felt seeing her name on that prestigious list.

 

On the Phone: Marie Sharp, Founder, Marie Sharp’s Fine Foods

“ I feel incredibly honored and grateful. It’s truly humbling to be recognized among so many inspiring women from around the world. But you have to look at it that this recognition is not just for me, it’s for my amazing team, my family, the people of Belize who have supported from the very beginning. So it’s a moment of pride for me, but also a reminder, so you know, that I have to keep pushing forward, innovating, and sharing our culture and our flavors with the world. So it’s a continuous battle. When I started out of my kitchen at home. I worked for almost a year out of my kitchen making pepper sauce and doing my own marketing because I used to do my refried tortillas and go around from door to door in Belize trying to market it. And it was not until my husband built me my first little factory on the farm that I moved out to the farm. But during that time, it was like constant renovation because like I would get feedback from people or it’s not red enough or it’s not hot enough or, and I kept trying to improve and improve. So it’s been a constant improving of what we’re doing.”