Tricia Nicholas fights for her future at PAN Finals

Pan chicken vendor Tricia Nicholas, from Leith Hall in St Thomas, has faced more than her fair share of life's challenges.

A mother of two and long-time vendor in Morant Bay, she's set her sights on the CB Foods PAN Finals, not just for the $1 million prize, but to rewrite her story and finally build the life and business she's been striving for. At the first PAN Workshop, held in July at GC Foster College in Spanish Town, St Catherine, Nicholas fell to the ground in disbelief when she was announced as the first-place winner for her parish. Overcome with emotion, she wept and rolled on the ground, an outpouring of years of perseverance finally paying off.

For her winning performance, Nicholas received $50,000 courtesy of CB Foods, and most importantly, a spot in the upcoming PAN Finals on Sunday, August 31.

"I was very stressed out when I entered the competition. This was my fifth time trying. I entered twice with my fiance and three times on my own. I told myself I wouldn't stop until I became a winner," she said. "Right now, I'm living with friends. I want to build a one-bedroom house for myself. When my name was called, I just couldn't hold back the tears."

Nicholas has been a pan chicken vendor for nearly two decades. When her fiance migrated, she took over the business, but soon found herself struggling to stay afloat.

"Sometimes I don't even have chicken to go out and sell. What I really need is the capital to buy chicken and get a deep freezer so I can restart properly," she said. Still, her passion runs deep.

"I studied food in high school, cooked for others, dropped out, then went back to study it professionally. That's how I started the pan chicken business," she said. She is now laser-focused on August 31, when PAN Finals hosted by CB Foods will take place at Jamaica College in St Andrew.

"Mi a come bigger and better. I've been waiting for this moment, and I've done my homework," she said confidently.

Nicole Hall, commercial marketing senior manager at CB Foods, said Nicholas' journey is a powerful example of why the PAN competition exists.

"At its core, PAN is about more than food, it's about transformation. It's about giving vendors real tools, resources, and support to build sustainable businesses and live better lives. Tricia's story reminds us why we do this year after year. It's about hope, resilience, and showing that with heart and consistency, a small pan on the roadside can become the foundation of a thriving legacy," she said.