THE use of herbs has for centuries been believed by some schools of thought to be one of the most effective forms of alternative medicine.
Today, with access to endless amounts of information, many persons have begun to shy away from “modern medicine” and their sometimes lethal side effects, and opt for herbal remedies.
In Guyana, the use of herbs is practically part of our culture, with many of us growing up on “bush tea”, much of which were brewed from herbs growing right in our backyards, and forced upon us by our elders. So, in this modern age, it seems as though the world has finally caught up with what has always been part of Guyanese culture.
It is for this reason that 31-year-old Princess Cosbert’s business of homemade herbal teas has, within just nine short months, blossomed into a lucrative venture.

‘NATURE’S FINEST’
Sold under the brand, ‘Nature’s Finest’, Princess’ teas can be found on the shelves of five supermarkets and two gas stations around Georgetown, and is even being sold by individual retailers in other parts of the country.
A firm believer in God, Princess attests that it is His wisdom that planted the idea in her head and turned what was once just something she did for personal reasons into her primary means of income today.
“I used to make powdered seasonings at home, but that didn’t work out. One day I had some herbal tea ground up, and I used one of those straining cloths that the folks used long ago to strain tea and I strained it and gave it to a friend of mine,” Princess said about how the idea came to her. “At the time, she was mixing it with another tea, but she ran out. Then one day she used my tea by itself, and she called me and told me how much she loved it, and encouraged me to get into business with it.”

At the time, Princess was scheduled to go to Trinidad and Tobago for an extended period of time, but, unable to shake the idea and the encouragement, she cut short her trip and returned home to start her venture. After packaging her teas, she approached the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), which agreed to have her product on display, so long as it was made solely in Guyana.
From then on, ‘Nature’s Finest’ teas slowly began to appear on other shelves in supermarkets around town.
SEVEN FLAVOURS
For tea lovers who are curious, the brand offers seven mixed local flavours, including ginger and garlic, and lemon grass and ‘teaseum’. Princess admits that she did not expect the response that she has been getting so far, but she is proud that this personal hobby has turned into a business.
“My mom always said that women should be independent and not depend on men,” Princess said, adding:
“I feel that when we put our guards down, we get abused in so many ways and can’t provide for our children. So now that I am grown, I, too, believe that every woman should be independent and that would allow them to better provide for their children.”
Her advice to other women is that they need to have God in their lives and a clear vision of what they want to do when entering into business. “I think in every woman, if there is something they want to do, they just need to take that step.
“To start a business starts with an idea, and you just need to act on it,” she said.
She also wishes to encourage women not to be afraid to at least start conceptualising their business if they don’t yet have the capital to do so. “Some people think they have to wait, but you just need to use what you have, and God will provide,” Princess said.
“I started my business with $20,000. It is not about what you have, but how you use what you have and everything will fall into place,” she added.
As she seeks to expand her product and have it in more local supermarkets, she admits that there are some barriers that stop her from doing so, among which are racial preferences. “I am surprised that there is a racial barrier in some supermarkets because I am a different race… They would say they don’t have space on their shelves, but if I give it to an Indian person, they would gladly take it,” she said. She said, too, that she wishes that there were other bodies that provide business guidance for women in business.
The next step for ‘Nature’s Finest’ is herbal capsules, and Princess said that she has already begun making these and advertising them as dietary supplements.
She believes that herbs have many health benefits, and though without being scientifically tested, she is unable to advertise them as such, she suggests that reading up about the benefits of these herbs could inform the user.