IMAM Bacchus and Sons has, over the years, successfully risen to become one of the most prominent businesses not only on the Essequibo Coast but in the entire Region Two (Pomeroon-Supernaam).
Its growth from an initial rice production company has created a chain of economic benefits for the entire Essequibo Coast. And while it currently boasts several branches and sub-operations, and has in its employ over 300 Essequibians, the beneficiaries from the plethora of products it has to offer may well number in the thousands.
As enshrined in the company’s history, the family’s patriarch, the late Mr Imam Bacchus, from whom the company took its name, bought a rice mill in the village of Affiance from a British businessman named Mr. Seymour in the 1950s and began producing rice.
Then, in late 1962, when Guyana was beset by the famed 80-day strike, the then District Commissioner Office granted Bacchus permission to voluntarily distribute goods all across the Coast. It was to be the beginning of the mega-empire that is Imam Bacchus and Sons.
Today, rice production still continues to play a major role at Imam Bacchus & Sons, but the company has since added to its growing portfolio the manufacture of value-added products from wheat flour and other raw materials.
Today, also, the company is not only the sole distributor throughout the Essequibo Coast of the National Milling Company of Guyana Inc (NAMILCO)’s several packaged flours, but over the last 15 years has been successful in manufacturing several by-products, ranging from chowmein, vermicelli, baby food and barley flour.
HOME-GROWN AND GOOD
As one of its longstanding employees, a girl named Samantha, explained to the Guyana Chronicle, all of the aforementioned products are produced right there at the factory in Affiance, some nine or so miles from Adventure.
The chowmein, which is exported to Canada and the United States is in high demand, and is sold in 240 and 450g packages. It also comes in extra fine, flat and medium. In addition to these flour-based products, Imam Bacchus also produces several other culinary items such as ground plantains, peas, sago and coffee, with the latest addition being the “puppy rice” that was recently launched.
Samantha revealed that all of the raw ingredients, especially the plantains to make the plantain flour, are sourced from farmers in the Pomeroon district. Imam Bacchus is also involved in other retail and wholesale food distribution, large-scale poultry production, and vegetable and cattle farming.
The Imam Bacchus shopping complex is one of the largest in Essequibo, and houses several stores, including a clothing store, a supermarket and a hardware store. The residents of Affiance and neighbouring villages can basically have all their needs met at the shopping complex. The company is managed by a board of directors, many of whom are family members.
A TRAILBLAZER
Mr Afeeze Khan, Marketing Director of NAMILCO, the lone flour mill in Guyana, has commended Imam Bacchus for taking the initiative to not just distribute flour, but add value to it as well, thus creating more jobs, making available more local products on the market, and revolutionising the entire manufacturing sector.
“Imam Bacchus’ chowmein is sold is Canada; it is the biggest product that leaves Guyana, and is sold in Canada,” Khan said, adding:
“It is also sold in the USA, and is highly marketable. He has been doing it for over 15 years; he started from scratch, and makes one of the best chowmein in the land of Guyana.”
Speaking of the locally-produced flour and flour products the company distributes, Khan said that every time a package of NAMILCO flour or flour product is purchased, the Essequibo economy benefits. NAMILCO produces Multi-grain, Thunderbolt, Self-rising and High-fibre varieties of flour, in addition to wheat germ, baby cream of wheat, roti mix and polourie mix.
Their multi-grain flour is produced from nine different grains, and along with the high-fibre and wheat germ, is specifically manufactured for persons suffering from diabetes, hypertension and other chronic diseases.
“Until we understand what we grow, what we sell, we will never appreciate how important it is for the country to build on what we produce,” Khan said.
“Namilco is the only flour mill in Guyana; nothing is imported! It’s all local!
“Imagine! In one-and-a-half minutes you can have a golden polourie with your friends and family,” he added, reiterating that the flour company will continue to partner with Imam Bacchus to have these products available throughout the Essequibo Coast.