By Indrawattie Natram
JUNE Austin of La Belle Alliance in Region Two has the desire to secure more markets for her local pepper sauce. Austin, who is a retired teacher, said that after leaving the teaching profession, she ventured into agro-processing approximately two years now.

Speaking with the Pepperpot Magazine at the recent Essequibo Night Exhibition and Fair held on November 1 and 2 at the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground, Austin said that she wanted to earn another income and as such, she started to make pepper sauce.

“Being at home made me think of things I want to do; my daughter has a lot of peppers and it was going to waste, so I decided one day I will grind the peppers and make it into hot sauce and eventually today it is now my business,” Austin said.

Coming under the brand M and J Enterprise, Austin said she registered her business, after which she started to add value to the pepper, fruits, and crabwood oil. She retails crabwood oil, dried preserved fruits and also pepper sauce.

The agro-processor said that she was selling her products at a stall in Anna Regina, but now she is moving around to expand the market. She said she would visit shops and supermarkets selling instead of being at one location. When asked how are sales thus far, she said that it is slow and desires more. Whenever she is not selling she would be at home preparing her pepper sauce and dried fruits. The fruits are purchased from other farmers around her community and already Austin has booked orders from cake makers for the Christmas season. The bottling is done manually and Austin does her own labels also.

Austin said although her children are grown, she encourages them to get into agro-processing. She said adding value to perishable products is a profitable venture and encourages persons to get into same. She used the opportunity at the Expo to showcase her products as well as to increase her sales. Anyone interested in purchasing hot sauce, crabwood oil or dried fruits can contact Ms Austin on 622-7273.