By Vanessa Braithwaite
WELL-KNOWN agro-processor in Linden, Denise Gordon, is creating waves with her jam and jellies products and is now manufacturing several other flavours under her Denise Institute Brand.

This has not only expanded her market, but is creating stable supply for local farmers since she sources her local fruits from West Watooka. Gordon, who is a caterer, home economics facilitator and founder of the Denise Institute of Catering, decided to diversify and utilise her skills in another way.

While it only started as a hobby, she is now supplying major companies in Georgetown and Berbice, one of which is the Diamond Diagnostic Centre. Her jams and jellies are all concocted with natural ingredients and have proven to be very tasty. The flavours include banana, mango, passion fruit, cherries, sorrel, watermelon, cashew, and guava.
What makes her products more unique and attractive, is the quality of the packaging. She sources her bottles from overseas and her labelling is done by a company in Georgetown. She goes all out, with the belief that exemplary packaging is needed to pique the customers’ interest.

After receiving overwhelming positive reviews for her jam and jellies, especially when she showcases them at various expositions, the Linden agro-processor has not only expanded her flavour line but her product line and is now manufacturing achar with the same local fruits in addition to golden apple and soiree. These too have taken the market by storm and her hands are not enough to take off the demand. “It is keeping me very busy,” she said.

Denise also produces preserved fruits and packaged confectionaries such as coconut wafer, hot and spicy hard channa and nuts and raisins. “Every one wants my recipe, especially for the coconut wafer. When I take it on the market, it doesn’t last any time; there wasn’t a time I took and return home with any,” she said.

While agro-processing has brought her much success, she still holds on to her first love, which is teaching and while her school is still in tact, it was challenges such as non-payment from students that resulted in her halting operations.

She is seeking sponsorship to reopen the school but to focus on training the students in the area of agro-processing, in addition to catering. She said many youths are interested but cannot afford the classes and, therefore, she is seeking sponsorship, so they can attend at a subsidised cost or for free.

“I’m looking at a lot of young people. They may not be academically inclined but if you teach them things with their hands, they will succeed.” These same youths, she said when trained, can be employed at her factory, which continues to expand and with more hands on deck, she will be able to take in more contracts and even start supplying local and international supermarkets.

The agro-processor is advising fellow Lindeners who may desire to enter the agro-processing industry, but are afraid to take the risk, to ‘jump in’ as she did and there will be no regrets.

“As long as you get the ability, the skill, just start by giving a neighbour, a friend to taste and in that way you will be opening doors and then your little business will start and it will keep growing,” she said