GLOBALLY, agro-processing is considered a contribution to food security and sustainability and economic development, due to its ability to add value to raw products and extend shelf life. Guyana has an agro-processing sector that is rich with potential and the country’s budding oil and gas industry promises to hold even more opportunities for local agro-processors to expand their markets.
It is against this background that Tazmein Coates, a local manufacturer of Linnel Oil, has engaged the market.
In an interview with the Pepperpot Magazine, Coates revealed that inspiration for the manufacture of Linnel Oil came when she gave birth to her third son, Linnel.
“I started to make coconut oil to use on his skin and every time a friend or a family friend comes, they would ask me for some of the oil…Since everyone is asking for this oil, I decided to bottle it, put on a label and make a business,” she related to the Magazine.
She explained that since the emergence of Guyana’s oil and gas industry, she has been doing okay; she further noted that she is contented about the sale of her products and the way things are going where business is concerned. However, Coates related that her success is due to the way she markets her products and her efforts to propel her business.
“ I have five different fragrances of Linnel Oil. [They include] the original with the babyface on it, then I have one which is called the Baby Powder which caters for different age ranges, they are scented and unscented,” Coates noted during her interview.
Coates is eager for her business to reach the top as soon as the way is clear amidst the precautionary measures taken by the health authorities as a result of the pandemic.
“I see myself shipping to Canada and exporting on a large market and my product being a household name throughout Guyana and around the world,” Coates told Pepperpot Magazine.
Meanwhile, Portia Sami, the owner of Heart Smart Enterprise during an interview with this Magazine, expressed the view that a person should not be limited to doing just one thing.
“I have always wanted to start a business. As a busy professional, wife and mother, I felt the need for products that would decrease time spent preparing meals was universal. I enjoy cooking, but I don’t like peeling garlic. Since garlic is used to flavour most dishes, the idea of different flavours of pureed garlic seemed like a great business idea. Knowing the health benefits of olive oil and ginger, I decided to incorporate olive oil in all of the seasonings and add the ginger puree to the list of products, since ginger is also widely used.
The garlic-based jerk seasoning was included to complement the line of products. In short, my inspiration came from my dislike of doing a simple chore and my motivation came from a long-standing desire to own a business,” Sami told the Pepperpot Magazine.
She added that the distinction of her business is premised on the fact that the business provides customers with convenient, healthy and versatile products that save time in food preparation.
“Our products also promote health. The company’s logo has a heart check in the colours of the Guyanese flag, which signifies that the company is focused on promoting heart health in Guyana.
The products are made using quality ingredients such as garlic, ginger and olive oil that have been proven to reduce cholesterol and promote optimum functioning of the cardiovascular system,” she said. “Since the attainment of health requires a multifaceted approach, Heart Smart Enterprise has incorporated messages on the label that encourage customers to get active, eat well and control their blood pressure. I am not aware of any other Guyanese manufacturer of seasonings that has this approach.”
According to Sami, the response of her customers to her products are a love for the flavour, quality and packaging of her products.
Just last year, the Government of Guyana announced its intention to build a platform to facilitate information-sharing, connectivity and communication, and link products and service providers with customers nationally, regionally, and internationally for agro processors.
Portia expressed the view that this is a great opportunity and supports the effort wholeheartedly.
“The thing is, everybody is online these days and we rely on it for the sale and promotion of our products, so if we use those platforms, it can definitely work,” she said about the initiative.
