FOR many, retirement presents an opportunity to seek enlightenment and reflect on one’s life. While some choose to just relax and reminisce on their vibrant younger days, some choose to pursue new adventures. One such retiree is Faye Gilgious Greaves, the founder of Jofa Products, a local agro-processing business that has been making waves across the Caribbean, with its flavoured pepper stew and sweet-pepper jelly.

Greaves, 58, was a vocational and child care management teacher, who lived and taught in her home community Sophia. Recently, Greaves closed the doors to the classroom and opened her very own business with the help of her husband.

“While I was in my working years, I would normally do part-time craft and African foods and so forth. But after retirement, which was July 2021, I started to turning my mind, what can I do to still earn an income… I would also make things like fruit drinks and mauby because I have fruit trees in the yard, so I utilise them to do that,” she told the Guyana Chronicle.

At that time, agro-processing was not a venture she initially thought of.

“I started to think internally what else can I add to what I have, and something said peppers and seasonings, so in February in 2022 I went to another pop-up shop, so I had my craft, my bags, tie-dye and so on.”

In what was described as a spur-of-the-moment decision, Greaves along with her husband began cooking up recipes and soon came up with the Jofa Products, Pepper Stew and Sweet Pepper Jelly.

They offered samples of their products at various pop-up shops that were held across the country.

“When we gave people the little samples, they were coming back with their bottles, saying that they want more, or they want us to make for them,” she recounted.

GRANNY’S JELLIES
While the pepper stew was solely her husband’s idea, Greaves noted that the inspiration to create the sweet pepper jelly stemmed from the childhood days she spent watching her grandmother in the kitchen.

“I grew up with my grandmother and she made a lot of jellies, but it never occurred to me to make jellies, because the time I saw her put into it, I didn’t think I have the same patience.”

She noted that the product is often quite a shocker for many. Its sweet yet tangy taste often confuses consumers who are first-time buyers, as it is usually mistaken for the regular citrus-flavoured jellies that are known on the market.

“For the sweet-pepper jelly, it’s always been like a question, sweet-pepper jelly? They are always alarmed and curious,” she said.

The product is also versatile and can be used to satisfy both the sweet and savoury palettes.

“After I outline all the things that can be used, using this product that is even more amazing to them. So, the sweet pepper as jelly can go on your crackers, your toast, or even your fresh bread, it can use on salads, it can be used on ice-creams… I used It on my porridge, I used it on my cereal, you can even marinate your meat with it,” she said.

Jofa Products are also made bearing in mind persons who have specific dietary needs.

In fact, Greaves noted, “The sweet-pepper jelly is mildly sweet and that is deliberate to cater for persons who are diabetic and so forth, so I work around it.”

NETWORKING
Jofa Products are currently being offered in two supermarkets in Guyana and discussions are underway to have the product distributed in many others locally, as well as regionally.

“I am growing, I’m now in two supermarkets, the Guyana Shop and Survival. I also have documents in Massy, Bounty and Food Max and I just returned from Barbados Agro-fest,” the woman said.

Greaves was among several other agro-processors who recently participated in the annual, Barbados Agro-fest; there, she said, she was able to network and market her products to persons who were interested.

While reflecting on that experience, she said, “At the Agro-fest I can say it was a great exposure, so in deed I earned experience from that activity, the product in Barbados was just like Guyana, it was totally new. Nobody is doing pepper stew, nobody is doing pepper jelly that is publicly known.”

With fruitful connections made, Greaves was advised to tap into the local tourism market, a venture she has no objection of exploring, once guidance is provided.

“I got guidance from the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) and I started to put my labels in order. I had labels before but there was some missing information, so with their guidance I got my labels done and then I went on to food and drug and I got my certificate and the road just continued,” the businesswoman said.

In the near future, Greaves intends to expand her product line and to explore every avenue of opportunity that may come her way.