LOIS Hamilton-Rickford had a vision which materialised into a business that has grown over the years. The local agro-processor has 17 products on the supermarket shelves and is working on introducing newer products.
Her company, South American Coco Company, has been in the business of producing and marketing its own brand of extra virgin coconut oil, crab oil, and other gluten-free products in the form of flours and a coconut-based cassareep for the past 10 years. The products have two processing facilities: one on the East Coast Demerara and another in Region Five.

The products are of the finest quality, and “Lois Extra Virgin Coconut Oil”, in particular, is becoming increasingly popular locally, which is noted for its quality and the competitive price that it offers.
Hamilton-Rickford told Pepperpot Magazine that she has been an agro-processor for 12 years. It started from a vision she had after learning of the significant benefits of coconut oil from her father, a retired educator, Humberto Hamilton. Intrigued, she began using coconut oil but did not like the rancid smell and wanted to make it better, so she began exploring the possibilities.
With guidance from her father, she decided to research the uses of coconut oil, which developed into a small business from her home. Her dad made a small batch of extra virgin coconut oil, a skill he acquired from his own father growing up, and from then, they began producing and marketing extra virgin coconut oil and its products.

Hamilton-Rickford added that it was her father, a health enthusiast, who motivated her to start such a business, and today, she credits her success to him for inspiring her to take that leap of faith in becoming an agro-processor. “One day, I was watching this show on television where a woman who was over 70 years old and was wrinkle-free was asked what she used as her skincare routine, and she revealed that it was pure coconut oil. From then, I began getting familiar with the health benefits of coconut oil, and my small business took off,” she said.
The agro-processor stated that extra virgin coconut oil is part of her everyday skincare, and basically, coconut oil is an all-purpose oil that can be used both for internal and external health benefits.

Hamilton-Rickford told Pepperpot Magazine that the by-product of coconuts, called ‘meat’, is sold to local farmers to feed animals. She related that the finest nuts for their production process involve no heating or boiling to ensure the oil produced maintains its full nutritional properties for the benefit of their customers. The nuts are sourced locally from farmers on a large scale.
Hamilton-Rickford reported that she has also ventured into making gluten-free flours from eddoes, plantain, sweet potato, cassava, banana, breadfruit, and Sijan (moringa) powder, as well as coconut cassareep. The mother of three pointed out that she also has her version of crab oil, one dietary coconut oil, and five types of extra virgin coconut oils for hair and skincare.

“As a single parent of three children, including a special needs child who is totally dependent on me, it is challenging to be a full-time mother and also an agro-processor because I am always tired, but I get the inspiration to get up, dust off, and keep going, reflecting on the progress I have made so far, with full support from my very own father every step of the way,” she said.
Hamilton-Rickford added that it has not been easy since she lost her husband one year and four months ago, and she is still adjusting to being a single mother. With her Lois-branded products that are of high quality and standards, she revealed that she is currently working on introducing a new product to the local market very soon but has had setbacks due to illness. The 44-year-old stated that she is willing to continue to work hard to see the fruits of her labour, and she has learned a lot in becoming an entrepreneur. Along the way, a few companies have pitched in to assist her in moving forward with her small business.