This entrepreneur’s cheese straws are made with love

HOMEMAKER turned entrepreneur, Natalie Trim, has capitalised on her baking skills to earn a living by incorporating cheese straw making from her home into a small business in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The 59-year-old reported that two years ago, she took the bold step of becoming an entrepreneur, encouraged by her son to do so.

Trim, a mother of two and a grandmother of four, told the Pepperpot Magazine that she had been baking at home for a long time. She started by watching her mother do it, and after she gained experience, she began making homemade cheese straws.

She added that she comes from a family of gifted bakers — her grandmother, then her mother — and has taken up the tradition, making it her livelihood.

Trim explained that her grandmother had a bakery at Wismar Shore, Linden, named Rosanna’s Bakery, and all her aunts, mostly the women in the family circle, were good bakers.

She said they also provided catering services for events and other occasions and they made the best baked goods, including cheese straws.

Trim pointed out that it was all home-centred until they received orders to cater for events, and they started doing it as a small business.

The small business owner told the Pepperpot Magazine that her son encouraged her to go forward with the venture, and he designed the pouches for packaging, which were printed in China and imported.

Trim stated that she began to vigorously market the product in Linden and farther afield, including at supermarkets and Chinese-owned businesses.

Trim’s Snacks, made with real cheddar cheese, are produced from all-natural products, locally bought and prepared in a hygienic environment.

She credits her success so far to her family — her children and husband — who are always there to lend support when needed.

Trim disclosed that her cheese straws are unlike any other because of the way they are made and the care and intention behind the product.

“I don’t rush the process; each batch is made thoughtfully, shaped by hand, and baked until they have that perfect golden colour and crispness,” she said.

Trim added that it is a product made with love, so when you bite into it, you experience the contrast of a light, flaky crunch that gently melts away, leaving behind a subtle richness that lingers.

She noted that the cheese straws are not just snacks — they are little moments of comfort and joy, crafted to turn everyday occasions into something special and memorable.

The product is also marketed at the Guyana Shop on Alexander and Robb Streets, Georgetown. As it is registered as a business with the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), she has received tremendous support in terms of training, exposure, and participation in local expositions.

It has been two years since the launch of Natalie’s Cheese Straws, which are being retailed for $300 per pack countrywide at leading shops and supermarkets.

Trim said the product is of high quality and is a favourite snack among Lindeners. It is in high demand in the community and is widely sold in Linden.

She is a resident of Amelia’s Ward, Linden, one of the biggest housing areas in the country, and she foresees the growth of the small business, which is operated from her home.

Trim related that she would like to expand with a baking facility outside of her home-based business, with a private space to accommodate a bakery and also market the product in a storefront setting.

The small business owner reported that presently she is trying to have the product on sale at Massy supermarkets, but is awaiting a response.

The real cheesy cheese straws are said to be one of the most reached-for snacks in the community due to their freshness and acquired taste.