WHEN Mawazo Porte packed her products for Agrofest in Barbados earlier this year, she never imagined that a shipping disaster would become the turning point for her business.
Her company, Guyana Market International (GMI), known for its Plantain Chips and Coconut Biscuits, suffered a major blow when another exhibitor’s product spilled during transport, damaging almost her entire shipment.
“I lost over US $3,000,” Porte recalled. “Eighty per cent of my products were destroyed. I was devastated, but I knew I had to come back stronger.”
That moment sparked a complete rethink of how her products were packaged and presented. With support from GO-Invest, which assisted with rebranding and granted permission to use the Brand Guyana mark, Porte began transforming her packaging from simple plastic wraps to vibrant, resealable eco-friendly pouches.
“GO-Invest’s support came at the right time,” she said. “It gave me the push I needed to rebuild, not just replace, what I had lost.”
Today, GMI stands proudly as the first company to officially carry the Brand Guyana label, a symbol of quality and national pride. The new packaging, featuring clean design and bold local imagery, reduces plastic use while improving shelf life and export readiness.
“I wanted packaging that reflects the pride we feel about what we make,” Porte explained. “It’s still the same authentic Guyanese taste, but now it looks as good as it tastes.”
For Porte, resilience is not new. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, she lost her main source of income. Instead of giving up, she turned to her passion for food and created Guyana Market International, starting small from her home kitchen and selling to friends and community shops.
“GMI was born out of necessity,” she explained. “I needed to survive, but I also wanted to create something that celebrated who we are as Guyanese people. Every product I make comes from that same spirit.”
Her snacks soon gained attention at supermarkets and trade expos, and she continued to build her brand step by step.
Just recently, she joined a World Trade Centre Georgetown (WTCG) training programme that focused on helping entrepreneurs strengthen their business operations and branding and preparation for exhibitions and trade shows.
While her packaging transformation was already in motion, the training reaffirmed her commitment to thinking bigger and staying consistent with her goals.
“The sessions encouraged me to keep going,” she said. “I’ve come a long way, but I’m still learning how to take the business further and to think globally while staying proudly local.”
GMI’s upgraded Plantain Chips and Coconut Biscuits can be found in several retail outlets across Guyana.
“Every pack tells a story,” Porte said. “A story about where we’re from, what we’ve overcome, and what’s possible when we keep pushing forward.”