Buy More Local Products- Made in Guyana- Annie’s Chutneys

GINA, GUYANA, Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Anne Bristol Peters is from Lowlands on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), she is also a wife and a mother of two children. She is a certified hairdresser and was also involved in cake decorating, making floral arrangements among other pursuits before embarking on entrepreneurship.

Life was always busy and very creative for Anne; from a young child she was very good with her hands. Always watching her mother making things and very inquisitive about food. She said that while she was growing up she knew that she wanted to be in a career that involved anything to do with using her hands, “this is the reason why I got into this business”.

Anne Line of products has been on the market for four years. She started her business with encouragement from a family member who was taking her pepper sauce overseas.

Because of that encouragement she now has several products which include green seasonings, sourie achar, tarmind chutney, pepper sauce, carambola fruits (non-alcoholic), and lime and pepper chunks.

Anne related that when she first went to the market, all her products were sold out, she then made more pepper sauce. However it was not easy at first, she noted that it was very hard but eventually the products gained recognition and she is very happy with where the product and the business are today, “especially as a woman.”

The production process lasts four days and the products have a shelf -life of two years.

“I could remember when I did my first batch of pepper sauce which was 60 pounds of pepper, I sat on the steps of my house and cried and cried because my entire body was blazing me due to the heat of the pepper. But now I am spinning barrels of pepper and it doesn’t bother me at all”.

Anne told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that all of her raw materials are sourced locally. She does all her manufacturing, packaging merchandising and delivery of her products. Utilising her own secret blend of spices which she uses to make her achar; her green seasoning can be used on fish and poultry products to add flavor to the dish; her tarmind chutney, which she notes is a big seller can be enjoyed with a plate of dhal, rice and curry of (your) choice and for some it can be eaten by itself, while the carambola fruits can be used to make black cakes, or even coconut buns.

This entrepreneur is very proud of herself because, “as a woman (and) because I started out with nothing and now I have my own line of products. “I have a car and that is what I used at first but over the years I have seen the business expand and I went and get another car so that I can have more space”.

One of Anne’s major challenges is acquiring bottles to package her product.  She uses the brand new 10 ounce Jam bottles instead of the

recycled ones because she wants to ensure that the Anne products are up to standard in keeping with the food and drug license. However the bottles are no longer being imported.

Anne is hoping that one day she will have her own big manufacturing company and be on the international market. “ I want to encourage persons to support and buy more local products, when you do that  you are helping to promote the country and prosper the economy as well”, Anne said.

Anne Line of Products is found in all major supermarkets and stores nationwide and has a shelf life of two years. Annie‘s products retails for the following prices- Mango achar $520, Souree achar $520, Tarmind achar $720, Hot Sauce $295ml $240, 500ml$440, Green Seasoning 295ml $200, 500ml$400, Lime Chunks and Pepper$460 and Dried Fruits are $300 and $360 respectively. Anne can be contacted on 629-7185 for orders

Additionally, the Guyana Shop located at Robb and Alexander Streets is stocked to capacity with locally produced items, which also sell Annie’s line of products. You can also find from soaps, to detergents, jams, coconut biscuits, tarmind chutney and pepper sauce there.

 

By: Gabreila Patram