Linden manufacturers target big markets
— with int’l packaging and branding
— several new local products now on the market
— agro-processors using local produce as ingredients
DPI, Guyana, Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Linden manufacturers, particularly agro-processors, have racked up major points for significantly improving their branding and packaging of products.
According to Victor Fernandes, a representative of the Linden Chamber of Industry, Development and Commerce (LCIDC), the agro-processors are ensuring the standards of their products meet the requirements of local and international markets.
At the recently concluded Linden Exposition and Trade Fair, several local producers took the opportunity to showcase and market their products. Among those receiving rave review is Pleasurable Flavours, Alternative Measures, Denise Institute of Catering, Chanzars, DeSouza’s Soaps and Oils, and Flavour Shore Coconut Oils.
“It was impressive … there is a vast improvement in their branding and marketing. I think they are ready for the national and international markets,” Fernandes said.
Pleasurable Flavours, which is now a household name in Linden, produces a wide array of peppers, seasonings and other culinary flavourings. Producer Dianna Powell has made strides to improve on the packaging of her products, making them more convenient to purchase and easier to store.
Her four main bottled products: green seasonings, all-purpose seasoning, pepper sauce and sweet pepper relish, are in smaller bottles and encased together in what she calls the ‘four-pack special’. Customers can now purchase all four products and not worry about the excessive storage that four large bottles may require. One of Powell’s newer products, the sweet pepper relish, which can be used with snacks such as plantain chips and chicken foot, is receiving positive feedback.
Denise Institute of Catering’s fruit preservatives, jams and jellies had visitors doing double-takes at the expo with its eye-catching packaging and labelling. Entrepreneur Denise Gordon explained she sources her bottles from the United States and outsources a company in Georgetown to design the labels. Exemplary packaging, she said, is needed because her products are unique and therefore “something extra” must be there to pique the customers’ interest.
Her products are made from a wide array of local fruits: banana, passion fruit, golden apple, watermelon and soursop. Describing her experience at the expo, Gordon said: “It was really good, I produce unusual stuff and people were eager to try it, I only came back with a few bottles.”
While local agro-products continue to steal the show, other local products and services are also receiving outstanding commendation for the standard of presentation. One of these is Indulgence Specialty Cupcakes and Indulgence Decor. The company is run by Tanyael Williams and her aunt, Annalisa Reynolds. The duo is creating a stir with their colourful, creative and uniquely designed cupcakes, which are neatly packaged. Indulgence caters for all special events and Williams related that they put their personal touch into the products and service.
It is now time to market
The next step after good packaging is good marketing. Fernandes related that the chamber will now play an integral role in ensuring that these high-quality products receive the needed marketing.
Fernandes said the LCIDC will host several training sessions on marketing strategies for these entrepreneurs for the rest of the year. Before the expo, the entrepreneurs had received training on this subject as well as how to create a long-term clientele and sustainable market.
One very effective marketing strategy used by the entrepreneurs was to incorporate their contact information on their labels. Gordon related that she forgot her business cards home, but because she did this, customers were able to snap a photo of the label to store her information.
Executive Member of the LCIDC Staydon Payne related that for clients to expand their market base, they need to understand marketing material and approach potential. These very high-quality products cannot go to waste, and the Chambers will be doing all in its power to ensure this does not happen.