By: Staff Writer
March 19, 2021
A Trinidadian sauce manufacturer has held prices and never lost sight of exports despite the fact that the cost of raw materials “skyrocketed” as a result of COVID-19.
Sharon Chautilal, managing director of Habanero Pepper Sauce Company, told Caribbean Magazine Plus: “Production came to a sudden halt at the beginning of the pandemic but as soon as we were able to implement the few additional necessary safety protocols, production resumed as normal.”
She also said that Most of the safety practices were already part of our food safety program so it was not difficult at all to adjust to the COVID-19 protocols in Trinidad.
She warned, however, “What hit us hard was accessing the essential safety supplies that we use all the time such as nitrile gloves, mouth covers, hair covers and foot covers as the demand for these skyrocketed. The prices for these products went up 5 to 10 times the regular prices. Cost of goods increased (raw materials including packaging) but so far we have held our prices. This might change if we experience any more increases though.”
Describing her marketing strategy through it all, Ms Chautilal said: “The local marketing was always an extension of our international marketing. We usually plan all marketing around that thinking. We do need the local sales for cash flow but the export is needed for future growth and development. Due to the covid-19 pandemic, many people lost jobs and got cut pay cuts.
“In the last year, many new pepper sauces were launched locally (Maggi’s, Ramy’s, Tubbs, Adams) and many pop-up markets selling homemade pepper sauces have sprung up everywhere. People have put up tables outside their homes selling home made pepper sauces. Not to mention, that everyone took to backyard gardening during the pandemic with hot peppers being one of the plants that everyone grew, so then they made pepper sauce and shared as well.”
“During this time, we never lost sight of export. With the borders closed, there were no returning residents or visitors to Trinidad and Tobago so there was opportunity. Habanero formed relationships with a few West Indian food bloggers in New York, Florida and Alabama. We offered specials to the USA targeting the Caribbean diaspora and experienced growth in our export sales,” said Ms Chautilal.
Pointing to some of her regional competition, she said: “D’Vanya’s is from Bahamas and to my knowledge, we do not have that brand in Trinidad and Tobago. The local competitors are Chief, Matouks, Karibbean Flavours, Bertie’s, Alvin’s and a multitude of others. What sets Habanero Trinidad apart from the others and make our products special is that we do small batches and remain true to the home-made process. Our products are made using only sun ripened (on the tree) peppers and freshly prepared ingredients. The peppers are hand-picked, hand sorted and prepped. We do not use any thickeners such as xanthan gum or corn starch. Also, we do not use any artificial colouring, flavours or preservatives. Our factory is an allergens free facility.”
Ms Chautilal was recently featured by the Caribbean Export Development Agency as a female entrepreneur of note, something that is not lost on her being a female in a male dominated business world. She told us: “To me, being a woman leading a growing business is natural and exciting. Both my parents were always self-employed so maybe that is where the entrepreneurial spirit came from. I think what might be most challenging for women entrepreneurs is finding the balance with work, family and personal health. Culturally/traditionally women tend to be more the homemakers and caretakers and this expectation still exists. Most women at the end of the working day are still the ones managing their children’s curriculum, getting the groceries, preparing meals and handling the house chores.”
“I have realized though, that these same qualities are actually strengths in the business as I understand the importance of paying close attention to details, producing quality work, listening to employees and customers, perpetually improving, multi- tasking and delivering excellent products consistently over and over again.”
Starting up Habanero took a lot of hard work she said, “The hardest part in starting up the business was trying to find out all the necessary requirements to conduct sales market as well as for export market. When the business started, we were the only ones doing sampling promotions and educating the customers about our products, pepper sauces. Because we don’t use thickeners in our products, there is separation in some of the products and customers still don’t understand that this is a natural occurrence and the product just needs to be shaken.
Habanero has been in operation for nine years now. Some of their achievements have been their pepper sauce for the great legend, Calypso Rose, which they call “Scorpion Fire Fire”
In addition their products the Marriot Hotel as well as the Hilton Hotel as well as many other local fast food outlets
Habanero also supplies pepper sauces as an ingredient to two of the largest food manufacturers in the Caribbean plus they have an ecommerce online site at habanerotrinidad,com where they have started selling other great local products.
Ms Chautilal also said: “We have resellers online such as callaloobox.com in Miami. We also offer the products on Amazon as well as having our products being represented by Chef Jonathan Scinto, at the largest food show in the world, World Food Championship in both 2018 and 2019, which stopped due to covid-19, plus we have established an online reseller Trinipot.com in the UK as well as have distributors in New York, Florida and St Maarten.”
She added: “After getting through the start-up phase successfully, the next most difficult stage for a small business entrepreneur is access to finance. Very often, during the start-up phase, you tend to use most if not all of your resources to succeed. SMEs are offered consultancy and training, but the financial investment needed to take the business to the next level is not easily accessible resulting so many times in lost opportunities. Nobody takes the time to analyze the business potential worth based on existing and future opportunities.”
At the end of the day it is all worth it for Ms Chautilal as she said, “An Entrepreneur’s journey is never easy but if you are passionate about what you do and believe in your products and/or services, it is worth the effort and almost your duty to make a difference in the world. Habanero Trinidad is making a difference in the world by adding flavour to life.”