Basdeo’s Dynasty was established in March 2021 as a family business which processes and bottles pepper sauce and mango achar. One year later, the company expanded its business to process and package several other items and is now a part of the Guyana National Bureau of Standards’ (GNBS) Made in Guyana Certification Mark Programme.
“We manufacture products which are pure and easy to use. In addition, everything is prepared and packaged separately so there’s no contamination,” Proprietress of Basdeo’s Dynasty, Radhika Basdeo said.
She explained that the business was formed as a means of processing surplus peppers and mangoes harvested from the family’s farm. Following extensive research, Ms. Basdeo said she was able to set up the facility at her home at Enmore, East Coast Demerara (ECD). “It was all because of my dad, he motivated me… so I’m making the family name (Basdeo) known, and making them proud out there,” Ms. Basdeo said.
Earlier this year, the GNBS approached Basdeo’s Dynasty to become a part of the Made in Guyana Certification Mark Programme which aims to promote locally manufactured products and boost competitiveness. The Proprietress said she wasted no time in signing up since she wanted to differentiate her products from those of other competitors in the market.
Ms. Basdeo stated, “Working with the GNBS, the process has been smooth and informative. I never hesitated to reach out to the Officers from the GNBS Business Development and Certification Services Departments, who were always willing to provide support.”
On September 09, 2022, Basdeo’s Dynasty was successfully certified to use the Made in Guyana Standards Mark on its Pepper sauce, mango achar, garam masala, grind turmeric, plantain flour, whole nutmeg, whole geera, grind geera, split peas powder and salted fish.
“For us, getting certification ready was no walk in the park but with all the help I received it was attained eventually. The effort has allowed me to add value to my business and my products,” the Proprietress said.
Following certification, the businesswoman said demand for her products has increased. “I’ve gotten into some supermarkets quite easily. Also, people who had reached out to me regarding products in the past, when they saw the news of the certification on social media and elsewhere, have been reaching out more than ever to purchase products. Some retailers are even interested in site visits,” Basdeo noted.
Further, she pointed out that her business is now more organized with processes in place for record keeping, traceability and other necessary documents.
Ms. Basdeo is encouraging other companies to pursue certification. “When customers see that your products GNBS Certified, they know you are maintaining a certain standard. I would encourage other small and grown businesses to get certified by the GNBS to differentiate from others.”
To access information on GNBS Certification programmes, companies can visit the GNBS website: www.gnbsgy.org, or contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0064-66. They can also visit the GNBS Facebook and Instagram pages for regular updates or WhatsApp the Bureau on 692-4627.
