Luke’s Manufacturing leverages cassava for new, exciting products

Proficient in the manufacturing of cassava-based products, Luke’s Manufacturing is an agro-processing company located in Charity on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two. The company, owned by Mr. John Luke, began with the making of small amounts of cassareep, cassava bread, quinches, and cake fruits for relatives and friends, especially those visiting Guyana during the Christmas season.

In 2009, he registered his business, and with an abundance of raw materials, Mr. Luke subsequently increased his line of products. The new additions included Cassava Porridge, Chinese Sauce, Miracle Sauce, BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, and the company’s signature Cassava Seasoning.

“The sauces, while they contain other ingredients, always include cassava as a constant throughout. Seeing what we have been able to do with cassava is very exciting with every new product created,” he said.

In addition, the company now produces wines made from fruits including berries and beans, as well as green seasonings, hot sauce, achar, plantain porridge, corn starch, farine, and other products.

In 2023, Luke’s Manufacturing joined the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) Made in Guyana (MIG) Certification Mark Programme. The Made in Guyana Standards Mark is a registered mark that aims to provide recognition to locally manufactured products on both local and international markets and is a signature of quality for authentic Guyanese products.

The company achieved the rights to use the GNBS Approved MIG Standards Mark for its Cassava Cassareep, Cassava Porridge, Plantain Porridge, Honey, and Chinese Sauce. This certification, valid for one year, is slated for renewal shortly.

“We are confident in our brand and the products we create. However, the importance of compliance and the need for our products to be certified as wholesome for consumption is what motivated us to pursue certification through the GNBS,” the Proprietor said.

To consistently meet its customers’ needs, the business also engages in small-scale farming. Cultivation of coffee beans, ginger, turmeric, cassava, plantain, and various herbs and spices, including fine leaf thyme, broad leaf thyme, basil (known locally as “Married Man Pork”), peppers, passion fruit, and others, is carried out in the Pomeroon.

The proprietor said, “while we cultivate many of the produce used to create our ingredients, we still must purchase from other farmers. Starting with the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by floods and the heatwave, our farm was severely impacted.”

Presently, he noted that negotiations are ongoing to collaborate with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) for the construction of a processing station to improve the current products and increase production.

Since joining the GNBS certification programme, the proprietor noted an increase in sales. “We have seen more people seeking out our products, and the introduction of feedback forms as a requirement of the certification has enhanced our customer service. Based on feedback, we have changed some of our packaging and labelling and will be adding two new products in the new year,” he explained.

The two new products—powdered cassava cassareep and cube cassareep—were unveiled at the recent Uncapped exhibition hosted by the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) following approval from the Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department (GAFDD).

Additionally, the company will soon expand its seasoning line and add more products to the certification programme.

Mr. Luke encourages other companies to join the GNBS MIG Certification programme. He said, “Our advice to companies not yet certified would be to get on the ball, contact the GNBS, and begin the process—it can only get better.”

Made in Guyana application forms can be found on the GNBS website at https://gnbsgy.org/forms-all/. For more information, contact the Certification Services Department at 219-0064-66 or email [email protected].