Making healthy food choices can sometimes be difficult but for the advocates of good health, living a healthy lifestyle is all about choosing the right foods.
One such advocate is Gail Watson, proprietor of GW Enterprises, who markets under the Healthy Choices brand. Speaking to The Scene recently about the Healthy Choices brand, Gail stated that her establishment came into being in May, 2009, noting that it was her father’s idea which she eventually elaborated on.
Gail explained that her establishment offers various flavours of fruit juices, among them cherry, passion fruit, fruit punch, mango and mango/passion. The juices are sold in 200 ml pouches and 1 litre bottles. She said the juices are made from locally produced fruits sourced from the local markets, fruit farmers and the New Guyana Marketing Corporation.
Gail explained that production of the fruit juices is a clinical process in which the fruits are washed, cleaned and blended; sugar and sodium benzoate are then added following which the juices are bottled, this being the final process. She said that plans are currently in the pipeline to further develop the production process which includes installation of a bottling facility at her establishment.
Healthy Choices also offers fruit and vegetable salads. Ingredients for the vegetable salads include, lettuce (100%/pesticide free), cabbage, cucumber, whole kernel sweet corn, sliced carrots and raisins. The fruit salads are made from a mixture of fruits including watermelon, banana, tangerine, apple and grapes. She said her establishment also recently started to market whole wheat bread, baked and sold under the Healthy Choices brand.
As regards the public response, Gail stated that initially the entity did not attract much public attention but some time after, “people were beginning to ask what this place is all about”. She said the establishment is open from Monday to Saturday between the hours of 8 am to 7 pm.
The products are also available at N&S Mattai & Co Supermarket on Water Street (juice pouches), food marts at the Texaco Gas Station on Mandela Avenue and the Shell Gas Station on Camp Street. In the coming weeks the products will be available at Bounty Supermarket in Kitty and at the Texaco Gas Station mart on Vlissengen Road.
Meanwhile, fruit farmers and fruit juice producers from around the country are expected to converge at the Healthy Choices establishment on February 27, for an Organic Market Day, aimed at networking the farmers and producers.
Gail, who is coordinating the event, told The Scene that the initiative is aimed at strengthening the relationship between fruit juice producers and small farmers, including “garden farmers”.
