Born and raised in the tight-knit community of Mahaicony, Ketroy McPherson had always dreamed of a successful career in electrical installation. And so, after graduating from Mahaicony Secondary School in 2004, he enrolled at the Government Technical Institute (GTI) in Georgetown to pursue this passion. However, his dreams were put on hold when the devastating 2005 flood forced him to quit his studies.
Next, McPherson joined a private institution to continue his education. Unfortunately, he soon discovered that it was a fraudulent organisation and as such was again forced to quit his studies, this time for good. Faced with setbacks and disappointments, McPherson took on various odd jobs over the years, including working as a DJ and at different companies, trying to make ends meet. During that time, his DJ name was Selector Biggy, a name befitting his stature.
“… I worked at Banks DIH for a short period and also worked at Qualfon for a few years (2006-2011) . That was my last job before being unemployed for about three to four years,” he told Stabroek News during a virtual interview.
As luck would have it, something extraordinary was in store for McPherson. In 2013, while still unemployed, he began dating the love of his life, Halcyon Shepherd, and life improved for the better. This included the birth of their fast-food venture, BiggyMak Burgers. The couple’s shared passion for cooking and experimenting in the kitchen brought them closer together.
One fateful evening in 2014, McPherson took a bite of a burger which Shepherd had prepared. It was love at first bite. “… September 7th, it was a Sunday… I never forgot that day because it was the weekend after my birthday. My girlfriend back then was cooking dinner and that evening beef burgers were on the menu. The first bite I took I was in awe! I remember telling her that the only place I’ve eaten burgers this good was at JR Burgers in Georgetown and [as] I was finishing my burger I jokingly said to her, this will be a hit if we’re to introduce it here in Mahaicony,” he recounted.
As time passed, Shepherd couldn’t get McPherson’s words out of her mind. She believed in the uniqueness and deliciousness of her burgers, and so she soon approached him with one question that would set the wheels in motion. “Sometime later, can’t remember when exactly, she came up to me and asked if there’s any place in Mahaicony that sells burgers. Honestly, there were a few but none tasted even close to the ones she made, and that’s exactly what I told her,” he said.
Encouraged by their shared love for cooking, the couple decided to venture into the world of burger-making. So, in 2015, they set up a humble stall under a small (10×10) tent on the roadside outside McPherson’s parents’ shop.
“So, we used to travel from Perth Village, Mahaicony [where we lived at the time] every weekend [to Central Mahaicony, where my father’s house is] to ply our business. Perth is about two miles in the ‘Branch Road’. We did this on Saturdays only,” he recalled. “It started very slow because a lot of persons did not know about it at the time. We were just trying a thing to see what the response would be like but I knew once people started buying, the word would get out there and so said, so done. We started to get a few customers who told others about the burgers and three customers turned into six and so on.”
As their customer base began to grow, with it came feedback and constructive criticism, which the young couple used to improve their business. They learned from their mistakes, such as selling burgers that had been sitting out for too long and made adjustments to ensure fresher and more flavourful meals for their customers.
“We used to make all the burgers and have them inside a glass case and sell as customers come. Most people used to complain about the burgers being at room temperature and the veggies inside not remaining fresh for the time they were sitting inside the glass case…,” McPherson explained.
“Some customers also talked about the cheese melting from the heat of the sun and we used toothpicks to hold the burgers together. That was a bad idea because some people forgot about the toothpicks, so you know how that turned out… We then started to microwave the burgers before giving them to customers. That too was a bad idea because it was not good for the vegetables. So, all of these were learning experiences for us as new entrepreneurs and we definitely used them as a foundation to better our products and services.”
As we chatted, the now 37-year-old entrepreneur provided some more background into the beginning of his business. “Let me pause a bit to tell you how the name BiggyMak Burgers came about. I became somewhat popular when I was a DJ and my stage name back then was Selector Biggy, so when we launched in 2015 the name of the business was Bigmak Burgers; Big from my deejay name and Mak from my last name (McPherson). So, one day a good friend of mine, Paul Meusa, was visiting and he came over to try one of our burgers. He commended us on the taste then he said ‘bro, there’s already Big Mac at McDonald’s, you gotta come up with something more original that you can own and call yours. You should change this from Bigmak to BiggyMak or something to that effect.”
McPherson said that he immediately took this suggestion into consideration, since it had much merit. From that day forward, he said the name was changed to BiggyMak Burgers and it has become a household name in the region, thanks to his friend.
“The food service came about back in 2015, in the month of August and like I said we did this only on weekends (Saturdays & Sundays). We were doing very small amounts per day because we were trying to avoid having too many losses and such. So those were some of the challenges we faced entering into this venture,” he continued.
Dipping his toes a little deeper into the entrepreneurship pool, McPherson decided to begin what he called “Cookup Saturdays” and added his own signature Cookup dishes into the mix. This, he said, continued to be a trend even as the business expanded.
“The first Saturday of each month we would usually do Chicken Cookup for all the people who don’t eat the other different types of meats. Every other Saturday we do Obstacles Cookup with mixed peas and meats such as beef, salted beef, chicken, tripe, pickled pork, pigtail, etc., with fried fish on top. All of that for $1,000,” he explained.
It was not smooth sailing throughout the years, however, as the couple was forced to cease operations for a while. “We continued for about a year then we were forced to close down because of sales declination and other encumbrances. We rested for a couple of years while trying different recipes to provide better products and services and to capture a larger scale of patrons… We played around with so many different recipes, taste tests and after countless experiments and ‘titivating’ we knew exactly what was missing so we decided to relaunch the business in 2019. We also came up with a stellar chicken burger recipe that we’ve added to our menu”.
As the conversation progressed, McPherson continuously sang the praises of his wife, whom he described as a boss in the kitchen. “… Most of the items we sell and most of the recipes, she’s solely responsible for introducing them. She is the backbone of the brand,” he gushed.
When the business was relaunched, it was at a new, bigger location next door to McPherson’s parents. The business was registered and there was a revamped menu, and an official logo, and they obtained the necessary certifications. McPherson explained that with his graphic design skills, he took charge of branding the business and creating all the eye-catching advertisements. They also established a Facebook page to connect with their growing customer base.
BiggyMak reopened offering a variety of combo meals, including chicken and beef burgers, cheese fries, and loaded meaty fries. Their popular Cookup Saturdays continued with different types of Cookup Rice each week. With a focus on freshly prepared meals, they also made burgers to order, ensuring each customer received a satisfying and flavorful experience.
Through their dedication and the support of their loyal customers, BiggyMak Burgers began to thrive with over 1,000 followers on Facebook. The couple expanded the menu to include their signature fried chicken, fish burgers, and deep-fried barbecue wings. Their reputation for delicious food grew, and they started offering delivery services to reach more customers in the surrounding areas.
“Customers can’t seem to get enough of our wings, so we try our best to have a steady supply for the demands we’re getting. We’ve decided to improve our services and expand our menu because we want to offer a service that is second to none especially in the country area so that persons don’t have to travel all the way to the city to experience great tasting meals and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” he said.
“I must say that our customers have been nothing but a blessing to the business because most of them expressed their satisfaction through reviews on social media and their personal WhatsApp statuses, etc. [This caused other] persons [to] come on board, curious to know what the buzz was all about… Because a lot more persons started hearing about us, we started a delivery service stretching from Mahaica East Coast Demerara to Lichfield West Coast Berbice and this grew our clientele even more because we’re able to reach more people. We also launched our MMG payment option so people can pay via the app, which is more convenient for some.”
As is the case with expanding businesses, the couple faced new challenges as BiggyMak Burgers grew. To meet the increasing demand, they hired staff, including Halcyon’s three sisters, keeping the business family centred.
The couple remains determined to succeed. With this determination at the fore, they plan on opening more BiggyMak Burger locations throughout the country, ensuring that people in every corner of their beloved Guyana can savour their delectable creations.
Incidentally, Shepherd also attended Mahaicony Secondary School. “We both have a passion for cooking and trying new things in the kitchen. Back in school if you wanted to find me, just go to the Home Economics Department and that’s where I’d be, and coincidentally that is where I met Halcyon the very first time,” he explained.
Through hard work, perseverance, and a passion for their craft, Ketroy and Halcyon turned their humble roadside stall into a thriving business. Their story is a testament to the power of pursuing one’s dreams and the magic that can happen when love and creativity are combined in the kitchen.
