by NOW Grenada
Debbie Mason received the Excellence in Agro-Processing award at the 30th Annual Business Awards of the Grenada Chamber of Industry and Commerce (GCIC) on Saturday, 17 November. This was her second GCIC award; in 2012, she was awarded Business Woman of the Year.
Caribbean Naturals was established in 2003 as a small cottage-industry style, wholly Grenadian owned business, dedicated to the manufacture and promotion of Caribbean handmade art, craft, traditional and non-traditional gourmet foods, and aromatherapy.
A love for all things natural is the main ingredient in her creations. Her signature product Cocoa Crunch, created in 2010 using Grenada grown cocoa, stands tall among the chocolate products currently made in Grenada. Mason’s unique, high-quality handmade products, from spiced soaps and insect repellent, to hot sauces and jams, have been featured at world expos in Italy and Kazakhstan, at Grenada Heritage Days in London England and Grenada Days in Canada.
Caribbean Naturals shared 1st place for best booth and product innovation at the 2012 Grenada Nutmeg and Spice festival and in 2017, received a 3-star rating award from the Grenada Heritage Trust.
Mason attributes her successes to her God-given gift of creativity, her stubborn determination to excel and commitment to a future in self-employment. Her inspiration? Her entrepreneurial family, and all the wonderful people she has come to know and love, who have supported her business vision.
Mason’s words of wisdom:
- Stay committed and focused
- Seize every opportunity
- Eat, sleep, drink your business
- Fear not the struggle as you will always be bigger than it
- Love yourself and what you do immensely
- Surround yourself with like minds and,
- When toxicity distracts (because it will), learn all the lessons that come from it
- Always keep an open mind to learning. It is one of the major keys to success.
