Dominican tickles taste buds in Guadeloupe

Anna-Maria Jerome Creantor

Quite often, news coming out of Guadeloupe related to Dominicans is usually bad, but that’s not necessarily a reflection of all Dominicans living in Guadeloupe.

Many Dominicans who have migrated to Guadeloupe are doing very well and are giving Dominica a “good name” in that country.

Take the example of Anna-Maria Jerome Creantor.

Originally from the village of Paix Bouche, she migrated to the French island with her mother as a young child after Hurricane David.

She became a qualified accountant but she did not work in that field for long  because she was attracted to the work her mother did to send her three children to school and ‘make ends meet’.

Anna’s mother made and sold coconut and peanut tablets and this is probably not the most attractive occupation for a young qualified accountant but that did not deter the enterprising Anna.

In 2001 she started selling her own coconut and peanut tablets and as the old saying goes, ‘the rest is history.’

“I just did it but had no intentions of going further …. as the years passed by and things began getting harder, I just embraced the opportunity and decided to develop it into a business selling in the city of Pointe a Pitre, sik a pistache (peanuts tablet) as it is called in Guadeloupe,” she said.

As business grew Anna began diversifying into different products like coconut cheese, cashew and peanut delicacies for weddings and other events. She also began selling and promoting her products at culinary fairs whenever the opportunity would arise.

With business booming, Anna decided to apply for her own bar code and trademark. Her business is now registered under the name, “KARU-NOUGAT – Confiserie Locale, with the slogan, “I Bon Mem” (It’s really good).

The young entrepreneur’s hard work and originality have not gone unnoticed for her business recently won an award from the Regional Council of Guadeloupe for small businesses using local products.

Earlier this year, Anna’s business was represented at the French trade fair in Paris, France, and she is presently representing Guadeloupe at the New Munich Trade Fair, in Bayern, Germany, where she will be able to meet with professionals from all over the world.

And she is not done yet. “I am prepared to expand as much as I can into other products,” she said.

Some of Anna’s product
Coconut tablet made in the form of the map of Guadeloupe by Anna

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56 Comments

  1. possie
    September 19, 2012

    yes my girl.do your thing.i don’t care which part of the globe you come from.what i do know is, you did not sit there and say you waiting for office job with your o levels. you got up and took a page from your mom’s book and you did it.you know when i shivered, when i saw this coconut tablet in the form of guadeloupe map. lovely.keep it up my dear.love the intention

    • possie
      September 19, 2012

      you even representing guada out of guada?damn you good!keep it up gyal.

  2. Justice and Truth
    September 19, 2012

    Congratulations Anna-Maria. Your effort, diligence and overall achievement warm my heart. God has endowed each one with a talent and probably more than one. All that should be done is to cultivate at least one of their choices. If one does not work or is not satisfying, try something else.
    You are a model to other fellow Dominicans especially those who are presently unemployed and unable to obtain a position in their preferred field.
    Although you are an Accountant, you have projected that one does not necessarily have to possess a degree to commence a business as yours and to excel in it. It takes a vision, much thought and also hard work to attain to the level you have aspired to. No doubt, in a good way, you are the envy of some people. Good luck for future endeavours. I wish you continued progress and success.

  3. Hungry
    September 19, 2012

    Oh I wants mind sampling these products!!! good stuff

  4. Hungry
    September 19, 2012

    Excellent..the rewards of hard work and perseverance!! Young Ladies take note. Keep moving upwards young talented entrepreneur!

  5. Anonymous
    September 19, 2012

    The sky is the limit, go for it! Congrats.

  6. Shan
    September 19, 2012

    News like this have me shivering all over!! Entrepreneurship my brother!!! Paix-Bouche my sista!! And she’s an Accontant again – financial management!

  7. Anonymous
    September 19, 2012

    Good luck in the future my girl. Keep it up

  8. tee
    September 19, 2012

    well done my dear…i wish i had your talent to makes some goodies to make an extra dollar on the side….thumbs up to you…

  9. Tonny
    September 19, 2012

    Hard work paid off, well done girl.

  10. ROSEAU VALLEY
    September 18, 2012

    This is a very inspiring story. It demonstrates the power of positive thinking, belief in one self. It is the manifestation of the powerful internal spirit of creativity and entrepreneurship.

    It is about taking a concept, an idea and turning it into a successful business through perseverance and with a sense of purpose, while building personal pride, self-satisfaction and all the rewards that come with being gainfully self-employed.

    It is about the pursuit of a vision through creativity, nurturing the gift of entrepreneurship For this young lady, being an Accountant would not bring her the joy of what she does today. First of all, she is following a tradition. That which made her who she is today and she lives the dreams of her mom every day doing what she loves best blessed with her creativity and business acumen.

    Excellent job young lady! You are an inspiration to many. If you were in Dominica, someone might just have advised you to go to the sea and fish- the sea is there.

    I wish you the very best in your business.

    With much respect
    Roseau valley

  11. BADBOY COP
    September 18, 2012

    PAIX BOUCHE PEOPLE A TALENTED SO PAIX BOUCHE HATERS

  12. out of south city
    September 18, 2012

    This is great ingenuity. We are truly a people of great intelligence and skills but sometimes we wait for other people to do things for us or tell us what to do. There is enough land in Dominica and we should engage ourselves as much as we can and produce our own instead of importing a lot of the foods we can grow locally. I remember when I was a child my parents used to make hats, bake bread and sell produce. We never went hungry and we always had enough to give to those who were in need.
    We need to step up and help ourselves instead of waitnig on others to do for us.

  13. B E B
    September 18, 2012

    Thats great, you got urself occupied in something productive, this has surely lifted u up and also ur family, while there are some people, who do things to bring down their families and themselves. My dear keep up the good work

  14. Guava Cheese
    September 18, 2012

    Yum, yum. Great Job! Like that Guadeloupe tablet. I want one of DA for myself. Keep on working hard my Dear. Much success to you. I’m a proud Dominican. Yes, when most of us leave DA we are success stories and you have made us proud.

  15. Colour Gray
    September 18, 2012

    For those who misunderstood,
    It’s not what you qualify to do;
    but with your qualification,what you can do.
    get you through in life;
    so you won’t have to sell yourself short with your qualification;like;;;;;;;;;;;;;

  16. Zisca
    September 18, 2012

    Wow! How’s that for a success story of small business initiative and entrepreneurship! It also gives credence to the advice, “do what you love” as opposed to doing what others thnk you should do. Whether she becomes a millionaire or not, I’m sure Ana’s derives much satification just from doing what she loves.

    Oh, and that Gwada map, whatever it is made of, looks pretty artistic.

    Keep the positive stories coming!

  17. colorblind
    September 18, 2012

    Well done!

  18. anonymous
    September 18, 2012

    When I cometo guadeloupe I will surely look fr this one.

  19. DESIE
    September 18, 2012

    That is what they calling woman time,
    not sitting home n asking man for Top Up

    Bigg up your self girl represent ur country

  20. POSITIVELY DOMINICAN
    September 18, 2012

    Impressive!!!!!!Well done Anna Maria.
    You are an inspiration to those who have a vision for business. Don’t stop there. Keep persevering. Your small business will eventually flourish into a huge enterprise.

    Everything is possible with God. Keep focused and resolute!

    More blessings to you young lady. I AM EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU!!!

  21. grell
    September 18, 2012

    love your story girl all the best in the future.

  22. roughcake
    September 18, 2012

    All you young layabouts in D/ca waiting for the government to find work for you, should get up off your backsides and take a leaf out of this young lady’s book. Do something for yourselves.

    • Anonymous
      September 18, 2012

      Amen to that sister/brother.

    • BRAIN DAMAGE
      September 19, 2012

      That’s true roughneck, but cock must lay eggs first for your business to excel in D/ca.

    • o my
      September 19, 2012

      i am telling you.i back u up on this one.true dat!

  23. bonk
    September 18, 2012

    nice tings

  24. pongpong
    September 18, 2012

    i think you should come back to be the prime minister… you are indeed a hard worker

  25. September 18, 2012

    I love dno.

  26. Anonymous
    September 18, 2012

    This is a great case study of self reliance.

    Many more can learn from her example.

  27. Pawol
    September 18, 2012

    Great story. Could you tell us who are your people in Paix Bouche since you left a long time ago? Thanks

  28. September 18, 2012

    You are ambitious my dear. This is good news. I pray that your business will continue to thrive. God bless. Yes I, its Paix-Bouche!

  29. Simple.
    September 18, 2012

    Well done

  30. kevin
    September 18, 2012

    you mean you is an accountant and you selling tablet.i ean come on

    • Dominican abroad
      September 18, 2012

      Good on you My dear, it doesn’t matter what you are qualified to do, not all of want to sit in am office pretending we are happy, just to look good and please others, more people should take a leaf out of your book, at least with your accounting background you can keep track of your finances, no one will rip you off. well done.

    • DA2BK
      September 18, 2012

      I believe that you people tend to make remarks just for effect. In other words for your own “kicks.” You know very well that readers are going to react and go after you. And somehow it satisfies your need to be relevant or noticed. SAD…VERY SAD!!

    • Pawol
      September 18, 2012

      I know a guy who sold tablet for an entire year and then paid his way through 6th form college.

      • Anonymous
        September 18, 2012

        I heard of a guy who sold crabs and now has million dollar villas. :lol:

    • Homeboy
      September 18, 2012

      Kevin people such as yourself have no sense! The lady is quite contented with what she is doing and in addition to paying her bills she is happy and has peace of mind.

      Only by working for herself she can be rich. SMH. Here you have a hard working woman who is self reliant and doing big things and you are criticizing????????? I wonder what is your profession!!

    • notnice
      September 18, 2012

      Really Kevin??? Do you know how many accountants are out there unemployed?? And refuse to do anything else since they figure its not befitting.. The lady bien merci… And is you are not you is… Nonsenseeeeeee!!!!!!!

    • anonymous
      September 18, 2012

      ou trop sott. people change careers all the time. I wish I had the guts to dothis right now. cuz i m stuck in a rut

    • observer
      September 18, 2012

      She is a qualified accountant to to give an accurate account for her expenditure. She is better off being self employed, than being an employee.

    • DOMINICA
      September 19, 2012

      Ifd she cannot get work in her profession, she is showing you and others that she can do something elase to leave on. Take an example from her instead of your negative words. Hope your thinking becomes a positive one.

  31. shaking
    September 18, 2012

    thats good my friend keep it the good work

  32. shortboy
    September 18, 2012

    respect paixbouche boy!!!!

    • Pawol
      September 18, 2012

      yes Shortboy, since you in Guada too, do you know her?

  33. hmm
    September 18, 2012

    That’s a cool story.

  34. Jean Roger
    September 18, 2012

    Great. Keep up the efforts.

  35. faceup
    September 18, 2012

    OMG THAT IS SO GREAT, CONGRATULATION’S !!

  36. ella
    September 18, 2012

    good keep it up

  37. Anonymous
    September 18, 2012

    Great job Anna-Maria. You make the folks from Paix Bouche,and indeed all Dominicans, proud. Hopefully you’ll be offering your goodies online soon.Looking forward to placing orders. Ou bon mem!!

  38. Grain Sel
    September 18, 2012

    Congratulation on this,your sacrifices paid off
    your tenacious attitude rewarded you

  39. :-)
    September 18, 2012

    Wonderful!!!

  40. Bawi Boy
    September 18, 2012

    Ca bon mem

  41. Domerican/Possie
    September 18, 2012

    Very impressive. Great job ma’am and much success in the future as you look to expand your business.

  42. Zor
    September 18, 2012

    Once again jan Paix-Bouche!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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