New juice business made from Seychellois fruits seeks to beat out sugary imports

Keryl Bristol began making juice full time in February after noticing that the local market has been saturated with imported juices. (Tropical Juices Seychelles/Facebook)

(Seychelles News Agency) - A Seychellois entrepreneur is turning local fruits into fresh juice in a bid to promote a healthier lifestyle in the island nation.

Keryl Bristol began making juice full time in February after noticing that the local market has been saturated with imported juices laden with sugar and preservatives. Her company is called Tropical Juices Seychelles.

“Also, I saw different programmes on SBC TV where more Seychellois were being diagnosed with cancer, diabetes, obesity and other chronic diseases, all relating to lifestyle. That is when I came up with the idea,” said Bristol.

Bristol said her juices are 100 percent natural with no sugar or preservatives added.

Tropical Juices Seychelles has a wide range of local juices to choose from depending on whatever fruits are available per season. (Tropical Juices Seychelles/Facebook) Photo License: CC-BY

Earlier in August, Tropical Juices Seychelles was amongst six local projects chosen to receive funds from the Conference of Ministers for Youth and Sports (CONFEJES).

The conference is an inter-government institution founded in 1969, which works to promote youth, sports and leisure within the French-speaking countries. CONFEJES is commissioned to summon up the countries, the resources and strengths so as to promote the youth’s involvement and social integration.

Bristol said her business has come a long way from selling local juices on and off, on the beach at Beau Vallon, one of the most popular beaches in the northern end of the main island of Mahe.

“I received such good feedbacks from my clients, both visitors and locals, that I decided to formalise the business by getting a license in February this year.”

Bristol started selling local juices on and off, on the beach at Beau Vallon, which she received such good feedbacks from both visitors and locals. (Tropical Juices Seychelles/Facebook) Photo License: CC-BY

Bristol currently runs the business from her home at La Gogue – in the district of Anse Etoile. She hopes to improve her business by buying more equipment from the around $3,680 (SCR50,000) she received from the Conference of Ministers for Youth and Sports.

However, Tropical Juices is not without its challenges. “I have to import bottles with labels from Singapore, and this has come with its constraints. Stock runs out quickly. Currently, I do not have bottles and waiting for new consignment.” Bristol says she is optimistic about finding a long-term solution.

Tropical Juices uses all fruits available and which grows abundantly in Seychelles, a group of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean. These include mango, guava, soursop, starfruit, golden apple, water apple and local apples amongst others.

Bristol says that her products are available all year round as she makes use of whatever fruits are available per season. “Some juices such as that of the jackfruit is not something that locals are used to but is well appreciated. Our best seller is the soursop juice.”

Jackfruit has many health benefits, for example lowering high blood pressure and it protects against cancer. (Tropical Juices Seychelles/Facebook) Photo License: CC-BY

Soursop is a fruit with medicinal virtues and can help with insomnia, can be used for skincare and can prevent cancer. Tropical Juices also has a page on social media detailing the health benefits of fruits it uses for juice making.

Bristol says that currently her products are sold in bottles of 250 ml at $2.20 (SCR30) and 350 ml at $2.58 (SCR35). These are currently sold at Spar supermarket on Eden Island, on the eastern coast of the main island Mahe. Bristol says in future the juices will be made available in shops at Beauvallon and in the south of Mahe. Tropical juices already have regular clients, which it supplies on a weekly basis.