The doors of Terre Bénie The Shoppe, nestled in the homely confines of the Hotel Normandie in St Ann’s, welcome shoppers with a symphony of vivid colours, craftsmanship and creative ingenuity. The little shop takes its name from the artisanal line of products bearing the label Terre Bénie, a French phrase that means “blessed land.”
Terre Bénie specialises in a tantalising array of local sauces, condiments, and jams, boasting flavours that span combinations like mango and ginger and pumpkin and ginger.
The product line extends to chutneys, featuring the notable melongene and sweet mango variants, as well as pepper sauces, pickles, and other intriguing twists on everyday fare.
Kate Wong, the matriarch of this establishment and a native of the UK, brought her fluency in French, innate perfectionism, love for fruit and general creativity to bear in both the brand’s labelling and coming up with its products.
About 14 years ago, the mother-daughter duo of Kate and Krystianne Wong began by bottling the products. They took personal orders at first, and gradually made their presence known through appearances at pop-up markets.
As Wong proudly points out, “Terre Bénie represents who we are. We diligently source our raw produce from local farmers, fostering sustainability throughout our supply chain. Our commitment to environmental responsibility is evident in our jar-recycling practices, integrated into every step of our production.”
While Krystianne oversees the day-to-day logistics, her mother, now retired and assuming a more advisory role, remains a cornerstone of the business.
What sets Terre Bénie apart is its unwavering commitment to purity. The absence of preservatives or stabilisers in their recipes is a testament to their dedication.
Terre Bénie transparently communicates shelf-life information, which, owing to the absence of artificial additives, can be significantly shorter than that of mass-produced alternatives.
For many entrepreneurs, expansion is the ultimate goal, but for Krystianne Wong, it presents formidable challenges. Achieving stringent quality control and consistency at scale, especially in the food and beverage sector, demands extensive testing and adherence to international standards – often a costly proposition for a small business without adequate funding or loans.
Nonetheless, Terre Bénie perseveres, delivering products that consistently meet local and international standards. Years of refining recipes and techniques have ensured consistency, with only minor variations in, for instance, the colour of their jams, depending on the fruit used.
[caption id="attachment_1033036" align="alignnone" width="833"] A display exhibiting the diverse array of locally manufactured artisanal products at the Terre Bénie The Shoppe at the Hotel Normandie, St Ann's.(Photo courtesy Andrew Gioannetti) -[/caption]
In 2019, Terre Bénie embarked on a significant expansion, opening its doors to the retail market for the first time. As well as showcasing its own product line, the shop welcomed loca
