Nabdell, bringing healthier foods to your tables

After Fedell Solomon's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, five years ago, the need for more organic products arose, as it was recommended that she should limit the amount of processed foods she ate.

But the challenge was most available foods were processed and are filled with ingredients that are troublesome to pronounce.

Solomon and his wife Nabilah first made moringa powder, to make tea, and from there Nabdell Enterprise Ltd was born. He added with a smile that he joined their names together to come up with the product name – Nabdell.

“We started doing those (moringa powder) in small pill capsules for my mum, and when she would go for her chemotherapy, she would carry for her friends, and that is how Nabdell started.”

Moringa, a plant that is native to India, is used extensively in south and south east Asia for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, while in TT, there is a Caribbean moringa festival which made its debut in 2017 at the UTT Research Centre, Waterloo.

After that, the couple’s business grew as people began to realise how important eating healthily and using strictly organic products have become. Seeing the demand rise, they delved into producing different herb mixtures and seasonings before getting their hands into the mix of alternatives to wheat flours.

“We then decided that working in cassava and sweet-potato flour might be difficult, so we made mixes like pancake and tortilla-wrap flour mixes derived from those alternative flours, so all you need to do is add one ingredient – water or milk.”

The innovation did not stop there, as the Solomons recently launched a curry-powder mix, which they introduced to consumers at the National Entrepreneurship Development Co (NEDCO) market at the Centre of Excellence in Macoya on August 2.

“All of the ingredients, like the turmeric and curry leaves, are manufactured by Nabdell Enterprise. We do a range of products from beetroot, turmeric, ginger, moringa, kale, papaya, carrot, and other vegetables, all in powder form.”

The Piparo-based company sources all its ingredients locally. Solomon said they even have their own little plantation where they grow their own vegetables. But once demand outweighs the plantation, they outsource within the community and from wholesale farmers when needed.

“We pride ourselves in manufacturing using local produce to make our products.”

Solomon then explained the creation process: "Each product – based on the moisture content of it – will take different times. So for example, to process cassava flour, one batch will take approximately 12 hours, as opposed to beetroot, that will take 48. Different produce take different times to dehydrate.”

They use commercial dehydrators which can produce 100 pounds of each product at a time.

“We already need upscaling, based on the demand of the market, so we are forever growing, because the demand for our products is there. We are slowly outgrowing our space that we are in right now, but we are growing and we are looking bright for the future.”

Solomon said these dehydrators had to be imported – which was a better financial choice as a micro-business – since prices locally doubled for one dehydrator.

“A dehydrator that I am looking for now can cut me back $50,000, so when you bring that size of dehydrator, you have to upgrade every piece of equipment, because before the dehydration process, you have to have a washer, slicer, sanitiser, mill, sifter and packaging (equipment).”

The base range, he said, can be between $20,000 and $50,000 for every piece of equipment, while his products can cost between $10 and $80 – which covers various sizes of the seasonings, sweet potato and cassava flour, among their other products.

Aside from these dehydrated herbs, seasonings and wheat flour alternatives, Nabdell also manufactures date syrup, a healthier alternative sweetener to honey or brown sugar. Dates are already naturally sweet fruits that possess many health benefits.

“It’s 100 per cent dates."

The couple also manufactures coconut oil, which has become popular in many recipes recently as a vegan cooking fat and can be used as a substitute for butter.

On to desserts: Nabdell Enterprise offers a healthier version of ice cream by using local produce such as eddoes, sweet potatoes, dasheen and pumpkin.

Solomon said the only challenge there is with getting the ice cream but he said once they try it, they accept it.

Some of Nabdell's products can be found at Price Club Supermarket, Chaguanas, and Family Mart and Khan’s Poultry locations, but Solomon said because they have a little over 20 products, these groceries take the fastest-selling products, so not all 20 will be found in stores. All their products can be bought via their self-titled Facebook page.