Premium jams and preserves from Armenia made with natural ingredients and prepared according to traditional recipes are now available in Macau, but not at fancy supermarkets, only in shops run by two local social enterprises.

“We want to let people who shop there to be the first to try high quality products,” Macau Hallway Co. Ltd Macau District Manager Stella Lei Fong Chi, who has been investing in and developing a production line for healthy fruit products in unpolluted mountain regions in Shandong province over the past 10 years, told MPD Weekender this week.

Lei said that since the central government launched the Belt & Road (B&R) Initiative and the Macau government has been encouraging local businesses to grasp B&R opportunities, her company has been trying to introduce new products with different origins to Macau.

The latest product that her company has brought to Macau is jams and preserves from Armenia, one of the countries along the B&R route.

The whole fruit jams, prepared without artificial preservatives, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and flavourings, are available in a range of flavours, such as green walnuts, black figs, apricots, peach, pear, black mulberry, sour cherry and white sweet cherry. They were all made with hand-picked fresh fruits. Depending on the flavours, the jam and preserves can be enjoyed with bread, scones and muffins, cheese, yoghourt and even ice-cream, as well as a good complement for cooking and baking recipes.

“Aside from introducing natural jam and preserves, we want to contribute to the diversification of Macau’s economy, so to start off with we chose to work with Fu Hong Society of Macau and the Macau Association of Parents of Children with Mental Illness,” Lei said.

Fu Hong Society of Macau operates the “Happy Market” social enterprise while the Macau Association of Parents of Children with Mental Illness runs the “Rainbow Supermarket”.

Fu Hong Society of Macau Director Jennifer Chao Wai I told MPD Weekender this week that as Happy Market this year changes its business model from a government-supported social enterprise, which it has been since 2015, to a self-financing company, they were keen to add some quality products to the shop while maintaining their line of second-hand and donated goods in order to expand their customer base.

For Rainbow Supermarket, its Assistant Shop Manager Kuok Chi Ieng told MPD Weekender this week that a consignment partnership could enrich the variety of products they are selling and also lower the operational risks for social enterprises.

Kuok said that the walnut jam from Armenia, which has a unique texture and flavour, is rarely found in local supermarkets and would appeal to customers.

The premium jam and preserves produced by Armenian brand “Yan” are on sale at the two shops. With the support of The Macau Post Daily, customers can use cash coupons available from January 15 to purchase selected products at both stores.

Fu Hong Society of Macau Director Jennifer Chao Wai I (left) and its Vice Chairman of Management Committee Wong Hou (centre) meet Macau Hallway Company Limited Macau District Manager Stella Lei Fong Chi at Happy Market earlier this week.

A supermarket staff, who is a member of the Macau Association of Parents of Children with Mental Illness, arranges cans of whole walnut jam from Armenia on the shelve at Rainbow Supermarket earlier this week.

Macau Hallway Company Limited Macau District Manager Stella Lei Fong Chi poses with staff at Rainbow Supermarket earlier this week.
Photos: Maria Cheang Ut Meng