Trading from food caravan

 By GEDION TIMOTHY LAPAN and MURPHY PAUL (UPNG journalism student) 

NEW ways of doing things can improve the way a business is run to make it profitable, such as the use of modern technology, two businesswomen say.

Veronica Siri and Aileen Ernest are determined to try out new things in their business in Waigani, Port Moresby.

After more than four years in flower farming, they bought a food caravan last year for K45,000.

The caravan is parked near the Government offices in Waigani. They sell food from the caravan to mostly public servants.

Many public servants working in nearby offices prefer to buy food from hygienic and clean premises, thus the two bought the caravan which they kept in top condition.

Siri said it as a new way in how food is sold.

“We saw this as an opportunity – to lift the standard and to market fast food in a proper place, a location that is convenient for workers and people to buy food,” she said.

So last year, after saving enough money from their flower business which they started in 2009, the two bought the food caravan.

Although they face competition from other women vendors in the area, they are confident that their business plans will be successful.

“We have two employees to manage the tasks. We have the deep fridge, a cooler and a generator.”

They registered their business with the Investment Promotion Authority as Verleen Ever Bloom.

“We are encouraged that the National Development Bank has now come with the idea to buy caravans. We want to see authorities encourage the use of those,” Siri said.

“We want all the street sellers or mothers who can afford K20,000 to organise themselves and buy one for themselves so that we can all sell from caravans rather than selling on the ground. 

“I believe this is a step forward to promote a good standard of doing business in that area of the city.”

Siri said even some expatriates buy food from there because they saw how well-kept it was.

For them, the sky is the limit right now.