Roberts Manufacturing boosts hospitality students with equipment donation

Roberts Manufacturing has donated a commercial deep fryer and 11 bottles of 18-litre Roberts cooking oil to the Jean and Norma Holder Hospitality Institute (JNHHI) at Barbados Community College, in a move designed to bolster training for the next generation of hospitality professionals.

The equipment and supplies, handed over by Roberts Manufacturing representatives Karis-Ann Rhoden-Gordon, Head of Commercial, and Marketing Manager, Lackesha Pitter, were received on behalf of the Institute by Acting Principal Samuel Bowen, Acting Director Roderick Prescod, and Chef Instructors Natalia Reid and Toni Simpson.

The donation forms part of Roberts Manufacturing’s broader philanthropic initiative, which coincides with the recent launch of its 80th Anniversary Cookbook, The Spread: The Not-So Secret Ingredient. The company underscored that supporting the institute is integral to its goal of empowering youth and investing in the country’s economic development.

Describing the new partnership as a “natural marriage,” marketing manager Pitter said: “At Roberts Manufacturing, we believe that real impact happens when we pour into the communities that have poured into us. Supporting the JNHHI is a way of investing in the future of Barbados, ensuring that young people are equipped with the tools they need to succeed in a competitive hospitality industry.”

Roderick Prescod, acting director of the JNHHI, voiced his gratitude for the support: “We have hundreds of students who come through the programme, so the equipment takes a good beating. We are very grateful for anything that greatly impacts student learning.”

The Jean and Norma Holder Hospitality Institute plays a pivotal role in training students to meet regional and international standards in hospitality and culinary arts. The latest contribution, according to both parties, will help maintain the Institute’s high-quality instruction and further Roberts Manufacturing’s longstanding mission of community investment. (PR)