Richard Buchanan decided that the theft of his pan and tent from his place of business in Hendon, Norwood, in St James will not deter him from earning a living.

The three-year pan chicken vendor has risen from the ashes to continue his passion for providing a traditional delicacy to Jamaicans.

“One of my pans and my tent were stolen, but I will be getting a replacement. This is a business that I love and it provides for my family,” said Buchanan.

Buchanan is among several pan chicken vendors from St James and St Ann who last week benefited from the CB Chicken PAN Recovery Programme. He received a PAN Starter Kit.

“I have been in the pan chicken business for three years now and I have not regretted it. Things have been hard since the pandemic. A lot of vendors are out of business due to low sales. And what CB Chicken has done for us is really good. I am appreciative of what they are doing. It is helping us to get back on our feet,” Buchanan, who once worked as a security guard and a chef, explained.

Buchanan is a former parish runner-up in the CB Foods hosted PAN 2019 competition. The competition, which celebrates the pan chicken vendors, has not been held since its last staging in 2019.

“Unfortunately, there will be no PAN event this year, so we decided to do things differently. We reached out to a few PAN partners to collaborate on a PAN Starter Kit that will help to ignite the spirit of entrepreneurship for over 100 pan vendors across Jamaica,” Nicole Hall, brand manager for CB Chicken, explained.

She continued, “Our goal is to reconnect with our vendors, help revive their pan business and let Jamaicans know they are open for business. It is no secret that the pandemic has significantly impacted all street vendors, in particular our pan people, and they need support while the economy slowly rebuilds.”

Each PAN Recovery starter kit includes a voucher to redeem a case of CB Chicken, a sanitisation bucket with pipe, National Hardo Bread, Miracle Tomato Ketchup, Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning and PAN branded apparel, inclusive of aprons, caps, T-shirts, and masks.

“The PAN competition attracts approximately five persons per parish each year, so we are accustomed to working closely with at least 70 pan vendors. We decided to use this as a guide, but doubled the numbers to support not only past participants, but other vendors who have been consistently operating,” said Hall.

“Also, with support from our creative partner, Mystique Integrated Ltd, vendors will have personally designed business cards to reach even more customers and grow their business” Hall explained.

The CB Chicken PAN Recovery Programme has so far benefited pan chicken vendors in the parishes of Kingston and St Andrew, St Catherine, St Mary, Portland, St Elizabeth, Trelawny, Manchester, Westmoreland, Hanover, and St Thomas.

“Where I am from is a bit low-keyed so the exposure will put me on the map. I am very grateful to CB Chicken for what they are doing for us,” said Miguel Turner, a PAN 2019 runner-up for Kingston.

“Mi face light up when mi get the call. Trust mi, it really made my day,” Turner added.

For years, Faith’s Pen in St Ann has been a popular go-to spot for delicious pan chicken and other delicacies. The downturn in business is noticeable. But despite the drop in business, vendors continue to soldier on.

“Business has been rough, but we have some customers who are supportive, so that’s how we are able to survive despite the downturn in business,” explained Faiths Pen-based Terry-Ann Davidson. She was the CB Chicken PAN Champion in 2016.

Davidson is one of the recipients of the CB Chicken PAN Recovery Programme.

“This recovery programme is very helpful for people who are struggling right now. It’s like a push-start for them. It’s a wonderful and excellent idea. And for CB to have gotten some of their partners involved, it is a great gesture,” Davidson added.

According to Hall, the recipients have so far been thankful and inspired by the gesture.

The PAN Recovery Programme will continue until the end of July.