Deidre is the Digital and Social Media Officer at Caribbean Export Development Agency. She currently manages the Agency’s digital presence. She is a foodie and loves to travel.

Happy Vegan Chocolate

Posted on by Deidre Brathwaite

Did you know that dark chocolate naturally releases a chemical in the brain to make you happy?

When Elizabeth Lady Montano was informed of this by Gillian Goddard, Co-Director of the ARC TT The Alliance of Rural Communities of Trinidad and Tobago, that light-bulb moment went off. Lady Montano had been struggling to find that perfect treat for patrons attending her son’s (International Soca artist Machel Montano) annual Machel Monday Carnival Concert. In 2014 her and her team had been on a quest to find the perfect snack to highlight the theme Happy Nation and as veganism and vegetarianism are lifestyle choices of the Montano’s, creating a vegan chocolate became the obvious choice!

Our brand ambassador Machel Montano is vegan, I am also vegan and most of our family is either vegan or vegetarian. We want to encourage healthy living hence those ingredients. There are no preservatives, no additives, no emulsifiers and no dairy of course. We wanted to keep it pure, healthy and attractive to taste and we have succeeded in doing that. We want to make people aware that you can eat healthy and still enjoy it, Lady Montano said.

Machel Montano Chocolate Ltd will be attending the upcoming 4th CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum, which will be held in Union Halle, Frankfurt, Germany from September 26 to 28, 2019 in an effort to break into the European market.

Organized by the Caribbean Export Development Agency in cooperation with the European Union and the German Development Agency (GIZ), the forum aims to improve trade and exports from the region to Europe, especially in high potential growth areas such as the agro-processed food and natural ingredient industries.

Machel Montano Chocolate Company Ltd produces 60 per cent dark chocolate bar using authentic fine flavoured Trinitario cocoa. The formula is quite simple containing only three ingredients: cocoa nibs, cocoa butter and Guyanese Demerara sugar and has a shelf life of one year. As a handmade product it’s currently ranked as the second best local chocolate in Trinidad, and it now has its eyes on expanding into Europe and the United States.

The Montano’s mission isn’t just to produce a fantastic tasting happiness inducing vegan chocolate, they also want to revitalize the Trinidadian cocoa industry. The company has sought to empower several local communities, which currently supply the cocoa.

Machel through his foundation is working with the Siparia community where he grew up to set up a factory. This is part of our Corporate Social Responsibility and we are working with WHYFARM to achieve that goal, disclosed Lady Montano, adding that the foundation was empowering residents through training and by equipping them with chocolate production tools.

What is Trinitario Cacoa?

Trinitario cacoa come from the Trinitario cacao trees which are a natural hybrid biological class resulting from cross-pollination. They were created in Trinidad after a hurricane in 1727 destroyed most of the Criollo cacao trees. The Trinidad cacao plantations were then replanted with Forastero resulting in the creation of a hybrid of Criollo and Forastero (source: https://www.caribbeanandco.com/caribbean-chocolate-brands/)

Over 60 Caribbean producers will be attending the Business Forum and other chocolate producers include Cocoa Saint Lucia and Coldbush Organics from Jamaica.

Your True Shade Cosmetics – Fusing Science And Nature

Posted on by Deidre Brathwaite

The global cosmetics industry generates billions of dollars each year and Jamaican Dianne Plummer, owner of Your True Shade, a healthy cosmetic line manufactured in her homeland, is hoping to get a slice of that market.

The first Caribbean cosmetics beauty line to be certified by Cruelty Free International in the United Kingdom; Your True Shade is recognised as a green skin care and clean cosmetics brand. Your True Shade was created out of necessity by Dianne while studying sustainable energy and chemical engineering in Sweden and Finland. During that period, she found it difficult to find makeup that offered ideal coverage without irritating her sensitive skin and causing eczema flare ups.

Using her engineering background, Dianne hand-picked natural ingredients to formulate her own skincare and make-up line. As a result, Your True Shade Cosmetics Limited was born. The line has the distinction of being free from harmful chemicals commonly used in some skin care products. And remarkably, it celebrates the diversity of skin tones found in the Caribbean and beyond.

Though her company is only four years old, Dianne is determined to be a trailblazer in natural skin care in the Caribbean and focuses heavily on innovation, research and development. I’m always trying to make everything better, change formulations and tweak things as we go forward, because innovation has to be at the core of the business, she said.

She added that the old way of doing things was not a sustainable business model, but that a revolution was needed. In her opinion, what separates the outstanding entrepreneur from the average Jane or Joe is the ability to bring something new, never before seen or done, to the market. “In an already saturated market, like skincare, one must figure out how to do it differently and be innovative, Dianne stressed.

She does this by fusing technology, science and nature to deliver a safe, efficacious product, thereby successfully changing the narrative surrounding beauty by making it synonymous with health.

Your True Shade cosmetics is known for its ability to conceal and minimise imperfections, as well as promote healing and repair through the locally-sourced, natural, anti-inflammatory and hydrating herbs, spices and plant extracts used to formulate the line. In essence, it’s makeup with skincare benefits.

Your True Shade will be at the 4th CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum being organized by the Caribbean Export Development Agency at the Union Halle in Frankfurt, Germany from September 26 to 28. Together the over 60 Caribbean suppliers, the event organized in collaboration with the European Union and Deutsche Gesellschaft Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) aims to improve trade between the Caribbean and Europe.

Find out more about True Shade Cosmetics: www.yourtrueshade.com and join their community on Facebook @trueshadecosmetics and Instagram @yourtrueshade.

Full Circle Animation Studio – Caribbean Animators To The World

Posted on by Deidre Brathwaite

Well executed animations can enhance the viewing experience of both children and adults. Full Circle Animation Studio, from Trinidad and Tobago is just one company in the Caribbean that is excelling in its production of animations and whose body of work is being noticed internationally.

Full Circle has the distinction of being the first animation studio in the Caribbean to work with an international production company for a full season of a television show with a major network. They were contracted by Big Jump Entertainment in Ottawa, Canada to produce the animation for season three of “Animals”, an HBO TV series featuring performances from celebrities like Wanda Sykes, Raven-Symoné, RuPaul, Aziz Ansari and Usher among others.

As a result, creators in the company worked tirelessly between December 2017 and May 2018 to perfect the animation for the show.

“This show had a very unique and distinctive style of design and animation. It looks simple and minimalist but it required us to transmit a lot of emotion through the characters using very limited animation movement. Going in, we had underestimated how challenging that could be, while keeping the provocative edge that really defines the style of the show. In that regard, it was a new technical experience for us” said Managing Director Jason Lindsay.

Mr. Lindsay also noted that the experience benefitted his team tremendously. “For a young animation industry like ours here in Trinidad, the main long-term benefit of an opportunity like this is the investment in our human resource. The experience and technical/creative insight gained from our animators working with an experienced production studio like Big Jump Entertainment is invaluable. The entire team benefited from it tremendously,” he stated.

Full Circle has also worked on smaller productions which were broadcast on The Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, Universal Studios, DreamWorks TV and RAI as well as on projects in the Caribbean.

The company has also collaborated with other companies in the Caribbean on regional and international projects. “On our very first outsourcing job, we collaborated with animation studios in Barbados and Jamaica. Since then, it’s not uncommon for us to work with animation studios in St. Lucia, Barbados and Jamaica for international outsourcing clients. We’ve collaborated on projects with Malfinis Productions in St. Lucia, Alycone Animation and Skyres in Jamaica and Westoonz and BIMAP in Barbados.

“We’ve also developed working relationships with a network of recording studios, casting directors and voice actors in Grenada, Belize, Suriname, Dominica, and Guyana for projects based on Caribbean content like the CARICOM mini-series Pepperpot Valley,” the Managing Director explained.

Now focused on expansion and growth, Full Circle is looking to offer its services on the European market. To that end they will participate in the 4th CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum being held in Frankfurt, Germany by the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) in collaboration with the European Commission and Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ).

This will be an opportunity for them to explore business options available on the European market and to give Europeans some highlights of their vast repertoire.

The Business Forum is a high-profile event which seeks to develop and build international partnerships through business to business meetings, networking and business consultations.

What You Need To Know About Rum

Posted on by Deidre Brathwaite

Rum has been discovered, produced and perfected on sugar plantations in the Caribbean since the 17th Century.  Over the years the demand for this by-product of sugar cane has grown world-wide.

Global exports of rum from CARIFORUM (a grouping of fifteen Caribbean countries) to Europe have increased by 26.86 % over the last three years to reach a value of $1.45 million Euros.  Major importers are Spain and Germany, with Spain’s consumption making up 14 % of the spirits market.

To further improve and strengthen exports in Europe, representatives from CARIFORUM rum producing industries will converge in Frankfurt, Germany from September 26 to 28, 2019 for the 4th CARIFORUM EU Business Forum to build relationships and increase awareness in Europe.

The Business Forum is organized by the Caribbean Export Development Agency which has identified the agro-processed food and natural ingredient industries as well as the cultural and creative industries as sectors with the highest potential for growth in Europe. 

Ian Burrell, the world’s ONLY recognised Global Ambassador for the rum, will be leading the Rum Master Class on Day 2 of the business forum.

Speaking to the development of this industry over the years, Manager for Competitiveness and Export Promotion at Caribbean Export, Damie Sinanan noted that over the last decade, the production of rum has diversified to include a wide range of flavours including apple, pineapple, mango and passion fruit. With these changing trends and increased demand, we hope to see a more diverse range of Caribbean rum available in the European market.

Did you know…

1. Not all rums are sweet

Most rums are made from molasses a byproduct of sugarcane through a process of fermentation and distillation, and after this process all that remains is alcohol. As a result, rum in its natural state is sugar free and the natural sweetness of rum comes from aging in mostly American oak wooden barrels. Some rum producers do add sugar to the distilled rum to sweeten and smoothen out the product, making it seem more thick and luxurious. However, you won’t find this in authentic rum producing countries like Barbados, Jamaica, and Martinique, which have regulations that prohibit adding sugar and other preservatives.

2. Pirates didn’t just drink rum

While rum was considered the drink of choice for pirates during the 1660s to 1730s when piracy flourished in the Caribbean, pirates didn’t just drink rum. Famous pirates like real life Captain Morgan (born 1635 in Wales and died 1688 in Jamaica), Edward Teach aka Blackbeard and others drank all types of alcohol and spirits like brandy, port, and Spanish wine. Most of the rum consumed during the 17th-century was drunk by people who lived in the Caribbean, not pirates.

3. Rhum is French for rum

Rhum with an H is not a spelling mistake but refers to French style rum that is made from freshly squeezed sugar cane juice rather than molasses. The official name is Rhum Agricole and this style of rum is traditionally made in former French Caribbean colonies such as Martinique which labels its rum AOC Martinique Rhum Agricole.  

4. Ron is Spanish for rum 

Just as the French have a different way of spelling rum, so do the Spanish. In fact, if you’re in a Spanish speaking country, then rum will be spelled Ron. Beyond the French and Spanish variation, there are also other names for rum. In fact, rum has many unofficial names including Aguadiente, Brebaje, Barbados Water, Clarin, Demon Water, Guildive, Killdevil, Nelson’s Blood, Red Eye, Pirates Drink, Navy Neaters, Guildive, and Tafia. As for the origin of the word rum itself, it is thought to be from an old English word called Rumbullion that was used to describe cane spirit in Barbados during the mid-1600’s and is meant as an uproar or tumult. Another linkage is to the word Rumbustious due to the effects of drinking rum.

5. Not all aged rums are dark

There are different types of rum including gold, dark, white, spiced, flavored and overproof.   Aged rum tends to be dark, but there are also some aged white rums. Aged white rum is achieved by putting distilled rum in an oak barrel which is charcoal-filtered, and this takes away the dark color but still leaves the rum with the rich flavor of darker rums. The clarity and crispness of white rums make them a perfect choice to drink neat (by itself), or with ice and lime or in a full-blown rum cocktail. Beyond Cane Spirit Rothschild (CSR) and Brinley Gold Shipwreck, two white rums from St Kitts, an extremely popular aged white rum is Barcardi with origins in Cuba but now produced in Puerto Rico.

6. There are different ways to experience and savor rum 

Rum is often paired with (diet) coke or fruits juices, but there are other ways of drinking this global spirit.  For premium rums with complex flavors and aromas, its best to drink neat or with a splash of water or cube of ice. Premium rums also work well in classic cocktails such as Old fashions and Manhattans. A growing trend is to pair rum with different types of food including chocolate and marshmallows. Enjoying a glass of premium rum neat while smoking a cigar is also another favorite pastime.   Note that when visiting a Caribbean bar or rum shop, you may hear straight or straight up instead of neat for a shot of rum.

7. Rum comes in all price ranges

Like all other spirits, prices for rum range from low to high with entry-level bottles of rum ranging from US$20 to US$60 but prices go much higher. For example, an Appleton Estate 50-year-old Independence Rum which was distilled in 1962 but bottled in 2012, sells for around US$5,000. This is not surprising as only 800 bottles of the Jamaican Appleton Estate 50-year-old Independence Rum was put into circulation. Even more costly is a Wray & Nephew 17-year-old Jamaican rum used in the original Mai Tai in 1944 which is valued at around US$52,000. Another highly prized and expensive rum was The Harewood Estate Rum uncovered circa 2011 which has the distinction of being the oldest rum in the world. Bottled initially in Barbados circa 1780, 24 bottles were auctioned by Christie’s in London in 2013 & 2014 for £250,000 (approx. US$332,000).

8. Not all rums marketed as rum are rum

With the increasing popularity and global demand for rums, it’s perhaps no surprise that there are now fake rum brands. Counterfeit rums are standard in Europe where no sugar cane is grown. For example, Tuzem a distilled drink from the Czech Republic has been marketed as rum, but it is made not from sugar cane or byproducts but potatoes or sugar beets. Other fake rums to watch out for are Rum Verschnitt from Germany and Inlander Rum from Austria. As such, stick to well-known rum brands and for the Caribbean choose those with the Authentic Caribbean Rum Marque label.

Take a look at the Caribbean rum producers that will be in Frankfurt, Germany from September 26 to 28, 2019 for the 4th CARIFORUM EU Business Forum.

Bélo Taking French Inflected Reggae To Europe

Posted on by Deidre Brathwaite

BélO is easily one of Haiti’s ambassadors to the world.  He has been described by Huffington Post as a socially-minded, Haitian-born singer-songwriter who powerfully delivers jazz and world beat inflected reggae in French and Creole.

The socially conscious singer-songwriter’s real name is Jean Bélony Murat. He uses his sophisticated sound and music to expose social and environmental issues faced by Haiti.

He has received numerous awards including “Best Male Artist 2007” by the Haitian Music Awards and the prestigious “Prix Radio France International Discoveries of 2006.” BélO’s sound is a beautiful mixture of jazz, worldbeat, rock, reggae and Afro-Haitian traditional rhythms known as Ragganga.

BélO is in the line-up of musical performances at the Discover the Caribbean Day on the 28th of September 2019 at the Union Halle, Frankfurt, Germany.  The event is organized by the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) as the final day of the 4th CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum starting on the 26th September at the same location. 

Caribbean Export has identified the cultural and creative industries as high potential growth areas in Europe and in collaboration with the European Union and Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) the event will see over 60 Caribbean companies showcase their products and services to the attending audiences.

With the realization that there is an increase in the demand for Caribbean music at a number of cultural events in Europe, including Summerjam Reggae Festival in Germany, Ibiza Soca Festival in Spain and Reggae Sun Ska Festival in France, Caribbean Export is hoping to promote more Caribbean music to Europeans.  This is part of their larger efforts to encourage the export of work done by cultural industries in CARIFORUM countries to Europe.

Other activities on the Discover the Caribbean Day include a film festival where patrons can watch a range films and animations produced in the Caribbean.  There will be over 60 different food and beverage producers sampling products enabling consumers curious about what the Caribbean has to offer, to come out and Discover the Caribbean. 

Smart Export Tips

Posted on by Deidre Brathwaite

If we focus on some questions which can help us in the investigation into the export market,and what are the products or services that are most profitable in today’s market, and in order to find the most profitable products and profit. The world economy today is focused on the export of different products and services, in order to better emphasize and provide better information on export, as well as the profitability of the export of different products unlike others, we will explain some important points to consider.

exports tipsIn many cases, we are dedicated to export and international marketing forget that the main objective of the company is to be profitable and focus on selling, whatever it takes and whoever falls, that’s what we get paid.

But the reality is quite different. There is no company that lasts for many years if it does not achieve a minimum profitability, which is demanded by its shareholders.

Profitable Exports

The most common questions that you will find, about the export and its profitability, as well as what is profitable to export or not, among which we will find more: What should we keep in mind for a profitable export? How to recognize a profitable market? What are the products or services with a high level of profitability? How to recognize which are the most profitable products and which are the most profitable markets? Which audience to target and who is the most profitable audience?

The questions are of high importance, and their approach is of high importance, so that the export can be optimized and better evaluate the market to which we are going and draw up different business plans, and not only based on the sales factor, but also on the profitability factor, and which is the best market to target, since for a good marketing and to get a better view of the different markets and which audience to target, a marketing research, market evaluation and analysis of these is needed, In the end, what interests us is to obtain profitability and cover a larger market, thus reaching a larger audience of potential clients.

If we think, and analyze profitability in export, we may discover that it’s like a puzzle or another game which we must analyze carefully, so you get the most profit possible.

What should we keep in mind for a profitable export?

should keep on mindsEvery company that sells its products in the international market must have an export plan that answers the following basic questions: How do I get my product to market and how will I be paid?

Finding out that selling your product abroad poses several challenges. The first thing to consider is the method of transportation. There are several options: train / rail, sea, air cargo, express or couriers loading the goods in physical form. Oftentimes, shipping may require multiple methods of transportation. Determining factors include the size of the shipment and the time required for goods to reach customers.

If your customer is relatively close and you have several days to ship the product, trucking may be the best option. However, if your customer needs the product sooner, air cargo is usually the only option.

Next, you must decide if you need to hire an export broker or agent. Many countries require an export declaration for controlled goods and high value shipments. In the United States and Canada, anyone can go to a free government website and file a return online, but this is not the case in many other countries where an export agent will be needed. The procedures usually require that the goods be classified according to a Harmonized Tariff code. Your broker or export agent can help you with this classification. In countries like Mexico, which have export duties and taxes, the declaration allows clients to properly assess costs. Another rationale for using an agent is that, due to the volumes they contract and the relationship they have with the carriers, they can get better rates than one could get by negotiating directly.

How to recognize a profitable market?

recognize a profitable marketMuch is explained and commented on the importance of extensive external market research to identify potential export markets for our products. Undoubtedly this is a central question and on which there is abundant theory in this regard. However, we must act with pragmatism and common sense, so that this phase is not an inexorable obstacle.

Ask yourself: which of the 180 markets that operate in international trade can demand our products?

The answer, in general, is: choose those markets where there is a flow of trade, that is, where from the analysis of import and export statistics at the international level, you observe that there is a lot of countries that are clearly importers of these products, that There are import flows from their country in them, which have a behavior of establishing a growth in imports of the product in the last three years, as central elements.

The product’s tariff position is known (number that identifies the merchandise to be exported in the Customs Nomenclature).

At this point it is crucial that you do not think of groups of countries or countries geographically very large and, therefore, susceptible to being segmented into sub-markets (for example, Europe) as markets.