Making the UK-CARIFORUM EPA Work for Post-Brexit UK-CARIFORUM Trade

As of January 1, 2021, the formal trading relationship between the United Kingdom (UK) and CARIFORUM countries (with the exception of Haiti) is no longer governed by the Economic Partnership Agreement signed between the European Union (EU) and CARIFORUM countries (EU-CARIFORUM EPA) in 2008. Instead, while that agreement continues between the remaining EU-27 and CARIFORUM countries, the new UK-CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement (UK-CARIFORUM EPA) provisionally applies to UK-CARIFORUM trade until ratified by all parties. As with any trade agreement, market access on paper is of little value unless firms can convert it into meaningful market penetration in practice. This article explores how CARIFORUM countries could make this ‘new’ agreement work for deepening UK-CARIFORUM trade.

UK-CARIFORUM trade

The UK-CARIFORUM EPA provides duty-free and quota-free access for goods, preferential access for services providers and investors, among other things. The novelty of the agreement applies more so to its date of signature than its substance as it merely replicates or ‘rolls over’, to the extent practicable, the provisions of the EU-CARIFORUM EPA to ensure trade continuity between the UK and CARIFORUM countries once the former had left the EU. As such, the market access conditions CARIFORUM exporters face in the UK market, and vice versa, remain unchanged in substance from what obtained under the EU-CARIFORUM EPA.

Preserving post-Brexit access to the UK market for CARIFORUM exporters was critical for the region as the UK was a major export market within the EU for many CARIFORUM countries and the major destination for certain CARIFORUM exports like rum, bananas and sugar. It is also an export destination for Trinidad’s methanol and liquified natural gas (LNG) exports. The UK-based Caribbean diaspora community is a key demandeur of CARIFORUM products such as rum, sauces, seasonings, biscuits and other ‘nostalgic’ goods.

The Ex Post Evaluation of the EU-CARIFORUM EPA Report released by the European Commission last year noted that many CARIFORUM producers also used the UK as an entry point into the EU market and identified the Caribbean diaspora in the UK as ‘a key facilitating factor’. Using the UK as an entry point might no longer be that attractive an option for CARIFORUM firms given that the UK is no longer within the EU single market or customs union.

Overall, however, trade between the UK and CARIFORUM has been on a general decline, according to data from the UK Office of National Statistics. Over the twenty year period between 2000 and 2020, UK imports from CARIFORUM countries declined as a percentage of UK imports, except for a spike to 0.53% in 2009, immediately after the signing of the EU-CARIFORUM EPA. In spite of this, the UK remains a major source market for tourist arrivals to the region, and for some CARIFORUM countries like Barbados, the main source for FDI in the tourism sector and second home market.

Deepening UK-CARIFORUM relations

Export diversification is one of the strategies identified by CARIFORUM countries as part of their post-COVID-19 recovery efforts. In light of the above, there is clearly scope for both expanding and diversifying current UK-CARIFORUM trade away from mostly low-value added products and into higher value manufactured goods and high value-added services. There is scope for encouraging greater UK FDI into the region outside of traditional sectors like tourism and real estate and into renewable energy, education, health and other sectors linked to the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs). The UK-CARIFORUM EPA’s Protocol III on Cultural Cooperation (the Cultural Protocol) which replicates that of the EU-CARIFORUM EPA, can be leveraged to promote greater UK-CARIFORUM trade in the creative industries through, for instance, joint film and music productions.

Deepening UK-CARIFORUM relations appears to be a goal for both regions as evinced by the Action Plan and communique released from the Tenth UK-Caribbean Ministerial Forum held in March 2021. Trade and commercial relations was one of the six substantive areas of joint action identified. Among the goals under that action item are the establishment of a UK-Caribbean Business-to-Business (B2B) Roundtable, commitment to identify opportunities to use the significant capacity available for export credit financing support to the region through UK Export Finance (UKEF), to promote and expand UK-Caribbean trade flows and to further reduce market access barriers for one another’s exporters. In addition to this, the UK also expanded its diplomatic footprint in the Caribbean by opening new permanent missions in some CARIFORUM Member States in 2018 and in 2020 appointed a Trade Envoy for the twelve Commonwealth Caribbean countries.

Recommendations

In addition to the commitments made under the Action Plan, there are some concrete ways in which the UK-CARIFORUM EPA can be utilized to deepen post-Brexit UK-CARIFORUM trade and investment. These include the following:

  1. Raise awareness by both CARIFORUM and UK firms of the market access opportunities under the UK-CARIFORUM EPA. Many firms remain unaware of these opportunities;
  2. Accelerate the establishment of the proposed UK-Caribbean B2B Roundtable and set concrete deliverables for what this roundtable will seek to achieve;
  3. Promote greater ties between CARIFORUM-UK businesses to encourage greater information-sharing on market and investment opportunities. This could be done, for example, through the B2B Roundtable, as well as through formalized links between the Chambers of Commerce and industry associations of the region and in the UK;
  4. Make greater use of existing institutions like the Caribbean Chamber of Commerce in Europe, whose remit also extends to the UK, to promote greater links between UK and CARIFORUM-based businesses;
  5. Explore ways in which the region, including regional institutions like Caribbean Export, can work more closely with the the UK Trade Envoy for the Caribbean, the UK missions, UK Export Finance (UKEF) and other trade-related UK agencies to promote greater UK-CARIFORUM trade;
  6. Conduct a study to determine the current barriers impacting CARIFORUM businesses seeking to access the UK market and propose solutions for how these could be overcome to promote greater CARIFORUM-UK trade;
  7. Conduct a study on the ways in which the new EU-UK trading relationship impacts the use of the UK as an entry point to the EU and ways in which this could be mitigated;
  8. Better leverage the UK-based Caribbean diaspora for enhancing UK-CARIFORUM trade and investment. Aside from the usual benefits of remittances and diaspora FDI, the diaspora could also provide market intelligence, business mentoring and coaching for CARIFORUM entrepreneurs interested in trading with UK firms or establishing a presence in the UK;
  9. Make greater use of economic diplomacy by leveraging CARIFORUM countries’ diplomatic missions in the UK to identify opportunities for UK-CARIFORUM trade and investment;
  10. Accelerate the establishment of the joint institutions provided for under the UK-CARIFORUM EPA.

Uncovering Opportunities Created by a Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly changed the world as we know it. Job losses, declining revenue and closed market opportunities have become the reality of firms around the world. Caribbean companies, not exempted, now have a new storm to weather. One silver lining, however, is that the global pandemic has created new business opportunities. With changing customer behaviours and needs, firms must now examine new market trends to strategically re-position themselves to meet them.

Hygiene and Sanitization Products

With heightened consumer demand for clean and safe spaces, opportunities will continue to abound in the hygiene/sanitization sector. It is no surprise that manufacturers of cleaning products have witnessed a spike in sales. The CEO of Clorox has reported a 500% increase[1] in demand since the start of the year, and we recently heard how Trinidad and Tobago based manufacturer Chem Clean has also experienced an upsurge as households and businesses settle into new disinfecting routines.

yaphene hand sanitizer

However, these opportunities are not restricted solely to chemical producers. For example, Caribbean Health and Wellness firms like Sugartown Organics in St. Kitts & Nevis and numerous regional distilleries- members of WIRSPA have already begun to produce hand sanitizers. Experts agree that the tourism industry, upon which many CARIFORUM countries depend, will be under pressure to deliver a beyond clean experience thereby amplifying this opportunity.

Information Technology Services

Covid-19 has forced consumers online with telecommuting, virtual classes, and online shopping becoming the new norm. This presents the opportune time for service providers like IT professionals, digital marketers, and app developers to support firms in strengthening their online presence which can positively impact exports. Remote working will push companies to invest more in IT, cloud, and cyber-security services. Opportunities also exist for Caribbean app developers to create apps that help businesses to fulfill delivery orders much like Instacart and UberEats does for the American market.  Across the region there are several examples of companies offering digital payment options such as Trinidadian firm WiPay, which recently launched in Barbados and Barbadian company, mMoney both of which help companies and customers with cashless transfers.

ecommerce webinar

The CEO of IT giant, Box, recently stated in an interview that the amount of business transformation from a technology standpoint over the next few months will be completely unparalleled to any other time in history.[2] Could Amazon’s planned workforce expansion (100,000 new hires) during this period indicate that this trend is likely to continue?[3]  Despite the persistent challenges that have slowed down the development of e-commerce in the Caribbean, the expansion of WiPay outside of Trinidad and Tobago during Covid-19 shows that the tide may be turning. 

Immunity Boosting Foods, Beverages and Nutraceuticals

honey stix coldflu

Caribbean agro-processors offering natural immunity boosting products can benefit during the pandemic.  Widely accepted Caribbean staples like ginger and turmeric are some of the foods that are known to strengthen immunity. Jamaica is revitalising its ginger industry valued at just under $1 million USD in 2019 while CARICOM trade in turmeric is valued at approximately $1.07 million USD[4]. As the world grapples with staying healthy, there are sectoral opportunities for value-added products. For example, Ecofarms in Jamaica has since launched its line of Cold & Flu HoneyStix. Nutmeg and cinnamon, like honey, supports healthy immune systems which could be beneficial for Caribbean spice producers.

Similarly, the nutraceuticals industry which is projected to experience growth to approximately $317.3 billion USD by 2024 also offers opportunities.[5] The region has successfully demonstrated its competence to excel in this sector as evidenced through experts like entrepreneur Dr. Henry Lowe (Flavocure Biotech) who has several US patents based on his research into high value health solutions using indigenous plants.

Film & Music

For firms in the creative industries, global trends are in their favour. Although faced with significant revenue declines due to cancellation of live performances and screenings, the increased interest in online consumption for both music and film is a positive note-worthy trend. Globally, audio-visual streaming increased by 14.5% during early March when several countries began their lock downs.[6] Netflix has seen their subscription rate more than double – moving from its forecast of 7 million new paid subscribers for Q1 to 15.8 million. [7]Membership on Twitch has also grown by 31% as has digital radio services, e.g. BBC’s radio streaming increased by 18%. [8]With more persons confined to their homes and the mental health benefits that music and film brings, Caribbean producers can use this time to share their content, expand their following and connect with diverse audiences on interactive platforms. Recently the first reggae Verzuz battle between Beenie Man and Bounty Killer on Instagram Live recorded close to 500,000 live viewers and a suite of A-list celebrities tuned in to watch. Similarly, a Los Angeles based DJ, @dnice hosted a DJ party in his kitchen with over 100,000 live viewers including Ellen Degeneres, Oprah, and Michelle Obama. This event increased his following from 200,000 to its current 1.8 million followers.[9]

How to find the opportunities

The opportunities available will be different depending on your own situation.  Here are three strategies outlined by the MIT Sloan Management Review to help you identify yours:

1. Same Product Different Channel (Online): You may want to digitise your product or deliver your service online just like the example of DJ @dnice or the reggae challenge shared above. Nike has begun to engage customers with online workouts resulting in a 35% upshot in sales[10] while companies in Napa Valley are offering online taste testing lessons. What would applying this strategy look like for your company? If regional agro-processors offered an online cooking experience using their products, they could drive sales during or after the online event. The opportunities to offer virtual services or events to customers are endless and just takes a little imagination.

2. Same Infrastructure Different Product: While the pandemic has brought some businesses (E.g. hotels and guest houses) to a standstill, others have experienced an increase in demand. Can your company re-purpose your existing infrastructure to produce or sell high demand products and services? In Barbados, some hardware stores have begun to sell groceries. With many parents balancing remote work and home-schooling, some guest houses in Jamaica have offered their rooms to those who want a few hours of uninterrupted work time. So how can you offer a new product or service to customers using your existing arrangement?

3. Same Product Different Infrastructure: Some firms may find themselves with the problem of struggling to meet the demand for their products and services and need to increase production or distribution capacity. Globally, firms have sought to bridge the gap through creative partnerships. To meet the spike in online shopping demand, Amazon has partnered with Lyft to temporarily hire workers as the demand for ride share has plummeted. With increased unemployment, firms now have a larger labour pool to train and deploy even if temporarily. During this period of uncertainty, adopt a proactive approach. Assess market changes to adjust your products, services, and strategies to meet current and future customer needs. What will you need to do differently to take advantage of some of the emerging opportunities and how can you apply the strategies shared to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 on your business?


[1] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/clorox-has-seen-500-increases-in-demand-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-ceo-132530052.html

[2] https://www.uschamber.com/co/start/strategy/pandemic-business-trends-that-are-here-to-stay

[3] https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/04/01/amazon-partners-with-lyft-to-deliver-packages-and.aspx

[4] https://www.forbes.com/sites/daphneewingchow/2019/05/14/there-is-a-growing-market-for-nutraceuticals-in-integrated-cancer-treatment-in-the-caribbean/#6eb7c4c3204b

[5] https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/06/25/1528968/0/en/Global-Nutraceuticals-Market-Will-Reach-USD-317-3-Billion-by-2024-Zion-Market-Research.html

[6] https://www.twobirds.com/en/news/articles/2020/global/covid-19-the-music-shuffle

[7] https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/21/21229587/netflix-earnings-coronavirus-pandemic-streaming-entertainment

[8] https://www.twobirds.com/en/news/articles/2020/global/covid-19-the-music-shuffle

[9] http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business-report/industries-that-will-boom-provide-the-most-opportunities-post-covid–19_191136?profile=1056

[10] https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/three-proactive-response-strategies-to-covid-19-business-challenges/

Rodney’s Wellness Retreat – From Battling Hurricane Maria to COVID-19

Tourism is an industry which is susceptible to external shocks. None know this better than the owners of Rodney’s Wellness Retreat (RWR), a nature lovers’ sanctuary tucked away on 4.6 acres of an ex-lime farming estate just outside the idyllic village of Soufriere, Dominica.

Managing Director of the Retreat, Lucilla Lewis said the former lime estate was once the economic lifeblood of its neighboring villages, but that came to an abrupt halt with the passage of Hurricane Maria in September 2017 and again in 2020, now that the world is battling the highly contagious COVID-19.

Having successfully rebuilt after the category five hurricane, Ms. Lewis believes RWR will also bounce back from the fallout caused by the pandemic.

Rebuilding after Hurricane Maria

From June 1st to November 30th annually, hurricanes plague the Caribbean.  They lash the tiny islands with catastrophic rains and winds, often leaving a trail of death and devastation.

In 2017, Ms. Lewis and her siblings, who manage RWR, faced this reality.  In an effort to rebuild and see the area thriving again, they opted to take a Direct Assistance Grant from the Caribbean Export Development Agency

Ms. Lewis credits the grant with enhancing the resilience of the company. According to her it ensured that prior to COVID-19, RWR could offer the unique services of its Big Banana Campground, Kanawa Restaurant and Mayan Bar, CarRod’s Gardens and CarRod’s Cottages.

Grant usage

Our reconstruction plan included rainwater harvesting, solar energy supply, and the composting of waste. With grant finance support from Caribbean Export, a solar energy system was commissioned at RWR in March of 2019.  Since then one of our significant recurrent expense items the monthly electricity bill paid to Dominica Electricity Services (DOMLEC) – has been eliminated! The augurs well for business viability going forward, she said.

Focus on rebuilding and sharing the wealth

The owners implemented a procurement policy aimed at boosting the economic fortunes of the surrounding districts. RWR procured goods and services, such as vegetables, fruits, fresh fish, hair braiding and small boat rowing, from nearby villages before going elsewhere.

RWR, though a privately-owned business, is driven by a vision to restore economic viability to the Parish of St Mark, while generating a fair return on investments to its owners, the Managing Director said.

Packaging RWR’s tourism product

Ms. Lewis added that RWR had also successfully packaged the story of the rise and decline of the economic fortunes of the area, which is linked to the rise and fall of the Dominican lime industry, as one of its most popular tours offered to visitors.

This riveting story includes the decision by Ms. Lewis’ father, the late Rodney Lewis, a tropical agriculturalist by profession, to re-cultivate the land and to produce a variety of crops, including limes, as his retirement hobby.  Lucilla Lewis pointed out that the Direct Assistance Grant was instrumental in expanding her father’s vision. 

She noted that prior to the passage of Hurricane Maria, the Caribbean Export Development Agency had assisted the business with training and networking opportunities.  She added that with the grant, they were able to implement a Quick Book interfaced Point of Sale system, which improved their system of operation. The operational efficiency enhancements which resulted at RWR were remarkable! she enthused. 

RWR expects strong recovery after combating COVID-19

Once again in 2020, the operations of RWR were brought to a screeching halt but this time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The farm-converted-tourism enterprise began to feel the effects of the infectious virus when guests started to cancel their trips.

COVID-19 has left us with no income stream as we have been totally closed since March 12, the managing director revealed.

We were forced to close before the official closure of Dominica’s borders as most of our upcoming reservations were from Europe and with the soaring infection rates in European cities at the time, our would-be guests were very gracious to indicate that they were going to cancel, she said, adding that RWR was able to pay its staff for the entire month of March but could not for April.

During the downtime, Ms. Lewis and her siblings have been focusing on expanding the retreat’s cultivation of fruits and vegetables. RWR, which is a farm-to-table retreat, promotes the use of on-site products in its kitchen. So far, they have harvested sweet peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and fruits.

They also registered to participate in the Backyard Gardening project, a post COVID-19 food security adaptation strategy launched by the Government of Dominica.

While this program augurs well for self-sufficiency it may limit the scope for sale of excess production in the domestic market, she observed.

However, going forward Ms. Lewis anticipates a strong recovery after COVID-19. She said RWR intends to cater to the domestic market when local curfews and restrictions are lifted, before cautiously reopening to the world.      

RWR offers nature and green spaces away from the trodden path. Its uncrowded and has an open dining room and scope for setting up dining anywhere on the grounds. We expect strong recovery immediately after European travelers are comfortable with airline and destination safety protocols, but in the short to medium term, we plan to target regional markets, she said, pointing out that RWR will be upgrading its hygiene and cleaning procedures prior to reopening.

Having rebuilt after Hurricane Maria, and currently navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, Lucilla has learnt that patience is key to success. We have become more convinced that the RWR model, in terms of our product and service, is a winning one but it requires patience. We think that the offer will be in high demand in the post COVID tourism market, Ms. Lewis predicted.

Natural Skin, Body and Health

The demand for natural medicine in Europe has grown at a tremendous rate as Europeans becoming more and more conscious about their health and the quality of the goods they consume.

In 2017, the global nutraceuticals product market reached US$204 billion. With an abundance of medicinal plants, the Caribbean is ripe with natural remedies to supply the increase in demand for natural ingredients.

A common experience for many people living in the Caribbean and visitors is the irritating mosquito bite. It’s an unwanted experience of millions all over the world and with this desire to use natural remedies drove medical doctors Gayle Devaux-Segovia and Carlos Segovia to develop natural repellent prior to the birth of their first child. They wanted to make a natural insect repellent safe enough to use on a baby.

“When our son was born, we used the insect repellent on him and it worked very well. We got a lot of encouragement from people so in 1997 we formed a company called Natmed Ltd. We branded the product under Caribbean Blue Naturals and twenty years later, it is still one of our best sellers,” Dr. Gayle Devaux-Segovia explained.

Over the years, Dr. Gayle and her husband added more products to Caribbean Blue Naturals: deodorant, body spray, hand sanitizers and sun screen to list a few. They are all natural, cruelty-free, reef-safe, non-GMO, 100% biodegradable and mostly vegan as they use beeswax in their lip balm and candles.

Dr. Carlos Segovia said they source the majority of their ingredients locally. According to him, these ingredients included Saint Lucia cocoa, aloe vera, seaweed extract, nutmeg and other Caribbean spices. Our mission is to produce all natural products of the highest quality and make them affordable to the general public, he noted.

The Saint Lucian company will showcase its wide range of natural products at the 4th CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum organized by the Caribbean Export Development Agency in collaboration with the European Union and Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ).
Along with over 60 other Caribbean companies, the Business Forum enables buyers and consumers to meet suppliers and source products from the Caribbean over 3 days from 26th to the 28th September 2019 at the Union Halle, Frankfurt, Germany.

Barbados Fertility Centre Heads Off Global Competition in the Booming Infertility Treatment Market

The global fertility industry has seen robust year-on year growth as new advances in in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), and a steady increase in infertility rates, have shored up demand for assisted pregnancies. And while the United States and Europe still command the largest share of the industry, a small clinic in Barbados is heading off global competition to eke out a niche for itself with world-leading IVF success rates, and the unique value-added of Barbados’ tourism brand.
Formed in 2002, the Barbados Fertility Centre is a partnership between Barbadian doctor Juliet Skinner and Irish IVF nurse, Anna Hosford. The Centre became their joint vision following Skinner’s return to Barbados in 1998, where local infertility rates showed up an untapped market for IVF solutions.
Inevitably, the Centre’s ambitions were global. In an industry where one IVF unit typically serves a population of 750,000, the Barbados Fertility Centre has been outward looking from the outset. Today, it is a major lynchpin in Barbados’ medical tourism offering. By 2017, the Centre had facilitated thousands of pregnancies for clients in the Caribbean, the far East, Australia, the United States and Europe. “On any given day, our waiting room is like the United Nations,” BFC Chief Operations Officer, Rachel de Gale, told Caribbean Export’s Outlook.
Patients are drawn to the Centre’s high success rates — now at 67 per cent for women under-35 — and treatment costs that average around 40 per cent below that of fertility treatments in the United States. An aggressive marketing campaign in North America has paid dividends for the Centre, with 25% of its patients coming from the US, second only to the burgeoning Caribbean home market.

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Cultivating a Caribbean Specialty

The production of cacao is globally concentrated in the regions between 10 degrees north and 10 degrees south of the equator, namely Central and South America, West Africa and the Caribbean.
The Caribbean is held in high regard as a cacao-producing region because it yields a fine, aromatic bean. In fact, fine flavoured cacao accounts for only 5% of the world production and is concentrated in a few countries, one of which is Suriname.

It is the soil that determines the quality of the cacao bean and Suriname is perfectly positioned to generate nutrient rich soil for the native cacao tree to thrive from. The method of making Surinamese cacao, called skrati in Surinamese Creole language, has been used for centuries to produce cacao based products.

However, the skrati was losing interest among many of the natives when a young artist traveled to Suriname to complete a project and fell in love with the exotic plant and its qualities in 2005. Five years later, she set out to revive the tradition and with that Tan Bun Skrati was established. As a smallscale cacao enterprise, Tan Bun Skrati is a grower and processor of artisan cacao products such as tea, butter, chocolate bars, cupcakes, truffles and bonbons filled with the finest Surinamese fruit.

“The company really started as an art project, but I was so intrigued by the Surinamese cacao that I decided to explore the properties of the bean some more,” recalled Ellen Lem Ligteringen , Managing Director. “This is what motivated me to actually start to produce chocolate from the cacao.”
In the beginning there were a few challenges for the company as there were not many cacao trees available and the machines to process the bean were also inadequate. But as a sculptor, Ellen was able to make her own machines and with that the business started to develop.

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DJ Puffy: The Sound of Success

In the Caribbean, there is no shortage of talented DJs. Names like DJ Crown Prince from Antigua and Barbuda, Trinidad’s DJ Private Ryan and Black Chiney from Jamaica, are known for their creative remixes and ability to push the conventional boundaries. Beyond this, Caribbean DJs are the ideal cultural ambassadors to serve on the front lines of the region’s mission of transporting its music to the world.

When thinking about ambassadors, one DJ that comes to mind is DJ Puffy, the 2016 Red Bull Thre3style World DJ Champion. Born Andre Curtis Parris, the Barbadian turntablist started DJ-ing as a hobby during his teens, but it is evident that music is a part of his DNA.

What started as a passionate adolescent pastime, eventually turned into a rewarding world-class career; one that has led to Puffy performing at parties attended by A-listers such as Rihanna and Amber Rose, and sharing the stage with Hed Kandi and Rick Ross among others. Puffy’s raw talent has propelled him into the global spotlight, but his success has not overshadowed his Caribbean influence. In fact, many will argue that staying true to his culture and background as an artist is what makes his sound so unique. Other influences include the likes of Ryan Leslie, Swizz Beatz, Machel Montano, Funkmaster Flex, Scratch Master, Private Ryan, DJ Crown Prince, Hypasounds, Peter Coppin, and DJ Jazzy Jeff.

“I’m influenced by everything around me. What defines a living organism is the fact that it’s extremely sensitive to changes or elements in its environment and I’m no different.”

This adaptability also fuels Puffy’s creativity. His music, much like his personal style, is somewhat of an evolution, and this creativity is instrumental to his craft. Puffy’s ability to connect with the crowd and the performer, and his knack for bringing the element of surprise to the set came to the fore during his run to the finals of the Red Bull Thre3style World DJ Championship in 2016. He entered the competition as a Wild Card, following encouragement from a fellow competitor and colleague, United Statesbased
DJ Trayze.

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Ecofarms™ – A social enterprise improving the lives of Jamaica’s hearing impaired

How did you get started in business?
When Grace Foster Reid found herself unemployed after the closure of the two bauxite factories in the central Jamaican town of Mandeville she looked to her father’s farm for inspiration.

As an engineer and graduate from MIT, innovation comes as second nature, and so when she saw the bee hives on her father’s farm and learned about their versatility, she knew there was something she could do.

Hives provide five salable products – honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly and wax. Grace decided bees would provide employment for herself, and at least 100 community members made redundant by the factory closures, including those at risk.

What helped to make the Ecofarmsâ„¢ dream a reality?
Like most entrepreneurs, Grace experienced numerous obstacles. Staffing issues, lack of capital and funding, and low profit margins all threatened to derail her social enterprise.

But innovation is in the engineer’s blood, and she produced a product with a difference. Grace unveiled Buzz™ HoneyStix™ in 2011, straw-shaped sachets, each with a teaspoon of honey. They include island infusions of cinnamon, ginger, lemongrass, mango, tamarind and watermelon. The sachets now retail in over 50 stores across Jamaica, including the global coffee giant Starbucks, which placed an initial order of 3,000 when they opened doors in Jamaica in the fall of 2018.

Ecofarms’ product offerings expanded in 2013 with the inclusion of “Buzzâ„¢ Honey Wine”, a product birthed after Foster accidentally left a bottled honey/passionfruit infusion in a cupboard. Six months later, it had turned to the oldest alcoholic beverage known to man – mead honey wine. Grace employed science to commence production of an award-winning product with infusions of Malay (Otaheite) apple, sorrel and carambola.

What’s next for Ecofarms™?
Two new products are on the cards Ecofarmsâ„¢, one in the drinks category, the other in confectionary. They are both slated for release in winter 2019.

In keeping with Grace’s goal to assist vulnerable members of her community, Ecofarms™ will expand operations to the Jamaica Deaf Village, where they will mostly employ the hearing impaired. Two deaf youths are currently training as beekeepers.

“We plan on moving to the Jamaica Deaf Village next, because the hearing impaired are…underemployed, and often paid below minimum wage,” Foster-Reid said.

The social enterprise company is also scaling up, having recently purchased production lines for their HoneyStixâ„¢, Honey Wine and honey packaging. Ecofarmsâ„¢ is also looking into select export markets in the Caribbean, North America and Europe, and is pursuing food safety certification.

Grace Foster Reid

A few takeaways for budding & aspiring entrepreneurs
“Reassess those things you currently consider obstacles or setbacks,” Grace advises, “because in them, you just may find the fuel you need to keep going.”

Ecofarms’ greatest periods of growth emerged from their most emotionally and financially trying times. That’s because, Grace said, these periods forced her to innovate, increase productivity, improve efficiency and research the training and funding opportunities available.
She also warns against being overly optimistic.
“Our natural optimism as entrepreneurs can lead us to over project, failing to account for possible mishaps. So, halve your projected revenue and double your expenses, and then ask yourself if the business is still viable.”

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT Ecofarmsâ„¢: Facebook and Instagram – @ecofarms, Twitter – @ecofarmsja, and by visiting their website: www.ecofarmsjamaica.com.

HOW “WE” MADE IT – CARIBBEAN BUSINESS WOMEN SHARE THEIR SECRETS TO SCALING UP AND BEING GLOBAL LEADERS

The best business advice often comes from those whose success was built from the ground up!

With this in mind, the Caribbean Development Export Agency (Caribbean Export) as part of their WE-Xport programme arranged for two successful Caribbean women who built their businesses from the ground up, to share their journey with the nineteen female entrepreneurs that are participating in the WE-Xport programme and invited guests during a Fireside Chat held recently at the Hilton Barbados Resort.  

These female business owners all completed the WE-Xport programme, a one-year initiative geared at helping them to start exporting their products or to increase their exports and is just one of the programmes implemented by Caribbean Export in cooperation with the European Union.

The guest speakers were Keisha Smith-Jeremie, CEO of Taste Sanaia, an apple sauce brand which started in her kitchen but is now available via Amazon, Whole Foods Market and Walmart, and Christine Souffrant Ntim, award winning Forbes 30 Under 30 serial entrepreneur and the Co-Founder of the Global Start-Up Ecosystem.  They both spoke candidly about their business experience and addressed issues like scaling for growth, capitalizing on digital exports, and the importance of learning the basics.

Keisha, a Bahamian now living in the United States, recalled that when she began her apple sauce business she would wake up at 3 o’ clock in the morning to start preparation. She packaged the finished product, then waited for the UPS truck to collect the day’s produce before heading to her fulltime job as the global head of Human Resources of a huge corporation.

She did this for a number of months before realizing that it was impossible to grow her business this way.  Keisha was forced to scale up and acquire capital!

“I knew that was not sustainable. Having a day job really pushed me into scaling and delegation. It just wasn’t an option to continue in that way…. It forced me to think about delegation very early in the process,” she said.

The CEO of Taste Sanaia told the entrepreneurs that if their aspirations were to scale, they had to get comfortable relinquishing control of some aspects of their businesses.

“You have to essentially figure out for yourself as an entrepreneur what is your best and highest purpose in your company. Often, we think it is in the creation of the product, but usually those things are commodities. Someone else can create the product, they can create it faster and cheaper,” she explained.

She suggested that it was a good idea to work with a co-packing partner, that is, an entity or person, who could produce volumes at scale and had already worked out all the kinks.

Admitting that it was difficult initially to relinquish control, she however pointed out that finding a co-packer enabled her to go to Amazon and Whole Foods Market.  “You can’t do that if you are still the person producing it,” advised the entrepreneur whose apple sauce will be in 800 Walmart stores this summer.

“Certainly, with food production, whatever the unique aspect of your product is, you want to stay close to that. It is a limiting factor unless you are able to trust that other people can replicate your product and eventually it can be done by machinery, if you really want to grow at scale,” she said.

During the course of her expansion, Keisha pitched her business on the reality investment show, Shark Tank. She landed an offer of $150,000 for a 20 per cent stake in her company by investor Mark Cuban.  However, after fleshing out the details of the proposed deal, she opted not to sign off on that deal but to retain Mr. Cuban as a consultant.  She then went on to raise half million dollars on her own to fund the Taste Sanaia enterprise.

“I later decided not to accept the money… in the beginning it is so hard to say no, but what I really had to get clear with myself on was did I really believe the business was going to be as big as I projected it to be?  If it was, I wouldn’t want to give up 20 per cent of the company for $150,000.  You have to believe in yourself and your ability to create something even bigger …,” she said of her decision to retain full ownership of her company.

Keisha also cautioned the entrepreneurs that it was impossible for a business to grow without finance.

“Growing up in the Caribbean, there is a mindset to avoid debt…, but as an entrepreneur you have to get comfortable with the fact that your business can’t accelerate unless you have the capital.  My business was self-funded most of the time but when I started getting yes from Whole Foods, Walmart and other places, I realized that I would be holding my business back if I only allowed it to grow at the rate that my savings would allow and that would not have been the right thing for the business,” she affirmed.

And on the note of not holding back, the WE-Xport ladies were also introduced to another goal-getting female entrepreneur during the Fireside Chat. Young, dynamic and disrupting the American and global tech industry is Christine Souffrant-Ntim, Co-Founder of the Global Start-Up Ecosystem and founder of the Haiti Tech Summit.   

Hailing from a long line of Haitian female street vendors, she was the first of her family to be born in the United States. She created an online platform called Vendedy to help street vendors sell their products to global consumers via SMS.

Earning 20 per cent commission on each sale, her concept to digitalize street vending accelerated so quickly that she made the Forbes 30 Under 30 List.

According to Christine, “At that time, when it came to Caribbean, African and emerging markets, our problems were not relatable to the US market.  We try so hard to fit the mold of western markets that we sometimes lose focus of what really matters. I realized that if I had to succeed with the business, I had to think creatively with funding and repositioning this product and the value of the people it represents.”

Since its launch, Vendedy has evolved to become an online directory for street markets worldwide. “Don’t be married to your business model, sometimes your business hits the fan when you reach your first customer, so trust what the market friction is telling you,” she said of her company’s evolution.

The technology whiz stressed that the story behind the brand was also critical. “There are thousands of businesses selling the same thing you are selling. The most powerful thing you have as an entrepreneur is not your product, but your stories, your journeys.” 

In addition to the story, she pointed out one’s ability to learn was also essential, particularly as it related to the technological aspects of the business.  A self-taught coder, Christine realized she could share her knowledge and monetize this “service” through a website she coded called CaribbeanStartUp.

There she offered to teach persons how to leverage technology and develop their brand. Within 24 hours of the launch, 500 individuals and companies from around the world had signed up!

“You need to be able to export your talents digitally to the world.  We live in a digital age; export is not just physical it is also digital.  Some people forget that you can teach your knowledge, share your background and your story and monetize that.  So for example, if you have the fashion expertise to build bags, you can actually start a tuition series to teach people these skills from a St. Lucian perspective,” Christine recommended.

Insisting that the entrepreneurs must leverage technology to advance their businesses, she stressed, “It’s not about being a tech company, it’s about being tech enabled.”  According to the serial entrepreneur, being “tech enabled” meant having a website, an accessible email and being visible on all social media platforms.

“Culturally speaking, we just give our phone numbers but phone numbers are not accessible twenty-four seven.  With email, you can have two way engagements anytime,” she pointed out.

Urging the regional entrepreneurs to learn the basics of all aspects of their business, especially when it came to technology, she said: “Learn online, learn on YouTube, learn on Google Academy and the final thing I will say is leverage or learn first from people that understand your problems.”

Christine recalled that initially she didn’t understand the premise of export but insisted that the small population size of the individual islands meant that Caribbean female entrepreneurs “needed to automatically think from an international mindset.”

She also recommended they export regionally and supported Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Trade, Sandra Husbands who urged the ladies to explore the Guyanese, Panamanian and Surinamese markets.

“I just want the paradigm shift to adjust; I just want people to understand that the next wave of products, the next wave of stores, and that the next wave of innovation is going to happen in emerging markets,” she advised. (S.P./Caribbean Export)

Curing the Caribbean one cup of tea at a time

Sophia Stone founded Caribbean Cure in 2015. The Trinidad-based tea company was borne out of her passion for using nature to promote health and wellness.

“I wanted to honour the long standing tradition in the Caribbean of using herbs and bush teas,” she said. “And backed by science, my goal was to make these healing remedies more efficacious, convenient and attractive to today’s consumer.”

Bombarded with ideas and wondering how she could turn some of them into a profitable entrepreneurial venture, Sophia quit her full-time job, to focus on the full-time pursuit of her dream.

But her initial line of eight herbal supplements failed to garner the success she’d hoped, and after depleting her savings, Stone was faced with two very clear choices, pack it all in and quit “dreaming”; or, find another way to make the dream work. Like any true entrepreneur, she chose the latter.

Sophia’s new plan was to curate tea blends using the ingredients from her supplement line, but virtually all of her family and friends rubbished the idea, advising her to go back to her 9 to 5 – all but one.

Stacy Seeterram, a friend, and confidant, believed in Sophia’s idea, so she asked Stacy to partner with her in creating this new venture.

What helped to make the Caribbean Cure dream a reality, and what kept you motivated?

With five tea blends currently on the market, and the approval of family and friends who indulge in their curative, feel-good concoctions, Seeterram says their approach to business is one of their greatest motivators.

“We try not to worry about being successful,” she shared. “What we do is work toward being significant.”

In addition to keeping them excited about turning up for work each day, this approach won them international recognition as producers of world-class teas.

An opportunity to honour family traditions also keeps the duo laser-focused. There’s a little bit of history brewed in each cup of Caribbean Cure tea. Island Breeze, a delicate blend that includes cardamom pods and white tea, is a tribute to Stone’s Afghan/Canadian heritage, and borrows from one of her family recipes; while Carnival Oasis with its inclusion of cinnamon, clove and mauby bark, transports Stacy – a Trinidadian, with roots woven throughout the West Indies – back to her childhood, as it conjures memories of her grandmother’s “magical” blends.

What’s next for Caribbean Cure?

Caribbean Cure’s short-term intention is to increase production capacity and efficiencies to enable greater access to Caribbean markets. Through the Women Empowered through Export (WE-Xport) programme, they have forged key partnerships with a strong CARIFORUM trade agenda.

In July 2018, Caribbean Cure, unveiled new packaging, beautiful tea tins, adorned with designs created by a local artist.

The team is now set to enter into the next phase of tea export negotiations with their partners in the EU, Canada and Japan, and feels poised for an upward swing in the company’s development. They’ll be participating in the 4th CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum and Authentic Caribbean Expo hosted by Caribbean Export on September 26-28, 2019 in Frankfurt, Germany.

A few takeaways for budding & aspiring entrepreneurs.

Sophia and Stacy share that one of the most valuable lessons they’ve learned on their entrepreneurial journey is the importance of releasing emotional attachment in order to facilitate growth.
“Do not fear mistakes,” Stone advised. “Regrets are far more difficult to deal with than mistakes. You walk away from a mistake having learned something, but a regret is a missed opportunity,” she said. “Even if it seems beyond your reach, try. You will amaze yourself with what you are capable of.”

Find out more about Caribbean Cure: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn – @caribbeancure and by visiting their website www.caribbean-cure.com.

From Pharmaceuticals to Cosmetics, how Julia Jimenez has her eyes set on global recognition for Kapril Industrial

A chemist by profession, Julia Jimenez started her career in pharmaceuticals, but she had a deep interest in the beauty industry. So, with the help of a friend, Altagracia Figuereo, they founded Kapril Industrial in 2002, a company manufacturing hair care products.


Julia Jimenez

“At that time there was a need in our country to provide quality products at affordable prices. Most of the products for professional use were imported, and expensive,” Jimenez said. “So we created a product of competitive quality, and at a better price than the imported ones.”

Under the Kapril brand, the duo created a line of professional hair care products that are inspired by nature, and backed by science to provide optimal hair care.

The line quickly won favour with customers, whose support provided the impetus for growth. Kapril Industrial has since expanded from five products under the Kapril brand to over 90 products under four separate brands – Kapril, Lisanel, Herbafreh and Afro-kerly.

Kapril continues to cater primarily to salons and hair care professionals. Lisanel products are treatment focused and have a base of argan, keratin and coconut. The Herbafresh line is formulated with herbs and extracts believed to contribute to hair growth. And the newest addition is Afro-kerly, a line formulated for those with naturally textured, afro hair.

The products are hugely popular in the Dominica Republic, and Kapril Industrial is continuing to expand its product lines to meet demand.

“In the medium and long term, we want to capture the hotel market, increase our sales in the retail sales establishments in the Dominican Republic, and expand our market internationally,” Jimenez said.

Kapril, which currently exports to Cuba, Curacao, Haiti and Puerto Rico, plans to increase its presence in the Caribbean, and is working to enter markets in Europe and North America.

“We will achieve this with support from Caribbean Export,” Jimenez said.

Caribbean Export, the only regional trade and investment promotion agency in the African, Caribbean and Pacific group in 2018 founded the Women Empowered Through Export (WE-Xport) programme, designed to support women in business to start exporting or to increase the exports of their products and services.

In addition to WE-Xport, Jimenez credits her husband, business partner Figuereo, and her own stick-to-itiveness with Kapril’s success.

“You must be enthusiastic about, and maintain a level of dynamism if you’re going to succeed as an entrepreneur, Jimenez said. “If you are in pursuit of your dreams, you can’t afford to deterred by obstacles, and you must be determined to never let surrender be an option.”

Visit the WE-Xport booth at BMEX in Barbados from June 7-10, 2019 to view the Kapril brands.

Find out more about Kapril Industrial by visiting their website: https://www.kaprilindustrial.com/ and on Facebook @kaprilindustrialrd and Instagram @kaprilindustrial.