Blog

Time is the only currency we have,” says Barbadian innovator Khalil Bryan, “so spend it doing things that matter to you and with people who matter to you.”

Khalil’s musings on the value of time, and how precious it really is, are not just wise words from a young entrepreneur. In fact, Khalil’s commitment to saving time, and subsequently making the most of it, ignited the concept behind his tech start-up company Caribbean Transit Solutions (CTS).

Acutely aware of how much time Barbadian commuters can spend at bus stops and bus stations waiting for often unreliable public transport, Khalil was inspired to think of ways to improve the island’s transit network.

Instead of wasting time wondering when the next bus would arrive, locals and visitors could download a smartphone app which showed them the bus schedule and routes, and how far away the next bus was from their stop.

There are similar transport solutions available in major cities around the world, most notably London, Paris, and New York; but there was nothing like it in the Caribbean when CTS was launched in 2014, which meant the company would be breaking new ground.

Khalil recalls: “My original partner and I started CTS with an idea to provide real-time bus information and allow people to use their time more effectively. Our product was called EasyTransit (now known as BeepBus).

“But we quickly realised that in order to provide real-time bus information we needed an affordable product that tracked vehicles. We searched the market and found a number of options but nothing that was reasonable. So, we started another company called EasyTrak and began offering the tracking system ourselves.

“Over the past four years, we haven’t seen the uptake with BeepBus that we would like, so the business has been driven by the EasyTrak product, and focusing on how we grow that has been what has kept us afloat in difficult times.”

Pivoting from providing real-time bus information to building a GPS tracking platform for vehicles has pushed CTS into full-scale fleet management and data analytics.

The shift was substantial but even more changes were to come in 2015 when Khalil’s original partner decided to leave. A third strand to the business, a taxi ordering app called BeepCab (similar to Uber) was then launched in 2015, but had to be suspended just three years later.

Despite a few speed bumps along the entrepreneurial road, Khalil has continued to focus on his goal of enhancing Caribbean transport, and is now working with a new partner, Veronica Millington, and South African-based Andre Louw.

Like the entrepreneurs who inspire him, such as Richard Branson and Elon Musk, Khalil wants to solve big problems and be a “world-changing entrepreneur”, not just a lifestyle entrepreneur. But he knows that being a pioneer is not easy, so he is thankful for the support he has received from the Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA) including a $25,000 (US) Investment Readiness Grant.

“I can say that I’ve made friends, not just colleagues, through Caribbean Export,” Khalil states.

“They were instrumental in bringing on the World Bank and the government of Canada. They introduced us to people in their network and took us to great events throughout the region. They also educated the market in a way that allowed us to thrive and opened the eyes of entrepreneurs and investors.

“Of course, it has not all been perfect. Some markets are better than others at taking up the training opportunities. The programmes have also dropped off, and because of COVID the ones available now are virtual and I don’t think you have the same connection when you do it virtually.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has also forced Khalil and his team of four full-time and three part-time employees to re-examine CTS’s product portfolio yet again.

“We’ve had a number of trying but rewarding internal and external conversations recently,” Khalil states.

“We decided to focus on the things that really do work, and slim down what really doesn’t work, or what isn’t making us money. So, if nothing else, COVID has shown us that we need to diversify geographically and we may also need to diversify, or entrench, some of the industries that we’re working in as well.”

With that in mind, Khalil’s aim over the next 12 months is to continue building a unique repository of transportation data for the Caribbean along with extensive regional expansion.

He believes that there is untapped potential in the Caribbean and is excited that “there are so many opportunities and so many problems to solve.”
Khalil adds: “Where I am challenged is that we’re not moving quickly enough because you can’t rest on your laurels. You continually have to reinvest in your product and your people.

“Time is our most important resource because you don’t get it back. Opportunity does not stay around waiting for you to take it up, and if you don’t grasp it, the opportunity will be gone.”

Over 130 service providers have been certified during the last two years and are better equipped to expand their businesses regionally and internationally. This week eighty-four certified service providers from Barbados, The Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Saint Maarten and Trinidad and Tobago were recognised on Tuesday during the inaugural Services Go Global (SGG) Certification Ceremony.

“The services sector forms a critical pillar as the next frontier in Caribbean business,” said Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) Executive Director Deodat Maharaj during his remarks.

“Caribbean Export is committed to helping our Region diversify our services sector and providing our regional businesses with a better chance to compete, creating jobs and opportunity for our people.”

Mr. Maharaj shared that trade in services was valued at US $13.3 trillion in 2019 (World Trade Organization report). He expanded further, saying that global demand provided an opportunity for non-traditional services such as music, fashion, animation and film, green technology, and professional services to generate jobs and foreign exchange for the region.

During her keynote address, The Hon. Sandra Husbands M.P., Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, shared that, “According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in 2019 tourism services accounted for approximately 13.9% of the Caribbean’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 15.2% of total employment…. ranking the Caribbean as having the highest dependency on tourism.”

The Minister reiterated the need to diversify the services sector and commended Caribbean Export’s work in this area to support services innovation and build a robust services sector.

The Services Go Global programme was developed, by Caribbean Export in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the European Union, to optimise the export of services from CARIFORUM States. The programme focuses on building the capacity of service providers to capitalise on opportunities under the Economic Partnership (EPA), Caricom Single Market Economy (CSME) and other third-party trade agreements.

The SSG Certification Ceremony was a collaborative effort between Caribbean Export, the Trinidad and Tobago Coalition of Services Industries (TTCSI) and the Caribbean Network of Services Coalition (CNSC).

Hot pepper sauce is a staple in almost every Caribbean kitchen and every island makes it slightly differently.

Some use scotch bonnet peppers, others will only have habanero, while a few will combine the two; some recipes include vinegar while others prefer mustard; and some will add tropical fruit for sweetness, like mango or papaya, and others will call for sugar.

One thing is for sure though, no other condiment holds such sway over almost every West Indian household.

In 2014, Dominica-based entrepreneur Graceson John, started offering his own exotic twist on hot pepper sauce.

Graceson was working in catering and would create spicy sauces to compliment certain dishes. He soon realised how much people loved his unique concoctions, and started bottling his recipes under the brand name ‘Big G’, which is his long-held nickname.

Graceson recalls: “Cooking is a passion of mine so I love being innovative with flavours and switching up a recipe to make it my own. One day I was just working on a base pepper sauce and I decided to experiment with flavours like garlic, roasted garlic, turmeric, and pumpkin.

“I started off in my mother’s kitchen using all her kitchen utensils and even coffee cups. I was looking for a certain consistency. At the beginning I had a lot of failure and threw lots of pepper sauce away because I couldn’t get the right texture.

“In 2013 and 2014 I did some business training with the Dominica Youth Business Trust and I won a cash prize for my business proposal. I used that money to buy my first blender. Then I registered the business, had labels and a logo created, and we grew from there.”

Graceson began selling ‘Big G’s Hot Pepper Sauce’ on a small scale from a relative’s restaurant, but within a year the product had become a regular fixture on almost every supermarket shelf in Dominica. However, he admits that the public were initially hesitant about his many variations on the standard recipe.

“Traditionally people aren’t used to pepper sauce with those flavours and different colours,” Graceson says. “Elderly people were especially sceptical because they think hot pepper sauce should always be red. But the public eventually accepted it and have supported me for the past seven years.

“We have over 20 flavours right now including coconut pepper sauce, cinnamon pepper sauce, ginger, mint and even coffee. We grow all our spices, herbs and seasonings and even some peppers as well, but we also purchase from local farmers in Dominica.”

Graceson’s business has been recognised locally and regionally and he has won five awards so far, including the ‘2015 Caribbean Regional Start-Up Young Entrepreneur’ and ‘Best Quality and Most Innovative Product in Dominica’ in 2016.

Graceson has taken Big G’s growing success in his stride. Production has kept up with demand mainly because of a “mini factory” constructed in his home village of Delices. While setting up the facility he received invaluable technical training from the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) on Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP).

In addition, Graceson received a €1000 (Euro) grant which was put towards improving the processing area which had been devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Graceson reveals: “Just before Hurricane Maria I was building the processing area and we had just finished the plumbing and electricals when the storm hit. I remember going inside and everything was gone.

“It was discouraging because I’d put in so much money. But then I just thought about the people who died and those who lost loved ones. I picked myself up and started back over again.”

Currently, many businesses in the region are also struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic, but Graceson says the global health crisis has not been too disruptive for Big G’s because “people still have to eat”.

Instead, he is pushing on with plans to establish a state-of-the-art factory in Dominica which will further enhance his production capabilities, improve standardisation through internal lab facilities, and create employment for at least five people.

He has also expanded the Big G’s product range to include flavoured ketchups, barbecue sauce, salad dressings, and seasoning sauces.

Big G’s is currently exported within the Caribbean region, but Graceson wants to reach out to the US, where he believes his sauces will appeal to the diaspora.

“I am trying to penetrate that market because America has a lot of Caribbean people,” Graceson says. “People in the Caribbean like their pepper sauce and they will support you if they know you are from an island.

“We’re looking at renting a small place in the US to manufacture the sauce but it would be ideal to find a large manufacturer to partner with because then I won’t have to worry about health certificates. Some even already have deals with a distributor, who might also have links with supermarket chains, and once Big G’s is in one store it could be seen across every state in America.”

Graceson adds: “Big G’s is my baby and eventually I want it to be all over the world. My passion and drive to succeed is what keeps me going. I want to develop my brand into something that makes me proud, so when I look back in 40 years’ time I can say, ‘yes, I did that’”.

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw has announced millions of dollars in investments in the agricultural sector.

Among them is a US$95-million investment to create a certified organic high-tech greenhouse farm in Goshen, St. Elizabeth, “which will be the largest, by far, in the region”, he said.

He informed that the joint-venture project “will be undertaken on a 200-acre property over a seven-year period, and will specialise in Heritage and Heirloom produce, TOV tomatoes, bell peppers, bush beans, garlic, strawberries, cucumbers, sweet corn, watermelon, and other assortments of fresh produce”.

The Minister was addressing the opening day of the virtual Caribbean AGTECH Investment Summit 2021 (CATIS 2021 on Tuesday (October 5).

He further cited the US$6-million JFVL Agriculture Project, which will deliver fresh fruits and vegetables for the domestic market, including satisfying demand from the tourism sector.

The joint venture equity investment is centred on the establishment of a state-of-the-art fully integrated supply chain operation.

“The project involves the production, warehousing, cold storage, and multi-channel distribution of fresh produce on the domestic market,” the Minister said.

JFVL’s business model involves the engagement of contract farmers to farm a 600-acre property in Hill Run, St. Catherine, under the company’s direct management, Mr. Shaw said, noting that a feasibility study on the project has been completed.

In addition, the Minard Estate Farm in Brown’s Town, St. Ann, will be expanded under a public-private partnership to increase live animals, beef production, semen, and embryo production, and a 500-acre Agro Park will be built in St. Thomas, under joint-venture equity.

“It (agro park) will be a leading global development site for climate-smart agriculture production, resulting in import replacement of highly valued crops for distribution and export,” the Minister said.

The virtual Caribbean AGTECH Investment Summit was organised by the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA), in collaboration with the Caribbean Export Development Agency and its partner, the Caribbean Agribusiness Association (CABA).

The three-day Summit was aimed at promoting the Caribbean as a destination for investment in high-tech agribusiness ventures, with a focus on the production of crops, meat, and seafood, as well as value-added products from the region using smart technologies.

Written by: Garfield L. Angus and originally published by the Jamaica Information Service

The Caribbean Export Development Agency and the Government of Guyana have agreed to deepen collaboration in investment promotion, export development and the services sector.

These priority areas of focus for Guyana’s development were the topic of discussion when Executive Director Deodat Maharaj met H.E Dr. Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana last Friday, October 8, 2021.

Mr. Maharaj said, “It was good to meet with H.E Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana and agree on the focused areas of our support. The Guyana- Caribbean Export partnership will emphasise the creation of jobs and opportunities as the Agency continues to help to advance a transformational agenda.”

A strong champion of the Agency’s work, President Ali last week delivered the keynote address at the recently concluded Caribbean Agtech Investment Summit. Here President Ali stressed the imperative of the agricultural sector and attracting investment as the Region seeks to build much-needed food security. The Agency also supported Guyana’s first-ever Virtual Investment Forum headlined by President Ali on March 23, 2021. That initiative saw close to 567 participants coming from 41 countries.

Looking ahead, Caribbean Export is committed to further deepening its collaboration and partnership with Guyana to create jobs and opportunities.

As Executive Director Deodat Maharaj continues the Agency’s stakeholder engagement mission in Guyana, he met with The Honourable Hugh Hilton Todd, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

During yesterday’s discussions, Mr. Maharaj expressed Caribbean Export’s keen commitment to support Guyana in export promotion, steering investments to the country, and supporting the development of the services sector.

The discussions were welcomed by both parties who agreed on the vital importance of creating jobs and opportunities for the people of Guyana.

Mr. Maharaj’s engagement has taken place during the Week of Agriculture, when Caribbean Export has hosted the region’s first-ever summit focused on attracting agricultural technology in to the region Caribbean AgTech Investment Summit. The event welcomed a feature address from the President of Guyana Dr Irfaan Ali.

In addition, the Agency will be launching a Call for Proposals which will enable firms to apply for a grant of up to 30,000 euros.

On October 4, 2021, Executive Director of Caribbean Export, Deodat Maharaj, met with Dr Peter Ramsaroop, CEO, GoInvest, to discuss the programmes and initiatives the Agency is implementing to provide targeted support to Guyana.

During the discussions, Mr. Maharaj reaffirmed Caribbean Export’s commitment to support private sector development as the Agency seeks to fast-track recovery, facilitate job creation and opportunities for the people of Guyana.

“Caribbean Export is happy to meet and agree with GoInvest on our practical, concrete support to help provide jobs and opportunity for Guyana at a time of incredible opportunity and transformation for the country.” remarked the Executive Director.

Caribbean Export will continue to support micro, small and medium scale enterprises in Guyana through our grants and capacity building programmes helping them to access key markets to create jobs and earn foreign exchange. It was also agreed that Caribbean Export will provide support to Guyana as it seeks to upscale its efforts at nearshoring.

Mr. Maharaj will be engaging with other stakeholders, in Guyana, over the coming week as the Agency continues to be on the ground listening and engaging with its stakeholders and partners.

Since launching her health and wellness brand ‘Sugar Town Organics’ in 2010, Kittian entrepreneur Anastasha Elliott has been very busy.

The company’s debut product line ‘Yaphene’ consisted of natural soaps, shampoos, and conditioners. A spinoff of organic and vegan food items followed shortly afterwards called ‘Flauriel’.

In 2019, the ‘Marapa’ luxury beauty range was added to the Sugar Town Organics family, and in 2020 the newest member arrived – ‘Baba Lullaby’ – which caters for babies and children.

Every single product is methodically handcrafted by Anastasha and two other full-time employees using traditional extraction, blending, mixing and infusion techniques. Some of the nourishing indigenous ingredients used include aloe, lemongrass, roselle, hibiscus, papaya and coconut.

Anastasha harvests most of those fruits, along with medicinal herbs and spices, from a mini-farm in the backyard of her home but she also works with six local farmers for a variety of raw materials.

The rapid expansion of Anastasha’s skin, hair, and body brands over the past decade are a testament to her focus, drive, and determination.

Anastasha comes from a self-sufficient family who are used to living off the land. She was actively encouraged to be self-employed from a young age and even had ‘own a business by the time I am 30’ on her to-do list!

When she was eight, Anastasha began dabbling in various money-making initiatives. Over the years she has tried her hand at tie-dying t-shirts, knitting crochet hats and accessories, designing clothes, and making cupcakes and patties.

“I’d been working on what I needed to get started as an entrepreneur for a while,” Anastasha recalls. “I had an idea what I wanted to do, but I didn’t have a lot of money. I remember going to the bank, even though my mother told me not to, and that was a very disheartening experience because the woman I spoke to actually laughed at me.

“I went back to my mom, and she suggested I have a bake sale to raise more funds. I did the first one and everything sold out! I ran that bake sale for four years, operating out of my home, until I had enough money to start my business. My mom matched the money that I made as well.”

The seed for Anastasha’s botanical business was planted several years earlier when her mother Myrtrice was diagnosed with cervical cancer. She fought the illness using a holistic approach and completely changed her eating and lifestyle habits to become cancer-free after just a few months.

Anastasha saw how her mother used the power of nature to help her recovery, and wanted to share what the family had learned, along with what generations before had already handed down.

Anastasha says: “We grew up making a lot of stuff. I learned how to make soap, and the basics of mixing butters and oil, from my mother. I also had some family recipes, that in some cases were four generations old, which helped me to choose the right ingredients for our products.”

She adds: “The ingredients have to be from the Caribbean or an area that has influenced the Caribbean like Africa or Europe. I spend quite a bit of time on research to see what natural remedies and plants have been proven to work for specific conditions like eczema.”

Anastasha’s popular vegan food and beverage line was introduced just months afterwards as she worked towards minimising waste by as much as possible.

“Flauriel came about because, after making the products for Yaphene, I had a lot of raw material left over”, Anastasha recalls. “I only used a small amount of food, and I couldn’t consume it all. So, I thought about making jams, jellies, dips, hot sauces, and wines with it. People loved them so much, I decided to develop it into a fully-fledged line.”

Anastasha says listening to what her consumers want from her products has been a key factor in her company’s ongoing development, along with invaluable support from regional agencies, like Caribbean Export.

“Caribbean Export has helped me develop personally and professionally”, Anastasha says.

“In the space of one year, our sales grew 150%, and I put a lot of that down to the assistance we got from Caribbean Export. They offered us training, access to tradeshows, and exposed us to other markets. We built our export base through a lot of those tradeshows. Even the partnership I currently have with a company in North Carolina for an Amazon Store is because of Caribbean Export.”

Anastasha hopes the launch of the upcoming Amazon Store, which will offer her Flauriel food range to a global audience, will re-energise Sugar Town Organics’ exports to pre-COVID levels or better.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Sugar Town Organics’ sales were split 75/25 between the local and overseas market respectively. But since the pandemic that has shifted to 90/10.

The global health crisis has drastically impacted the retail aspect of the business in St Kitts as well. Anastasha opened a store in February 2021 in the Pelican Mall in Basseterre but was forced to close for six months at the height of the outbreak.

Anastasha says: “Opening a store during these hard times was a positive move but honestly it’s been a struggle. Even when we did reopen after the lockdown, there were still so many restrictions, and that has really hampered the business. We’ve had to adjust quite a bit.”

Adjustment is the watchword when it comes to COVID-19. But considering Anastasha’s life and business journey so far, it seems likely that she will be able to make any changes necessary to ensure Sugar Town Organics does not just survive but thrives.

Caribbean Export Development Agency and The Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law (SRC) have agreed on a framework to partner on a trade and investment research agenda.

The agreement outlines several initiatives which will contribute to the enhanced competitiveness and sustainable development of the Caribbean region including, research, joint programmes and internship placements.

This is an important partnership for Caribbean Export as it supports the goal of positioning the Agency as a knowledge hub while continuing to provide high-impact support for MSMEs in the region. It will ensure private sector access to cutting edge trade information to enhance decision-making, export competitiveness and facilitate business expansion. The research data will also be key in identifying areas of innovation for regional investment programmes.

In addition, the collaboration will provide students in the International Trade Policy master’s programme with the opportunity to gain much needed on the job training and experience.

The organisations are scheduled to sign the Memorandum of Understanding on Friday, October 1, 2021, at 10 am AST. During the online event, there will be remarks from Caribbean Export’s Executive Director, Deodat Maharaj, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UWI, Professor Clive Landis and the Director of the SRC Dr. Jan Yves Remy.

A few weeks ago, Deodat Maharaj, Executive Director of the Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA), published an op-ed calling for greater support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the region. The article is the latest call from Caribbean Export and various Caribbean stakeholders to advance the diversification of local economies to reverse the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The data speaks for itself, not only when we look at the reduction of our collective GDP over the last year but also in terms of the massive debt the region faces. Countries that were already highly indebted, today are presented with larger debt commitments. We need to rethink which economic actors we should bet on in order to move forward,” said Maharaj in an exclusive recent interview with Nearshore Americas.

For Maharaj, supporting MSMEs with financing, resources and stimulating policy frameworks is an obvious choice, considering that across the Caribbean, MSMEs are already a significant force.

“MSMEs represent between 70-85% of Caribbean businesses and contribute between 60-70% of the region’s GDP. Critically, they account for an estimated 50% of total employment,” Maharaj noted in his op-ed.

The Role of Government in Building MSMEs

Caribbean MSMEs are in a particularly difficult position at the moment. Lack of access to financing as well as plunging demand has forced them to lay off workers and presented new problems in maintaining the capital and liquidity to survive the Covid-19 crisis. Many MSMEs in the Caribbean operate in the tourism sector, which was decimated by the complete shutdown of global travel and is only now beginning to recover.

“We’ve seen how fragile and susceptible the tourism industry is to specific events such as natural disasters and geopolitical developments. Many jobs and workers are at risk whenever changes of this kind occur,” Maharaj explained. “That’s why governments should incentivize a transition to services, knowledge and premium products in our export portfolios.”

“MSMEs represent between 70-85% of Caribbean businesses and contribute between 60-70% of the region’s GDP” — Deodat Maharaj

Maharaj believes that MSMEs need an integrated approach and support based on a coherent strategy. That means increasing access to grant financing, in which Caribbean Export has taken the lead, as well as promoting new initiatives to tackle the longer-term challenges that MSMEs will face in adapting to the post pandemic landscape.

For Maharaj, the role of government is to create an environment that enables this job-supporting sector to sustain itself in the long term. But so far, almost all measures introduced by governments have focused on short-term survival rather than future growth. These measures have included improving liquidity through postponement of payments, reduction in government fees and loan-guarantee programs.

New Technology and Services Exports

MSMEs thrive when they are integrated into global value chains. But the pandemic disrupted supply chains and international trade, and MSMEs usually don’t have the resources to rebuild the broken connections on their own. Without support, the region’s small businesses will remain outside of global trade ecosystems.

“Putting MSMEs’ international potential at the heart of national export strategies is critical,” said Maharaj.

“However, we should remember that the Caribbean can’t mass produce: we don’t have the skills of China, India or even Latin American countries such as Mexico. We need to focus on niche markets, niche products and premium prices. That is where we can compete, and in that context, pivoting to new technology and services exports will give us an edge,” he added.

Though the Caribbean’s economic challenges have grown thanks to the pandemic, technology is offering a path forward. There are emerging opportunities for the region, as companies worldwide use technology to explore ways to reposition their value chains and reallocate their various goods and services components to serve their primary markets better.

“Technology has a democratizing effect. We often talk about commodities but we have to start talking more about applying new technology to globally position our MSMEs in the services sector. We need to monetize talent and the region’s knowledge in professional services, but also in the creative sector like animation. When we look at the progress being made in this area, it brings a lot of hope,” Maharaj said.

“Countries in the region should adopt policies to stimulate innovation through digitalization and technology that aid capital investment. The region should provide last-mile connectivity and capitalize on the global services sector’s export potential. Aside from general information technology infrastructure, the region must ensure adequate access to equipment and capacities at the company level to reap the benefits of digital advancement,” he added.

“Countries in the region should adopt policies to stimulate innovation through digitalization and technology that aid capital investment” — Deodat Maharaj

Clearly, knowledge-based service MSMEs are in a unique position to benefit from the opportunities that arise from the pandemic. As Maharaj pointed out, the Caribbean presents interesting opportunities for global companies in such niche areas as animation, and market demand for animation services has increased from both the traditional business and film industries. As a result, countries including Jamaica have implemented training initiatives to elevate their human talent in this area.

Despite the potential of technology to support MSMEs, many small business owners don’t have the skills to take full advantage of digital platforms. The region’s governments need to plug this knowledge gap in order for MSMEs to capture these opportunities, Maharaj suggests.

“Institutionally we need to ensure that there are regional and national initiatives to support them while connecting them with larger investors. That is work for the future,” he said.

This article which was written by Bryan Ch. Campbell Romero, the Investment and Policy Editor, and originally published on Nearshore Americas.

Most people have heard the saying: ‘Grandma knows best’. But, in the case of Jamaican entrepreneur Javin Williams, CEO at organic cosmetics company ‘Herboo Botanicals’, this old adage has more than proven to be true.

Nearly 10 years ago, when Javin was suffering from dandruff, he asked his grandmother for advice on what herbs he could use to relieve the condition. She passed on her wisdom about herbal remedies and Javin started to experiment in his mother’s kitchen.

He recalls: “When I was in college in 2012, I had really bad dandruff, and the products I used never really worked or they only worked for a short time.

“I went to my grandmother and she recommended rosemary and peppermint and when I used those herbs on my head they got rid of the dandruff within two weeks. A lightbulb went off, and I thought, ‘why don’t we use the herbs we have in Jamaica to make organic products, rather than importing synthetic products?’

“It was a problem I identified and it thrust me into entrepreneurship.”
Javin’s idea centred around blending natural ingredients like coconut oil, sorrel, peppermint, sage oil, lemon grass, and rosemary to make a ‘2-in-1’ shampoo and conditioner to relieve dandruff and an itchy scalp.

But he admits it took a while to get the initial formula right.

“The first prototype wasn’t something to talk about,” Javin recounts. “The formula was so off. It was watery and every time I made it the colour came out different. So, a lot of research went into it. Then we tested it with friends and family and after their feedback we modified it quite a bit.”

Fast facts:
• The organic hair care market value will total $9 billion (US) in 2021 (Fact MR).
• From 2021-2031, the organic hair care market’s projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is 7% (Fact MR).
• Shampoo holds the largest market share in the haircare segment and is estimated to grow to $30 billion (US) by 2023 (Statista.com).
• In 2019, Europe dominated the market for natural hair care products and accounted for 38.2% share of the global revenue (Vision Research).
• Hair industry statistics show that 52% of consumers prefer to buy natural or organic shampoo (Statista.com).

Javin came up with the company name Herboo which combines ‘herbal’ with ‘shampoo’ and involved his sister Kamla to assist with marketing the brand. He also enlisted help from the Jamaican Scientific Research Council, along with the Ministry of Health, to further standardise the formulation for his debut product.

He states: “The biggest challenge I faced at the start was a lack of knowledge. I had very little science knowledge and I didn’t study business at all, so in the beginning I didn’t really know what I was doing. I just knew that the product worked and I wanted to get it to as many people as possible.

“Then I did some entrepreneurship training and I learned how to come up with a plan so I could set up and run a profitable business.”

Javin was a quick learner. Herboo has since evolved from a small business into an export-ready company and has benefitted from financial and mentoring support from local institutions including five angel investors through First Angels Jamaica.

He also received an Investment Readiness Grant, a Co-investment Grant, and a Direct Assistance Grant from the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) and describes the organisation’s assistance as “phenomenal”.

“The first time I pitched for investment with Caribbean Export, they pointed out a number of areas that I was weak in and needed to fix,” Javin states.

“They wanted me to get a financial plan, to work on the packaging, logo, and labels, and to secure a distributor. So, I fixed those issues with the Investment Readiness Grant. And the Co-investment Grant helped me to buy more raw materials and get into more retail stores.”

Shortly after winning the ‘’Mogul in the Making’ competition in 2015, Herboo outsourced its bottling to local factory Orion Manufacturing and production levels jumped drastically from 50 to 2,000 bottles a day.

In 2018, Jamaican pharmaceutical distributor Cari-Med also came onboard. This strategic partnership led to a substantial increase in sales.

Javin has also added a protective moisturising hair oil and a body and face oil to the Herboo product range. Later this year, he wants to introduce a separate shampoo and conditioner along with an eczema body wash and hair moisturiser.

Javin describes Herboo as a “farm-to-hair” operation and believes its success is primarily based on its proven scientific benefits and organic ingredients. Most of the herbs used are grown on the family farm in Manchester or supplied by other farms on the island. The bottles and some oils are sourced from the US.

“Our shampoos offer five unique health benefits in one,” Javin explains. “Our product doesn’t just treat dandruff, it also treats eczema, it will grow your hair, and it will keep your scalp clean and healthy.

“Our list of ingredients is also easy to understand so you won’t see anything that you don’t know. In Jamaica, all of these natural ingredients can be found in your backyard.”

The Herboo line is currently available in 201 stores in Jamaica, five outlets in the Cayman Islands, some shops in the US, and was recently launched on Amazon.com. It is also sold online through the company’s website herboobotanicals.com.

Herboo’s customers come from around the world with 60% of sales in Jamaica and 40% worldwide.

Javin says: ‘We started off in Jamaica but now we have customers ordering our products from about 12 different locations including Trinidad, Barbados, Germany and the UK. So, it’s spiralled around the world and our products are going to countries we’ve never even been too.

“What we’re trying to do now is to find distributors in the markets where we have a high demand from customers.”

Javin is passionate and ambitious and one of his other major long-term goals is to have Herboo listed as a public company on the stock exchange.
“I would love Jamaicans and other individuals to participate in the company because it’s such an amazing brand,” Javin says.

“We came from humble beginnings, so to be able to offer shares for the public to buy into it would be amazing. We’re currently putting things in place to work our way up to that milestone as part of our 10-year plan.”