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In just a few years, Makaya Chocolat has become “THE” chocolatier in Haiti. Present in all gourmet stalls, as well as at fairs and online, the collection owes its success to its high quality taste, but also to the personality of its creator, Ralph Leroy, who steers the brand’s image and digital career.

It was probably at the Salon du Chocolat de Montréal in 2013 that the genesis of Makaya was established. At the time, founder Ralph Leroy was a fashion designer, invited as he has been every year since 2009 to create a collection of accessories… in chocolate!

From aesthetic inspiration to chocolate production, it was an ocean to cross, for this native of Cap-Haïtien in northern Haiti. But his interest in cocoa turned into a passion, and gradually took the place of fashion. In 2015, on his chosen soil, he met the Fédération des coopératives cacaoyères du Nord, Feccano. “It’s a common misconception that chocolate is only made in Europe. But why not work with chocolate right here in Haiti?” Leroy was astonished when, in 2016, he set up a laboratory and carried out his first cocoa bean selection and roasting.

From Italy to Trinidad

The Makaya brand is launched with a wide range of aromas and flavors, including fleur de sel and coffee. The reception was spectacular, but our creator felt limited by his technical shortcomings. How do you keep your chocolate shiny? He would need to master “tempering”, a decisive step in making chocolate. Leroy contacted chocolate makers in Montreal, but didn’t convince anyone to come to Haiti. In 2018, he decided to go to Italy to learn how to tame this precious material. ” In the end, it was the best option: to acquire the skills myself and be able to pass them on, rather than receive them from experts who, once my team had been formed, would leave…”confides Ralph Leroy.

After six months’ training in Italy and a sculpture masterclass in Chicago, Ralph completed his world tour as an apprentice in Trinidad to master the part of making chocolate from the bean. Back in his homeland, Ralph Leroy began producing tablets from beans supplied by Feccano. The launch on the Haitian market was a rapid success thanks to word-of-mouth and local fairs, but the real success of the brand came from social networks, the chocolate maker’s marketing tool par excellence.

Social networks and online sales

Makaya takes on a new dimension with the opening of an original outlet in Pétion-Ville, combining laboratory and tasting room, and hosting events. The chocolate workshop provides both team training and fun workshops for children, teenagers and adults. Despite the COVID pandemic, 2020 is a good year thanks to the website, which is starting to generate sales. A dispatch center has been set up in Miami to deliver orders for the United States, and another in Montreal for Canada. 40% of production is exported, boosted by his dynamic social networking strategy: Ralph Leroy doesn’t just promote Makaya, he creates digital conversations around chocolate, bringing in professionals and celebrities and opening up the discussion threads to all chocolate lovers. In the same year, the brand went on sale at the airport duty-free shop, adding to those in supermarkets and high-end boutiques. With the processing of the beans, Makaya signs the first range of Haitian chocolates “from bean to bar”, From bean to bar. A source of national pride!

Strong local recognition

In February 2022, Makaya took part in an exchange of best practices organized by Caribbean Export with Dominican companies. This mission on Dominican cocoa promotion and marketing strategy, production and processing techniques, and organizational management mechanisms implemented by CONACADO, will mark the start of a collaboration with Definite Chocolate.

The Dominican Republic’s chocolatier and Haiti’s chocolatier join forces in a creative partnership proposed as part of the gastronomy component of the “Binational Cultural Dialogue” supported by the European Union. The two master chocolatiers have joined forces to create a collection that reflects their island: the Quisqueya collection. With the support of Caribbean Export, the collection takes shape with three different chocolates and an original packaging. It was first presented to a large audience at the Dominican Chocolate Festival in July, then at the Salon du Chocolat in Paris the following autumn.

In December 2022, Makaya is also participating in the Capacity Building Program for the new European Organic Regulation in cooperation with ITC for the beneficiary companies of the HT-DR bi-national cocoa value chain project implemented by Caribbean Export.

Haitian chocolate on tour!

In 7 years, Makaya has created 15 products, processed a ton of beans and can be found in some 15 sales outlets in Haiti and abroad. Its online sales capacity now accounts for 40-50% of sales, thanks to 100% digital promotion and marketing.

Makaya has plans to open a boutique chocolate factory-tasting room in Cap Haïtien and another in Montréal, but the situation in Haiti has put the chocolatier’s economy and ambitions on hold. His workshop has shrunk from 23 people to 7, but fortunately, foreign sales are saving the day: 90%, 80%, 70%, 65% or 45% dark chocolates, white chocolates, almond, cappuccino, 42% Expresso, 65% Latte, and recently, a special edition, the Héritage bar, all find their fans. And Makaya 100% cocoa, the basis for its famous hot chocolate, remains the star product in the chocolate lounge. The founder of Makaya spares no tour and hosts a host of events around Haiti in Miami, New York, Washington and Montreal. Chocolate desserts, activities, workshops, conferences… Ralph Leroy has become a true ambassador for Haitian chocolate. He hopes to take part in the Salon du Chocolat in Paris next October and present his new 2023 product, Makaya coffee beans and ground coffee, due for release next autumn. As he puts it, ” with Makaya, Haitian chocolate goes on tour!

Africa-CARICOM Day, celebrated on September 7th, serves as an important reminder of the enduring cultural and economic bonds between the African continent and the Caribbean region. This annual celebration not only commemorates shared histories but also shines a spotlight on the promising potential of strengthened trade relations.

Beyond the cultural ties that unite these regions, there lies a vast opportunity for deepening economic cooperation. Organisations like the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) play a pivotal role in realising this potential.

Throughout 2023, Caribbean Export displayed unwavering commitment to advancing trade and investment between these two dynamic regions. Its efforts included a successful mission to selected African markets, strategically designed to strengthen cooperation, bolster trade and investment, and cultivate partnerships across key sectors, including renewable energy, agriculture, AgTech, ICT, and Fintech. Notably, the Agency received the prestigious appointment as an Ambassador for Africa’s premier Trade and Investment Forum, IATF2023.

In a recent Op-ed authored by the Agency’s Executive Director, Deodat Maharaj, published by the Overseas Development Institute, the call for robust, direct business engagements in critical sectors reverberated. Maharaj passionately advocates for these engagements as catalysts for sustainable economic transformation across both regions.

By championing trade and investment while facilitating the transfer of knowledge and sharing market insights, these regions are poised for continuous growth and evolution. This strengthened relationship holds the promise of ushering in new opportunities, creating jobs, and fostering prosperity for the diverse populations it serves. The future is undoubtedly bright for Africa and the Caribbean as they chart a course toward mutual progress and shared success.

Most people would agree that spice is an essential ingredient when cooking.

In the Caribbean, our seemingly innate ability to select the right spices, and add them in just the right amount, has added depth and flavour to our cuisine and is what separates it from others.

Vincentian entrepreneur Sharon Little has always enjoyed spending time in the kitchen and her passion for spicing up recipes eventually led to the launch of her small business in 1997 – ‘Pringa’s Natural Flavours’.

Sharon started off selling her version of green seasoning at a local shop where she was the manager. After it proved popular, she approached other small stores and supermarkets, and soon her seasoning was on shelves all over St Vincent and the Grenadines.

But Sharon did not stop there. She quickly expanded the Pringa’s brand to include hot sauce, ginger sauce, and guava jelly all made from herbs, spices, and tropical fruits grown by local farmers.

Now, she is working on plans to export to the US, Canada, and Europe, after receiving assistance from the Caribbean Export Development Agency and the European Union to attend business development workshops and international trade shows.

Sharon states: “Coming on board with Caribbean Export has provided me with a lot of important information to grow the business. Thinking of where we were before, and where we are now, since working with Caribbean Export, it’s a big leap. We’ve been exposed to other markets, given lots of knowledge, and it has helped us to get to know our product and the best ways to sell it.”

In September 2022, Sharon’s daughter LaFleur, who she employs along with one other person, joined a small delegation of producers under the Caribbean Export umbrella at the Speciality and Fine Food Fair in London. Pringa’s provided a range of samples at the expo and the reception was promising.

At the time, LaFleur told Caribbean Export: “Persons from the UK are really venturing out of their comfort zone and trying more spicy foods. It was a pleasure to serve them Pringa’s line of sauces and condiments. I know they enjoyed it because most came back for seconds. They couldn’t believe they were getting all these beautiful flavours from sauces and condiments.”

After a successful trip to the UK, Pringa’s was also on display at the Caribbean Export booth at the world’s biggest tradeshow ‘SIAL Paris 2022’ where several potential distributors and buyers expressed an interest in the company’s products.

Sharon believes her biggest challenge right now in terms of exporting is the cost of automating production.

She states: “I’m not happy just supplying St Vincent so my aim is to go further afield. But right now, we are still processing everything by hand, doing all the peeling and cleaning, so that is hard on us. But if I did get an export market, I would be able to buy some machinery and employ more people.”

Over the past few months, Pringa’s has been approached by an ecommerce company based in Vietnam called Buy2sell, which is keen to offer its guava jelly on its platform to customers in Asia. The two companies are still negotiating.

Sharon says: “We are hopeful that it will go somewhere but right now we are stuck on the quantity. They want 300 cases of guava jelly, but we would prefer to start with 50 cases every three months and go from there.”

In the meantime, Sharon plans to improve efficiency to boost production and work on breaking into another Caribbean market. She also wants to find a bigger space to operate from that will also provide additional room for storage.

Sharon is determined to make Pringa’s into a Caribbean success story and she is already well on her way.

Originally from the Amazon jungle area, cocoa was introduced in the Dominican Republic by Spanish colonizers at the end of the 16th century, reaching our days as a crop of transcendental importance, not only in economic terms, but also as part of the Dominican gastronomic culture.

Although it is true that by the middle of the 19th century the Dominican Republic was already exporting a significant amount of cocoa, it was not until the 1990s that its production took a qualitative leap that has placed the country as one of the main global exporters of organic cocoa, with 60% of the world’s export volume.

Pioneers in organic cocoa exports

The National Confederation of Dominican Cocoa Growers (CONACADO) has been a key factor in the development of the production of this important sector of our economy. It is an entity that emerged in the mid-1980s in the context of an international project promoted by the German Technical Cooperation Agency (GTZ), aimed at achieving better post-harvest management of Dominican cocoa, adding value to the production chain, particularly aroma and flavor conditions that would allow it to be placed in international markets in better conditions to compete.

According to Abel Fernandez, commercial manager of CONACADO, the success of this association lies in having structured a cooperative model that “provided the producer groups with logistical and financial capabilities so that they could among themselves, as a group, buy the production, the volumes they had already improved, and eventually be able to exhibit commercial volumes, because cocoa, after all, is a commodity, and in order to access the market you must ensure that you are a consistent supplier in terms of volume and quality”.

Pioneers in organic exports, CONACADO has the merit of having opened the doors of the European market to Dominican cocoa. It currently has a membership of more than 9 thousand cocoa farmers and 49.8% of the national production of organic cocoa.

New challenges for producers

As cocoa production techniques have evolved, so has the international market. New international standards and regulations have posed an enormous challenge for local producers.

One of these regulations has been the new European Union regulation on “Imported Deforestation”, which means that in the medium term, products from farms that have been cleared after 2020, especially cocoa and coffee, will not be allowed to enter Europe.

This regulation entails tough requirements for producers in terms of traceability and monitoring of deforestation. “Those who cannot guarantee that their exportable supply comes from sources that have not affected the environment will not be able to export to the European Union,” says Abel Fernandez.

Caribbean Export’s helping hand

Although CONACADO’s relationship with Caribbean Export dates back to the beginning of this century, it is in recent years that it has become closer.

Fernandez says that “we have always worked a lot with international agencies; we have served as a laboratory, as a school for many initiatives and project proposals. Caribbean Export has always taken us into account when new project proposals appear, when opportunities open up.

“In the framework of cooperation with Caribbean Export, we have received a lot of support on issues that help us to improve, to get up to date in aspects related to international trade and compliance with new regulations and legislation that are coming out all the time in the European Union,” said Fernandez.

In October of last year, CONACADO, together with Caribbean Export, participated in the Salon du Chocolat Paris 2022, an event that gave the entire value chain the opportunity to establish new relationships and renew contacts with existing customers, while promoting the organization and its offer to the European market.

A similar experience took place in February of this year, during participation in the BIOFACH International Organic Products Fair in Germany.

As part of the actions to support the Haiti-DR binational Cocoa/Chocolate value chain, which are being carried out with funds from the 11th Annual Haiti-DR Cocoa/Chocolate Summit, the Haiti-RD Cocoa/Chocolate Value Chain is being supported with funds from the 11th Annual Haiti-DR Cocoa/Chocolate Summit. European Development Fund (EDF), within the framework of the trade and private sector support component of the Haiti-Dominican Republic Binational Program, Caribbean Export has supported the producers of CONACADO with a project that provides equipment and georeferencing training that allows the European Union to monitor cocoa farms by satellite to certify that their production model does not affect the environment.

“Thanks to the timely cooperation of Caribbean Export, we can say that we are one of the few organizations in the world that are taking important steps forward to be prepared for the changes imposed by the new times,” concludes CONACADO’s commercial manager.

According to Jaime Gómez, technical director of CONACADO, the georeferencing project provided by Caribbean Export has impacted 459 farms, representing 38,500 georeferenced tareas of land, in the provinces of Monseñor Nouel and Monte Plata. “In Bonao the georeferencing has been complete, impacting more than 200 producers. In Monte Plata we missed some farms. This motivated us to continue georeferencing the remaining farms on our own, until we reach our goal of 100%, which is the requirement of the European Union’s clients,” explained Gómez.

The structure of the energy industry in CARIFORUM nations has come under growing pressure from internal and international economic, technological, and institutional transformation factors over the past ten years. Given this, energy imports typically account for a significant portion of total imports, the combination of volatile international energy prices, pressure on foreign exchange reserves, and high public debt has raised serious concerns about national energy security in CARIFORUM countries. According to World Bank data over the period 2015-2020, the average price of electricity in CARIFORUM was USD 0.27/kWh compared to the OECD average of USD 0.15/kWh and the global average of USD 0.17/kWh.

It is against this background that the Caribbean Export Development Agency ( Caribbean Export) in collaboration with Republic Bank Guyana and the Guyana Office for Investment hosted the ISO 50001 Energy Management Workshop over the period August 22-25, 2023, at the Pegasus Guyana Hotel. The objective of this activity was to build the capacity of beneficiaries to meet this international standard. The rationale is that the integration of ISO 50001 into the strategic management capabilities of beneficiaries could enhance their competitiveness through energy efficiency, combined with increased credibility in international markets which is increasingly driven by environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns.

During the opening session of the workshop Dr Peter Ramsaroop, Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Office for Investment and member of the Board of Directors at Caribbean Export, highlighted the timeliness of the workshop and the need for the MSMEs to balance revenue generation while minimising energy costs, leveraging the materials discussed during the workshop. Mr. Venus Frith, General Manager- Credit Republic Bank Limited (Guyana) spoke about the Caribbean Export- Republic Financial Holdings Limited partnership which was formalised in 2022 and the bank’s commitment to building the capacity of the region’s private sector, in this instance Guyana, through the delivery of targeted interventions on key areas such as this. Moreover, Dr Damie Sinanan, Manager- Competitiveness and Export Promotion at Caribbean Export reiterated the Agency’s mandate to promote private sector capacity building and the growth of exports from CARIFORUM. He continued, the Agency views enhanced energy efficiency and the transition to renewable energy industry as critical to private sector development.

The workshop was facilitated by Mr. Kit Oung, Energy Expert from the British Standards Institution and covered thematic areas such as energy management, identifying energy targets, conformity assessment and the importance of aligning energy management systems with the firm’s strategic direction.

In attendance were 20 representatives of firms from sectors including agroprocessing, construction, health and wellness and Information Communications Technology. Representatives were fully engaged and participated in robust discussions on the topic.

Caribbean Export acknowledges the support provided by the local partners and business support organizations such as Republic Bank Limited (Guyana) and the Guyana Office for Investment in partnering with us to host this event. The Agency also wishes to thank the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC), Private Sector Commission (PSC), Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), and Georgetown Chambers of Commerce and Industry (GGCI) for mobilizing their networks to attend this workshop.

Caribbean Export is pleased to be supporting the Caribbean Women in Trade (CWIT), an organization that officially launched in May 2023. This initiative, established in 2020, serves as a vibrant community for Caribbean women engaged in international trade.

CWIT’s activities are far-reaching and impactful, providing a platform for connections, networking events, and educational seminars. These offerings empower Caribbean women in international trade to foster meaningful relationships and access critical knowledge. The initiative also focuses on mentorship, offering guidance to young and new members, while positioning itself as a significant stakeholder for consultations on trade challenges.

During the CWIT’s notable launch event, prominent figures like Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of WTO, Ms. Pamela Coke-Hamilton of ITC, and Ms. Rebecca Grynspan of UNCTAD addressed critical issues such as access to finance and trade policies, sparking insightful discussions and inspiring members.

“Supporting CWIT is more than a partnership; it’s about committing to elevate women’s role in trade, thereby contributing to a more inclusive and prosperous trade landscape.” emphasized Tonya Cummins, Caribbean Export’s Investment Lead.

Caribbean Export’s agreed to sponsor four CWIT members to participate in one of its programmes allowing these honorees to “pay it forward”. The Agency also welcomed members to the recent ‘Leveraging CARIFORUM Trade Agreements workshop’, conducted in partnership with Republic Bank Trinidad. We also look forward to their participation in the upcoming Caribbean Investment Forum.

This sponsorship aligns with the growing recognition of women’s contributions to the trade sector. Notably, 40% of Caribbean businesses are women-owned.

In essence, the Caribbean Women in Trade initiative signifies empowerment, unity, and progress. With Caribbean Export’s support and sponsorship, the initiative’s impact is set to resonate even more deeply. As we continue this journey, it’s imperative that we recognize the transformative capacity of women in international trade. By championing and supporting initiatives like CWIT, we pave the way for a brighter, more equitable future in the global trade arena.

While market intelligence and research are key ingredients for success in export target markets, they are not the only components. For Caribbean firms to enter foreign markets successfully, a wide variety of complex and interrelated determining factors need to be addressed in a comprehensive, and integrated manner. These include a deliberate and increased focus on product and service innovation, building market intelligence and research capacity, providing market and economic intelligence reports, and facilitating access to this information. In keeping with the Agency’s mandate, a 2-day workshop, entitled “Leveraging CARIFORUM Trade Agreements” was hosted by Caribbean Export, in collaboration with Republic Bank Limited (RBL) from July 25-26, 2023, at the Hilton Hotel and Conference Centre. This workshop covered several topics that are key considerations for MSMEs that are already exporting, or those considering exporting to the European Union.

His Excellency, Ambassador Peter Cavendish, European Union Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago delivered opening remarks and reiterated the European Union’s commitment to the development of regional brands. He explained Trinidad and Tobago’s wealth of natural resources can be used to enable digital interventions, agricultural export initiatives to Europe, thereby utilising technology to promote trade and bring awareness to social impact.

Collaborating partner, Marketing Manager- Business Segments, Group Marketing and Communications Republic Bank Limited, Ms. Michelle Johnson provided brief remarks where she explained how the Caribbean Export- Republic Financial Holdings Limited partnership which was formalised in 2022 can be beneficial to the region’s private sector. Ms. Johnson explained that the bank provides a facility for firms to determine what support they require, and the bank then addresses these issues through targeted interventions such as this activity. ExporTT’s General Manager Client Services and Caribbean Export Director Dhanraj Harrypersad reinforced the Agency’s commitment to the development of the region’s private sector. He encouraged participants to ask questions and use the information shared at the workshop to take their businesses to the next level.

Ms. Mikaela Stoute – Research Officer Market Intelligence from Caribbean Export emphasized ways to assess a firm’s export readiness, leverage key market research and intelligence tools and showcased how to prepare for export promotion and enter new markets. As far as possible, real-world examples were demonstrated, highlighting the opportunities and export potential of products, but also the challenges of market access.

ExporTT and Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards presented on Trinidad and Tobago’s trade profile and the European Union’s product labelling system and how firms can access the information necessary for labelling products for export.

STUSH Marketing provided well- received presentations on how to leverage digital marketing strategies to tap into new markets. Participants were encouraged to embrace the use of digital platforms and content marketing to reach new customers and grow their businesses.

In attendance were representatives of firms producing teas, chocolate, coffee, sauces and condiments as well as service providers in animation, film and professional services. Representatives were fully engaged, open to sharing their experiences, and ready to improve their business and export plans to take advantage of the trade opportunities presented.

Caribbean Export acknowledges the support provided by the local partners and business support organisations such as the European Union Delegation to Trinidad and Tobago, Republic Financial Holdings Limited, ExporTT and Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards in partnering with us to host this event.

Since 2017, AYITIKA has been developing an original, competitive model for producing cocoa, then chocolate. This promise, born of the combined ambition and expertise of agronomist Jean-Chesnel Jean and supported by Caribbean Export, today ensures the future of 2,000 rural families and the production of quality chocolate.

Jean-Chesnel was born in Abricots, in the Grande Anse region of southern Haiti. Trained as an agronomist, he specialized in Economics and Sociology at the Faculté Universitaire des Sciences Agronomiques de Gembloux. Fundamentally interested in sustainable development, he has worked in various agricultural sectors and traveled to the world’s largest basin of quality cocoa, in Latin America. This enabled him to appreciate Haiti’s potential and understand that cocoa could be a sustainable and competitive project.

Haiti is capable!

In Creole, “Ayiti ka” means “Haiti can”. Haiti is capable… And that’s what led Jean-Chesnel to set up his own company, based on a special model. ” Cocoa is a highly competitive market. To carve out a place for itself in this international market, it was necessary to find a lasting, credible solution: a technical model. “.

While historically in Haiti, cocoa has tended to be grown in the North and Grande Anse, AYITIKA has chosen to develop new terroirs in the South, Southeast and Nippes, given their agroecological potential. From the outset, the company initiated a technical approach in collaboration with CIRAD. On the basis of aroma, disease resistance and productivity criteria, it pre-selected 250 “elite” cocoa trees from the remnants of cocoa plantations in these terroirs. After 2 years of observation, 98 of these – the most reliable – have been cloned by grafting. They are kept in genetic banks as part of the country’s heritage, then multiplied in nurseries for distribution to rural families.

Creating a new class of cocoa farmers

Once the raw material and its genetics had been mastered, it was time to create a high-performance, sustainable model. Ayitika collaborated with Costa Rica’s CATIE to train a dozen young people in technical management and cocoa-based agroforestry systems.

“AYITIKA promotes the Creole garden invented by the Haitian slave,” recalls the agronomist.. “A plot of land on which various crops are planted to ensure year-round food security. Over time, this production model proves to be the most resilient.

The Fondation Connaissance et Liberté, FOKAL, will support the model with a back-to-the-land project, enabling some thirty young people in the Camp-Perrin area to supplement their income. Then a UN-Environment agroforestry program and other players took an interest, purchasing both Ayitika’s technical services and the inputs produced (quality cocoa seedlings, biofertilizers, biopesticides, fruit and forest seedlings) to support rural families.

Today, Ayitika works with 2,000 producers, managing 600 hectares of cocoa gardens. Beyond the technical dimension, Ayitika develops social and economic innovations to ensure the sustainability of the model. Partner growers are grouped together in a farmers’ association called RASIN (French for root). In this way, the company maintains a strategic partnership that facilitates the co-construction of innovations, the adoption of good farming practices by rural families, the traceability of cocoa, respect for quality standards and fair remuneration of farmers.

From root… to to the shelf

In 2021, with the first pods and the support of Caribbean Export, the chocolate factory project is born. Ayitika first turned to Belgium for knowledge and expertise in cocoa fermentation and processing. ” On the global market, those who make money are not the producers of raw materials, but those who can produce added value,” reminds the Ayitika designer.

With the help of Caribbean Export, Ayitika can now develop its new ” From root to bar ” approach. The agency finances a consultant to set up a quality and processing laboratory and train the company’s technical staff to use and manage it. The first of its kind in Haiti, this laboratory will benefit the country’s entire cocoa value chain. The project also enables us to communicate on the quality of our cocoa and bring more direct added value to producers.

2022, an important turning point for Ayitika

In February 2022, Ayitika will take part in the exchange of best practices organized by Caribbean Export with Dominican companies. The mission, which will focus on the Dominican cocoa promotion and marketing strategy, production and processing techniques and organizational management mechanisms implemented by CONACADO, will also give Ayitika the opportunity to get closer to Definite chocolate. The Dominican brand has agreed to take on a Haitian trainee to share its know-how, in particular with regard to compliance with procedures and the preparation of aroma profiles.

Armed with all this experience, Aytika developed four flavors and launched its own brand. In November 2022, with the support of Caribbean Export, the young chocolaterie will take part in the Paris chocolate fair. Its Haitian-made tablets – although Haiti is usually a supplier of raw materials for French companies – have been a great success. “There isn ‘t just one chocolate from Haiti, there are as many as there are terroirs,” explains Jean Chesnel.

Ayitika wins the “Médaille Gourmet Paris”!

This experience enabled Ayitika to see how people reacted to its products, and also to make contact with distributors in Europe. It also took part in the^3rd ” Chocolats fabriqués à l’origine” competition, organized by the Agence pour la Valorisation des Produits Agricoles (AVPA.ft ), and was awarded the ” Médaille Gourmet Paris“.

The year 2022 ended with the participation of the young chocolate company in a training session organized by the Capacity Building Program for the new European Organic Regulation in cooperation with the ITC for beneficiary companies of the HT-DR bi-national cocoa value chain project. This training, supported by Caribbean Export, focused on raising awareness of the new EU legislation requirements, which call for greater standardization of production systems in cocoa gardens and the marketing (traceability, packaging, transport) of the company’s products.

All these skills and knowledge have been added to the brand’s early successes, enabling Ayitika to look forward to 2023 with confidence, promoting a quality product that is traceable, ready to export and, above all, truly fair trade and biodiversity-friendly.

*CIRAD: Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (French agricultural research and international cooperation organization for the sustainable development of tropical regions).

Photo: Marc Lee Steed

Building a business from scratch is a daunting task for most people, but when you are operating in an industry that is almost non-existent in your country, getting a company going can look even more overwhelming.

When Kenia Mattis launched her podcast production and animation brand ‘ListenMi Caribbean’ in Jamaica in 2013, she was one of the first entrepreneurs in the region to explore this creative space as a viable business idea.

Initially, Kenia did not even know that this sector was where she was meant to be. But while studying for a master’s degree in marketing, which included a module on entrepreneurship, she began to envision a way to combine her business acumen and logical side with her love for creating.

“I really started this journey not sure of what I wanted to do,” Kenia recalls.

“I grew up in a musical family. I studied piano and was surrounded by music at home, but I was always a left and right brain person. So, at school I was doing business subjects while pursuing music and audio production on my own. Media, marketing, and music were the three subjects which interested me.

“The seed was firmly planted for me to go into the creative industries when I went to university in Costa Rica. That area seemed ripe for innovation.”

Kenia knew Jamaica was not a strategically advantageous base for her new company, but she wanted to tell Caribbean stories and share her island’s perspective with the world, which meant becoming a pioneer.

She states: “Our biggest challenge was working in an environment that was not conducive to what we wanted to do. Jamaica is not known for animation and a lot of resources were not readily available.

“So, in the beginning the labour pool was small and our first employees were graduates from the Edna Manley College (of the Visual and Performing Arts) but they studied illustration or fine arts, so we had to train them internally and create processes to give them the skills that we needed.”

‘ListenMi’ initially operated as “a creative lab” but by 2018 it had begun to cement its place in the animation sphere. Its portfolio of work now includes several commercial assignments for recognised brands, such as Sesame Street and GIPHY, along with various passion projects.

Kenia’s core ‘ListenMi’ team consists of five other creatives but for some projects she has employed up to 15 people. She also partners with other studios when necessary.

“The evolution has been amazing,” Kenia says. “We’ve consistently set ourselves higher goals and have grown strategically and organically. Now, we are settled in the animation zone and have won local and global awards.

“Our first ever short film “The Adventures of Kam Kam” won the KingstOOn Best Concept Award in 2019 and that spurred us on to want to produce even more culturally infused stories where our Caribbean culture is seen, heard, and celebrated.”

In June 2022, ‘ListenMi’ attended the Annecy International Animation Festival in France with the support of the Caribbean Export Development Agency.

Kenia believes Annecy came at “a critical time” for the company as it continues to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. She says it was a great opportunity to meet people face-to-face to solidify relationships and expand her network of industry contacts.

She explains: “Annecy gave us a chance to connect with people who we had been having conversations with, and putting faces to names really made a difference. We had been talking with a company about a co-production deal and we had a handshake on that at Annecy which made it feel more definite.

“It was also great just to see what is out there, to inspire us to create in new and interesting ways based on what we know we want to say.”

Kenia adds: “Since the festival I have also worked with a company that Caribbean Export engaged to generate 50 leads for us. From that I have contacted potential business prospects and organised some meetings.”

Over the next 12 months, ‘ListenMi’ will be busy working on its first animated feature-length film which it has been commissioned to produce for the pre-teens market. Kenia says this will be the first project of its kind created in the Caribbean and demonstrated how far the industry has come in the region.

She adds: “We want to tell beautiful, meaningful, authentic stories which draw people in and not just from what you see on screen but including licensing, merchandising, and other opportunities for our people.

“One of our big goals is to be one of the premier storytelling hubs for the Caribbean and the diaspora. I am really excited about what the future holds”.

‘Jaydee’s Naturals’ is a herbal, organic hair and skin care brand founded by Dominican businesswoman Jodie Dublin-Dangleben.

Jodie officially registered her business in 2014, just two years after she had started mixing indigenous ingredients to nourish her own natural hair while working out in the field as a civil engineer.

She recalls: “In 2012, I found my relaxed hair was getting dry and dull and even starting to break off because I was out in the sun quite a bit for my day job, so, one morning I just decided to cut it all off. But then I had no clue how to take care of my Afro hair.

“I did lots of research and decided I wanted to make products for myself that were natural without any harmful chemicals. So, the business started from a personal need and then a lot of my friends were asking me for the products, and it evolved from there.”

Jodie’s first creation was a whipped shea butter made from shea butter, cocoa butter, castor oil, aloe vera, honey, and essential oils.

She has since added two shampoos made from black soap and turmeric and lemongrass, a sorrel and hibiscus smoothie conditioner, a guava, bamboo, and passionfruit leave-in conditioner, and a herbal elixir made from stinging nettle and 34 other herbs, powders, and essential oils.

Jodie also moved into skincare with the launch of a turmeric and clay face and body mask made from volcanic clay, local turmeric powder, and essential oils which is one of her bestsellers. She works with four local farmers to supply the raw materials for her products and imports her packaging.

Jodie admits keeping up with consumer demand has been a struggle, but she says it was “a tremendous help” when she was awarded a €15,000 (Euro) Direct Support Grant in 2020 from the Caribbean Export Development Agency.

She adds: “With the help of Caribbean Export we built and furnished our manufacturing space which incorporates solar energy and has access to a 500-gallon water cistern. We are just now completing the space, and then we are hoping to employ about three people on a part-time basis sometime this year. We will start them off with training. They will also do packaging and labelling and then maybe next year we can get them onto producing.

“We also bought some pneumatic equipment with the grant which has increased our efficiency, speed, and productivity because we had been pouring everything out by hand but now, I just press a button, and the containers are filled automatically.”

Jodie primarily sells her products within Dominica but launched an e-commerce website during the COVID-19 pandemic which services international and regional clients. She also ships in bulk to retail locations in Tortola, St Thomas, St Martin, Antigua, and St Lucia.

Currently studying for an advanced diploma in organic cosmetic formulation for hair and skin care, Jodie says she has become even more confident in her formulation skills, and soon plans to launch a high performing, botanical skin care range for issues like psoriasis, eczema, scarring, and dermatitis.

By the end of 2023, Jodie aims to add two to three more products including a natural lipstick line and wants to supply at least two more retail partners in the Caribbean.

Within the next five years, she is planning to register the business in the US and the UK and have her products on sale in Walmart, Target, or Sephora.

Jodie states: “Getting certification to sell our products in the UK, Europe, and the US takes a lot of money so we need to be making enough profit to pay for that. Eventually, I really would like us to be a household name. That is my ultimate goal.”

When he was about six years old, Bahamian entrepreneur Joshua Miller started selling natural limeade at his father’s food stall in Nassau.

Joshua’s dad Rudolph gave him an original recipe for the refreshing drink made from handpicked, local limes and it quickly proved to be a resounding success.

Joshua recalls: “My father wanted to teach me the value of a dollar so in the summer I would sell limeade at his Jerk stand outside my grandmother’s restaurant.

“When I was at college (studying accounting), my grandmother suggested bottling the drink so she could sell it in the restaurant. I did that from 2009 until 2012 which is when I officially launched the product to a broader market.”

Joshua says he knew his brand ‘Limeade Bahamas’ could be made into a viable business when people started asking for the drink by name.

Over a decade later, Joshua now offers his product in three sizes (12 ounces, 20 ounces, and one gallon) and six flavours – lime, strawberry, ginger, peach, pineapple, and mango. The drink is on sale at 150 locations in New Providence including restaurants, schools, convenience stores, and gas stations.

Limeade Bahamas currently employs 12 people, and Joshua has kept the business afloat, despite challenges with capital and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily through personal funds and assistance from family, as well as support from the Bahamian Small Business Development Centre.

In 2020, Joshua decided to scale up production ahead of exporting to the rest of the Bahamas and possibly even further afield. He leased a building from the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) but it needed a lot of work to get it fit for purpose.

Joshua applied to the Caribbean Export Development Agency’s 2021 Direct Support Grant Programme to convert the building into a modern manufacturing plant.

He states: “We moved into the building early last year, but it took about a year and a half to get it up to standard. It didn’t even have electricity, so I had to get a transformer installed, which was extremely expensive.

“I decided to go the renewable energy, solar system route so that the equipment could be seen as collateral by a lending institution,” Joshua adds.

“I brought the equipment over, but it was quite high tech, so then I experienced an issue with installation. The grant money I received from Caribbean Export assisted with getting it installed.”

The new solar system allows Limeade Bahamas to run almost completely off the grid except for a few heavy pieces of equipment which require a significant amount of power.

Joshua believes getting the building onstream will take Limeade Bahamas to another level in terms of production.

“Working in this space is a huge opportunity for the business,’ he says. “Where we were before, close to my grandmother’s restaurant, was quite small and cramped. This new building gives us room to walk around without bumping into each other and the equipment. We can also make more drink now and store it. It’s already made a big difference.”

Over the next year, Joshua aims to sell his product throughout the Bahamas and in other Caribbean islands and possibly south Florida. He also wants to introduce other types of juices and water to compliment the limeade.

From humble beginnings, Joshua has substantially grown his brand, and on reflection he says there is nothing he would change because “every experience was a learning experience”.

Dominican entrepreneur John Robin was studying fisheries development in Canada over 25 years ago when he realised the potential value of sea moss.

Scientifically known as Chondrus Crispus, sea moss (also referred to as Irish sea moss or red algae) is a versatile ‘superfood’ which contains 83% of all essential nutrients and is high in antioxidants as well as vitamins A, D, E and K.

The health benefits of sea moss were well known in the Caribbean and other parts of the world for centuries but the commercialisation of seaweed in the region was almost non-existent.

“The information I discovered on seaweed was overwhelming,” John recalls. “There are 12 major seaweed corporations in Asia alone and the global industry keeps about four million people employed. But in the Caribbean, seaweed harvesting was small, and we were not doing much cultivation or processing.”

After returning to Dominica, John set about finding ways to bottle sea moss and extend its shelf life. He joined with a partner to establish his company, Benjo’s Seamoss, and then took over as the sole owner about two years later.

Benjo’s Seamoss is now the largest sea moss production company in the region. John employs 20 people at his plant in Roseau and his ‘meal in a bottle’ beverage is currently exported to around 20 Caribbean countries.

“We benchmark ourselves against Coca Cola,” John states. “They have a product that is available in 205 out of 207 countries. So, we are currently trying to get into other parts of the Caribbean like Jamaica, Guyana, Suriname, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti, as well as the US and Canada.

“We also want to move from eight to 10 flavours by August and incorporate the raw materials available in our environment like lemongrass and tamarind.”

John puts his continued success down to “the grace of God” and persistence. He is also thankful for the support he has received from the Caribbean Export Development Agency which he says has helped him develop his brand.

In 2019, he participated in the leading Caribbean tradeshow ‘Agroalimentaria’ and attended a CARIFORUM – EU Economic Partnership Agreement Workshop on Regional Business to Business Strategic Networking which concentrated on building strong trade capacity in the Caribbean.

John says: “I went to quite a few events through Caribbean Export and the OECS Export Development Unit which proved to be eye-opening and a catalyst for growing the business.

“The support from Caribbean Export has been critical but as such a crucial regional organisation I do think they can do more to help established manufacturers. The funding structure needs to change so it is not just focused on start-ups but on businesses that are contributing to their countries GDP (Gross Domestic Product).

John adds: “Sometimes it feels like companies who have stood the test of time are being ignored. If I got more support, we could do more market research and product development, and I could move some means of production to other territories such as St Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago to minimise shipping costs.”

Meanwhile, John plans to focus on positioning Benjo’s Seamoss to take full advantage of the heightened interest in sea moss around the world.

According to the IMARC Group, the global seaweed market reached $7.5 billion (US) in 2022 and is expected to reach $14.3 billion (US) by 2028, which is a compound growth rate of 11.64% from 2023-2028.

John is also working on advancing the cultivation of sea moss within local communities in Dominica. He is involved in training and assisting individuals who want to grow and harvest seaweed which he might then be able to process.

John admits: “It’s not for everyone because you must withstand the rigours of the sea. But the prospects for increased cultivation are good.”

He adds: “Seaweed presents tremendous backward linkages for agriculture in Dominica and the Caribbean. It has around 2,500 different applications so we need to utilise the full potential of this product. Beverages is just one aspect.”