Los productos e ingredientes naturales tenían una gran demanda antes de la crisis sanitaria mundial del COVID-19, pero la pandemia ha dado un nuevo impulso al mercado, ya que los consumidores buscan artículos saludables que sean también lo más puros posible.

La investigación muestra que el mercado mundial de alimentos y bebidas naturales se valoró en 120 millones de dólares en 2020, y se prevé que alcance los 361 millones de dólares en 2031, con una tasa de crecimiento medio compuesto del 11,44% de 2022 a 2031.

La palabra ‘natural’ tiene varias connotaciones, pero según un estudio global realizado por Ipsos en 2018, las tres asociaciones más comunes que hacen los consumidores cuando ven el término en las etiquetas son:

1. Saludable.

2. Sin ingredientes artificiales.

3. 100% de la naturaleza.

Los consumidores esperan que los productos naturales sean buenos para ellos, que estén mínimamente procesados y que no contengan colorantes, edulcorantes, aromas ni aditivos artificiales.

Teniendo en cuenta que el impulso continuo de los productos sanos y naturales no hará más que aumentar, los distribuidores de alimentos siempre buscan socios que puedan suministrar alimentos y bebidas de buen sabor y aspecto y, además, cultivados con un enfoque respetuoso con el medio ambiente.

Además, si el proveedor tiene una historia impactante que acompañe a su oferta, este elemento también mejora la comerciabilidad del producto y convence a los consumidores de que lo que están comiendo o bebiendo no sólo es beneficioso para ellos, sino también para las personas que lo producen.

En el Caribe, los productores locales utilizan habitualmente frutas, hierbas y especias autóctonas en artículos artesanales para el cuidado de la piel y el cabello, así como en alimentos y bebidas.

Los “superalimentos” caribeños se combinan con recetas heredadas y generacionales para elaborar jaleas, tés, salsas y mermeladas, etc., que rebosan de sabor y van acompañados de un trasfondo y una historia que no pueden copiarse ni reproducirse.

Sugar Town Organics, con sede en San Cristóbal, es un brillante ejemplo de microempresa que combina la riqueza natural del Caribe con prácticas sostenibles y una poderosa historia de origen.

Creada por la empresaria Anastasha Elliott, la idea del negocio botánico surgió cuando a su madre Myrtrice le diagnosticaron un cáncer de cuello de útero.

A Mrytrice le dijeron que sólo le quedaban cuatro meses de vida, pero decidió luchar contra la enfermedad con un enfoque holístico. Transformó sus hábitos alimenticios y su estilo de vida y poco después fue declarada libre de cáncer.

Anastasha vio cómo su madre utilizaba el poder de la naturaleza para ayudar a su recuperación, y quiso compartir lo que la familia había aprendido, junto con lo que generaciones anteriores ya les habían enseñado a través de las recetas tradicionales de jabones, champús, aceites, salsas y mantequillas.

Flauriel se creó bajo el paraguas de “Sugar Town Organics” como una marca de alimentos veganos que rinde homenaje a la agricultura caribeña y a las prácticas ancestrales.

Anastasha cosecha la mayor parte de las frutas de sus productos, junto con hierbas medicinales y especias, en una minigranja situada en el patio trasero de su casa, y también trabaja con agricultores ecológicos locales de su país y de toda la región para obtener una mayor variedad de materias primas.

La licenciatura de Anastasha en artes culinarias le permite formular jaleas, vinos, tés, mermeladas, quesos, salsas y jarabes sin lácteos ni sodio, que son densos en nutrientes y tienen una larga vida útil. Algunos de los ingredientes utilizados en los productos de Flauriel son el coco, el hibisco, el mango, la acedera, la guanábana, el aguacate, la guayaba y el jengibre.

Anastasha y su pequeño equipo elaboran metódicamente cada uno de los productos utilizando técnicas de extracción, mezcla e infusión de larga duración.

Hablando de la creación de su marca, Anastasha dijo: “Me fijé en cómo, en el Caribe, utilizamos los alimentos para mantener nuestra salud, belleza y familias, y para curarnos de las enfermedades. Por ello, nuestras marcas están muy centradas en la comida, y son muy caribeñas, por supuesto con influencias culturales que afectaron al Caribe y que juegan un papel en el origen geográfico de mi familia.”

Toda la gama de productos de Flauriel estará disponible en la próxima feria Speciality & Fine Food Fair, que se celebrará del 5 al 6 de septiembre de 2022 en Olympia, Londres. Anastasha formará parte de un grupo del pabellón Absolutamente Caribeño compuesto por pequeños empresarios apoyados por la Agencia de Desarrollo de las Exportaciones del Caribe y la Unión Europea.

La Feria presenta marcas emergentes y consolidadas dentro de la industria de la comida y la bebida artesanales y es un tesoro de productos innovadores e inspiradores, así como de tendencias emergentes.

La gama de Flauriel encajará perfectamente con otros 700 proveedores de alimentos y bebidas de todo el mundo que están a la vanguardia de algunas de las principales tendencias alimentarias del mundo. Pero la historia de fondo de la empresa de Anastasha, junto con el uso único de Flauriel de sabrosas frutas, hierbas y especias cultivadas en el Caribe, harán que sus productos sean diferentes a los demás.

La salsa picante (también conocida como salsa de pimienta) es un producto básico en los restaurantes y hogares de todo el Caribe, tan esencial como el ketchup o la salsa marrón en los hogares británicos, o la salsa barbacoa y la mayonesa en los estadounidenses.

La salsa picante caribeña combina con casi todo, y hay varias marcas de la región que han llevado este producto a nuevas cotas y lo exportan ahora a ávidos clientes internacionales.

El creciente apetito por sabores innovadores y atrevidos ha provocado un interés constante durante todo el año por las salsas picantes, especiadas y con pimienta, especialmente entre los consumidores más jóvenes de todo el mundo.

De hecho, en la 66ª edición del Summer Fancy Food Show, organizado por la Specialty Food Association (SFA), con sede en Estados Unidos, un panel de Trendspotter calificó a los pimientos como una de las principales tendencias para 2022, con pimientos y salsas y condimentos tradicionales de pimienta de todo el mundo que siguen ocupando un lugar destacado.

Una investigación del Grupo Imarc ha proyectado que el mercado mundial de salsas picantes alcanzará los 6.400 millones de dólares (EE.UU.) en 2027, con una tasa de crecimiento anual compuesta del 5,4% (2022-2027).

Solo en el Reino Unido, el mercado de las salsas y condimentos caribeños creció un 16,8% entre 2019 y 2020 hasta alcanzar un valor de 1.120 millones de libras, según el informe ‘Absolutely Caribbean‘ de Caribbean Export. El mismo informe (que cita a Euromonitor) constata que esta demanda de salsas picantes continúa en toda Europa, con consumidores alemanes, españoles y holandeses que también buscan productos similares con un toque picante.

El Caribe es bien conocido por sus vínculos con la salsa picante como productor y exportador de pimientos frescos desde hace mucho tiempo.

La Scotch Bonnet fue cultivada originalmente por los indios taínos y ahora es la principal variedad comercial de pimienta del Caribe tras pasar por un proceso de refinamiento repetido basado en elementos como el sabor, la pungencia, el aroma, el rendimiento y la tolerancia a enfermedades y plagas.

Con un índice de 100.000-350.000 unidades de calor Scoville, el scotch bonnet puede ser hasta 40 veces más picante que un chile jalapeño típico. Tiene altos niveles de capsaicina, junto con la mayoría de las vitaminas del grupo B, la vitamina A, la vitamina C, la vitamina K, el cobre, el magnesio, el hierro y el potasio, y se ha considerado beneficiosa para aliviar el dolor, la artritis, la congestión e incluso para combatir las migrañas.

Muchos de los pequeños y medianos productores de salsa de pimienta del Caribe llevan muchos años vendiendo sus salsas picantes al exigente mercado local. En algunos casos, estos fabricantes utilizan fórmulas secretas muy apreciadas que se han transmitido de generación en generación.

En las recetas se utilizan tradicionalmente pimientos Scotch Bonnet o Habanero, sal, ajo, especias, mostaza y vinagre, además de otros aditivos.

Los productores también aprovechan el clima tropical del Caribe, ideal para el cultivo del ingrediente principal autóctono, para experimentar con otros sabores que complementan al pimiento Scotch Bonnet, como la guayaba, la piña, el coco, la papaya y el mango.

La salsa de pimienta “Old Duppy” es producida en Barbados por su creador y chef Nick Bynoe. Es un tipo relativamente nuevo en el bloque cuando se trata de marcas de salsa de pimienta caribeña, pero ya ha llamado la atención por su amplia gama de opciones que atraen a los auténticos amantes del picante y a los que tienen gustos algo más suaves. Además, es un lote pequeño, orgánico y libre de conservantes.

“Queríamos aportar al mercado algo audaz e innovador que representara los auténticos sabores barbadenses y caribeños. Nos abastecemos de ingredientes de agricultores y productores locales y mejoramos nuestras salsas con pimientos ahumados a la madera para ofrecer una experiencia verdaderamente única. Estamos entusiasmados con la idea de presentar nuestra marca y nuestras salsas de sabor inquietante en el mercado británico”, afirma Bynoe.

Old Duppy utiliza pimientos ahumados en madera como base y luego añade frutas frescas cultivadas localmente, hierbas y especias para elevar el perfil de sabor. De muy suave a muy picante, cinco salsas de pimienta forman la línea permanente: Zesty Jalapeno, Fiery Pineapple, Pepper Punch, The Traditional y Fyahpooch, con la favorita de los fans, Mango Fever, lanzada estacionalmente cada verano.

Otros productos disponibles bajo la marca “Old Duppy” son la salsa de tamarindo, la salsa barbacoa, el vinagre Vex, un dip de Ganoush bajano y el aceite de chile.

Old Duppy estará presente en la feria Speciality & Fine Food Fair del 5 al 6 de septiembre de 2022 en Olympia, Londres, como parte del pabellón Absolutamente Caribeño, un grupo de microempresas apoyadas por la Unión Europea y la Agencia de Desarrollo de las Exportaciones del Caribe, una organización regional de promoción del comercio y la inversión.

Los asistentes podrán degustar las distintas salsas picantes y comprobar por qué Old Duppy se ha hecho tan popular entre los lugareños y los turistas que buscan un auténtico sabor del Caribe.

La autenticidad y la originalidad son cualidades que los consumidores admiran y, junto con la esencia de un producto, contribuyen al éxito y al atractivo a largo plazo de una marca.

Old Duppy tiene estos atributos y más y por eso mucha gente se siente atraída por sus versiones de salsa de pimienta caribeña.

Atrevida, impactante, fresca, diversa, colorida, picante y especiada” son algunas de las palabras con las que se podría describir la cocina caribeña, que está ganando adeptos internacionales a través de los supermercados y los puestos callejeros, y que también está impactando cada vez más en la escena de la restauración de alto nivel.

La comida caribeña lleva un tiempo en la cúspide del reconocimiento mundial y recientemente fue identificada como una de las principales tendencias a seguir en 2022 por la Asociación Nacional de Restaurantes.

El respetado informe anual de tendencias de la hostelería para 2022 de la consultora af&co. y el especialista en comunicación Carbonate, fueron más allá al etiquetar la cocina caribeña como su “cocina del año”.

En su decimocuarta edición, el informe anual (“Through the Looking Glass: Finding Your Way in a New Era of Hospitality“) trata de identificar las tendencias y prácticas que darán forma al sector de la hostelería en 2022, señalando las principales influencias en materia de alimentos, bebidas, sostenibilidad y otras áreas.

El informe decía: “¡La cocina caribeña está de moda! – y no nos referimos a los chiles. La cocina caribeña está tomando protagonismo a medida que los chefs exploran la diversa gama de sabores, ingredientes e influencias culinarias de esta región. “Caribe” es un término que engloba a las islas de las Indias Occidentales y el Mar Caribe, así como a países costeros como Belice y Guyana. La zona engloba un batiburrillo de tradiciones culinarias como la africana, la criolla, la cajún, la europea y la latinoamericana, entre otras”.

La diversidad del Caribe es uno de sus puntos fuertes y la belleza de su atractivo radica en que se nutre de una amplia gama de orígenes. África influye predominantemente en la combinación de ingredientes básicos, la India y América Latina aportan las especias y el sabor, y Europa añade un toque de estilo.

La historia y el patrimonio que hay detrás de la cocina caribeña son apasionantes y únicos y contribuyen a su atractivo.
Otro aspecto importante que hace que la comida caribeña sea tan popular es el condimento. El condimento caribeño es el “arma secreta” de la región. Se puede encontrar en el marisco, las verduras o la carne y tiene un toque culinario especial en cada isla. En Jamaica, el condimento jerk es el más utilizado, mientras que otros simplemente llaman a su mezcla “condimento verde”.

La mayoría de las recetas de condimentos contienen ajo, cebollas, apio, cebollas verdes, pimientos scotch bonnet y hierbas como tomillo, mejorana, romero o estragón.

La combinación exacta de hierbas y especias necesarias en diversos condimentos caribeños suele ser información clasificada, contenida en un músculo de la memoria que se ha transmitido de generación en generación durante décadas. Pero sean cuales sean las hierbas y las especias que se utilicen, en las cantidades que sean y durante el tiempo que se dejen macerar juntas, todas ellas sacan lo mejor de los alimentos a los que acompañan.

En San Vicente y las Granadinas, los condimentos de Pringa son una marca muy respetada y establecida, conocida por utilizar todas las hierbas y especias naturales junto con las frutas de temporada, y sin conservantes ni aditivos innecesarios.

La empresa lleva funcionando desde 1997, tras iniciar la producción en una pequeña tienda de la comunidad. Las hierbas de Pringa son cultivadas por agricultores locales y, poco después de ser recogidas, se transportan a la planta de procesamiento cercana para su embotellamiento.

La línea de productos “Natural Flavour” de Pringa consta de salsas de pimienta, condimentos verdes, jaleas y patatas fritas, y toda su gama se expondrá en la feria Speciality and Fine Food, que tendrá lugar en el Olympia de Londres los días 5 y 6 de septiembre de 2022.

Pringa’s forma parte de una delegación “Absolutamente Caribeña” de pequeños productores caribeños que reciben el apoyo de la Agencia de Desarrollo de las Exportaciones del Caribe y de la Unión Europea. Cada empresa fabrica alimentos sanos, equilibrados, naturales y sabrosos.

La pandemia de COVID-19 animó a los consumidores a fijarse en el origen de los alimentos que consumen. Aunque lo peor de la pandemia parece haber pasado, muchos siguen centrados en consumir productos lo más sanos y auténticos posible, pero también están cada vez más dispuestos a volver a explorar nuevos gustos, sabores y alimentos.

La mayoría de las recetas caribeñas se pueden recrear fácilmente en casa, sobre todo si se tiene a mano una marca de condimentos de confianza. Pero los distribuidores, los minoristas y los restauradores también pueden aprovechar la demanda encontrando un productor de condimentos fiable basado en el Caribe.

La comida caribeña no ha dejado de evolucionar, pero todavía tiene muchas oportunidades de crecimiento, por lo que, a diferencia de otros mercados, la cocina caribeña tiene espacio para avanzar y muchas nuevas paletas que convertir.

The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) will finance a marketing consultancy to enhance the competitiveness of Jamaican coffee exporters in the European Union (EU) market.

The initiative was developed following a meeting between Jamaica’s Ambassador to Belgium, H.E. Symone Betton Nayo and Deodat Maharaj, Executive Director of the Caribbean Export.

The first phase of the consultancy will focus on an analysis of the EU coffee market, including market entry requirements and the penetration strategies of other major coffee exporters to the EU. The second phase will focus on developing a targeted marketing strategy for the EU coffee market.

The initiative will address issues raised at a meeting in May 2021 between Jamaican, Belgian and other EU coffee stakeholders about the need for a marketing strategy in the EU. Participants requested that the strategy provides guidance on sustainability, telling the story of the product and ways to appeal to young people, a growing EU consumer base.

The initiative is funded by the European Union under the 11th EDF Regional Private Sector Development programme.

The Jamaica Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade will host a launch event for this initiative on 27 January 2022, from 10 – 11 AM EST. The Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith, Her Excellency, Ambassador Symone Betton-Nayo, Deodat Maharaj and other key partners will participate in the event. The consultant, Windward Commodities will present a proposed review of the EU coffee market.

As we enter the festive season and end 2021 under the long shadow of the pandemic and escalating climate crisis, the Caribbean and its people have demonstrated commendable resilience.

Looking ahead, this resilient spirit will be required more than ever if we are to create growth, generate precious jobs and provide opportunity for our people. This is especially needed considering the pandemic and existential threat we face from climate change are not going away. The issue to confront is whether we continue with the same policy prescriptions and approaches. Quite frankly, business as usual has not served us well and will not work in an equally or even more challenging 2022.

To build a resilient Caribbean, business must play a central and important leadership role in both driving economic recovery and creating climate-friendly growth. In essence, a strong and vibrant private sector is core to help manage and solve the challenges we face, which will in turn create opportunities for our people.

From my standpoint, I am aware that we cannot do everything given the already heavy burden carried by administrations across our Region. However, doing more of the same or nothing at all are not viable options. Therefore, as a Region we must build on the core asset of our capable and resilient people so clearly demonstrated in these testing times to realise three practical goals that will help fast-track recovery and lay the basis for a resilient Caribbean.

1. Regional Capital Market

Caribbean countries are just too small to navigate an increasingly complex and challenging global landscape. Consequently, regional integration cannot be an option for small open economies as we have in our Region to survive in a global architecture where the giants are determining the rules of the game. There is indeed strength in numbers from both geopolitical and economic perspectives. I am also conscious of the need and scale to attract foreign direct investment at a level that can create the jobs and opportunity. Pooling our countries as one investment destination in areas such as AgTech or renewables can help achieve the scale required. Simultaneously, we need to facilitate the flow of capital from within the Region, so Caribbean people can have a stake in an enterprise regardless of location.

In a 2020 survey of around 450 enterprises carried out by the Caribbean Export Development Agency and Caribbean Development Bank, businesses across the Region cited lack of access to finance as their biggest constraint. Yet still at the end of 2021, we do not have a regional capital market allowing the free flow of capital across the Caribbean that can give the average citizen a stake in an enterprise in another jurisdiction. Whereas I recognise that foreign direct investment is vital to attract both technology and capital, there is an equally critical role for finance that is already within the Region. Consequently, we need to unlock capital already available in the Caribbean. Advancing a Regional Capital Market in the coming year will have a transformational impact on unleashing precious indigenous financing for business.

2. Improve the ease of doing business in the Caribbean

Quite simply, business cannot help drive recovery and play a leadership role in creating jobs and opportunity in the current business environment. It is difficult to do business in the Caribbean. Apart from Jamaica and St Lucia, the region is in the bottom half of the 200 countries globally assessed by the World Bank in its 2020 Ease of Doing Business Report. We need to look at areas where we can get quick wins such as registering a business. In Singapore, it takes one day. In Mauritius, it is usually not more than one week. Except for Jamaica, Caribbean jurisdictions lag behind the rest of the world, taking weeks or even months to register and start a business. A simple first step is pulling out all the stops to make it easier for national, regional and indeed international enterprises to register and start a business in our Region.

3. Expand non-tourism related services as the next frontier for Caribbean business

Our economies have been historically connected with the production of commodities. As we sought to move away from traditional products such as sugar and rice, tourism became the mainstay of much of the Caribbean. As subsequent natural disasters such as Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 and COVID-19 have demonstrated, this leaves us vulnerable whenever there is a major shock to the global economy. Therefore, the time is now to capitalise on our rich human capital and transition to non-tourism related services.

For example, there is huge potential to grow or break into markets like business process outsourcing and information and communication technology, which saw a 6 percent increase in exports in the pandemic according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), valued globally at USD 676 billion in 2020. Creative industries also hold great promise to market the talent of our people in areas such as music and the business of carnival. We at the Caribbean Export Development Agency have identified this as a priority over the next three years. To have a lasting impact, the services sector must receive the support it needs in terms of policy, resources and partnerships.

To effect transformation requires vision backed by action. Building a resilient Caribbean and creating jobs and opportunity for our people cannot be achieved overnight given the multiplicity of constraints we face. At the same time, there are areas we need to treat with the highest priority, hence my three wishes for 2022.

The family business is one of the pillars of the national economy, especially when it is based on strong values and attached to best business practices. Proagro Dominicana is a worthy example of this maxim. It is an industry dedicated mainly to the production of fortified dairy powder products that has successfully managed to overcome the challenges of breaking into a segment of the Dominican market.

In 2005, José Luciano, a Dominican technician who had built up extensive experience working in the agricultural section of important companies, at the time of his retirement, decided to start off a business and, together with his wife Indhira Santana, founded Proagro Dominicana with the aim of marketing domestic agricultural products.

As a production strategy, Proagro has evolved since its inception. Its catalogue of products includes raw materials such as bitter cocoa powder and sugar, aimed at the pastry industry, while strengthening the maquiladora system or the product development system for major national supermarket chains, for whom milk powder, sweet and bitter cocoa, oats, sugar, among others are packaged.

Export, the great dream

Since 2017, Proagro Dominicana has set its eyes on the international market, after participating in a workshop sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and Production of Santo Domingo, aimed at entrepreneurs having interesting exportable offers to place in international markets.

By the end of that year and early 2018, Proagro was initiating its export strategy in markets as distant as Russia and the United States, or as close as Puerto Rico.

Dominican cocoa, a bargaining chip

The products made with Dominican cocoa are highly recognized worldwide because they maintain characteristics called “fine flavour cocoa”, a quality that is used by Proagro to break into international markets under its brand name, La Criollita. Proagro uses the Hispaniola variety, a cocoa fermented under a Dominican technique that enhances the taste and flavour, and reduces the acidity, making it a “fine flavour cocoa”.

“The experience we have had in Russia, which is a fairly demanding market, as well as in Miami and the Bronx in the United States, is that the public attaches importance to the taste and flavour of this product, generating an immediate sale,” explained Indhira Santana, general manager of Proagro Dominicana.

“We work together with the National Confederation of Dominican Cocoa Producers (CONACADO), one of the largest associations in the country, which has a membership of more than 40 thousand small cocoa producers and has a very important social impact, since they, together with Rizek and Roig, are the largest local cocoa exporters. Twenty percent (20%) of their production remains in the country, and producers like us make a difference,” said Santana.

“Caribbean Export came to our aid at the most opportune time”

Proagro Dominicana is part of the group of ten companies selected by Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) under the Haiti-Dominican Republic Binational Cooperation Programme, funded through the 11^th European Development Fund, which provides for a Binational Value Chain Strategy for the cocoa sector with the aim of maximizing the export potential of both nations.

The support of the European Union (EU) has been a key part of Proagro’s opening up to the international market. “This support comes to us at a time when we were not exporting, because we made the last export in 2019 and after the pandemic we stopped exports,” explained Indira Santana.

As Santana stated, Caribbean Export helped to identify which competencies were necessary for Proagro to be able to export successfully. “The Agency provided us with technical assistance to update our business plan and to be able to establish how Proagro’s conditions were from a financial perspective. They financed a consultant who carried out a feasibility study and a financial performance analysis to prepare us for the export market”.

According to Proagro’s general manager, the feasibility study funded by Caribbean Export became the springboard for the company to launch itself and have the right vision of what needed to be done. “A strategic work plan for export was created and concrete targets were set to achieve, with the result that exports made up 8% of the company’s sales budget.”

Taking advantage of all opportunities

Laura Marrero, international trade fair coordinator at Proagro, explained that “the experience of exporting to Miami and New York in 2017 and 2018 showed us how our products, especially La Criollita, were accepted by the Hispanic consumer, as well as the American consumers who were aware of organic products from the Caribbean”.

In 2021, trade fairs were started in a face-to-face manner. The first fair in which they participated was “Dominican Taste Festival 2021”, held in New York from July 24 to 25, organized by ProDominicana and the Dominican Embassy in the United States. Proagro received financial support from Caribbean Export to participate in the fair.

As a result of this fair, Proagro will export to the United States the first shipment of some ten pallets, and another container of 20 pallets is planned for December 2021. “We are doing fine now. The brand will not be by itself, but will be accompanied by a marketing strategy and the experience that we have garnered from the mistakes we made before.”

Dominican pride and enthusiasm at the Russian fair

With the strategic and financial support of Caribbean Export, Proagro participated in WorldFood Moscow, held in Russia from September 20 to 23, 2021. This fair became an area of great potential for the export of Dominican products, especially cocoa by-products.

As a result of its participation in WorldFood Moscow, Proagro reactivated its business contacts, which had started in 2019. “During the Moscow fair, there were many opportunities for starting business negotiations. We made contacts with representatives in Russia of other Dominican companies, and we have already sent them a proposal. We are currently in the closing phase of the process for arranging the first shipments we will make to Russia,” added Indhira Santana. 

Confident in the future

Proagro is currently working on establishing distribution strategies in the United States. Exports are estimated to increase and continue growing for the next year. “The sales projection we have is that from 2022 we ship a container of our products every month.” A container is equal to 20 pallets, about 1,400 boxes, which would be 22 tons of consolidated products.

As a result of the assistance from Caribbean Export, Proagro Dominicana is preparing to set up a Proagro subsidiary in Miami or New York and one in Russia. “That is our goal for the near future, which will allow us to make our products 30% cheaper to the overseas consumer, and give us control over the distribution chain of our goods in those countries,” stated Indhira Santana.

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.

Information Technology Services

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

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?

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[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/

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 1^st to November 30^th 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.

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. 

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.

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.