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Scores of Caribbean music professionals used the downtime caused by COVID-19 to sharpen their musical skills and enhance their business knowledge.

Singers, song writers and music producers from as far north as the Dominican Republic and as far south as Guyana recently took part in a 60-hour Virtual Regional Song Writing and Music Production Training programme organized by the Caribbean Export Development Agency.  The initiative was held in conjunction with the OECS Competitive Business Unit.

According to Allyson Francis, Services Specialist with Caribbean Export, the training was designed to enhance the quality and trajectory of regional music by focusing on song writing, production and the business of music.

“There was also a practical component which involved a collaborative approach to writing and composing content that would find a place in regional and global markets,” she said, noting that trainers also paid attention to the construction of melodies, phrasing, hooks and themes.

Singers, songwriters and producers were placed in groups, a move which created fertile ground for skills sharing as well as intercultural and cross-genre collaboration. By the end of the 20-day period, a strong cadre of new songs were released.

“You have done excellent work here.  What I really liked was the collaboration that took place between the different countries. I really think it means we are going in the right direction. The Caribbean is so rich and what you all have done in a short space of time is exceptional,” Ms. Francis told participants.

Encouraging them to continue working together, she also told practitioners to ensure that they knew how to monetize their work and that they understood the rudiments of the music business.

“Beyond production is distribution. We have to start to talk about the platforms and begin to utilize them to distribute the music. At the end of the day it’s about money. It’s no longer just about a like and a love, it is a business, the business of music and the business of what we do. As a team, understanding which aspect of the value-chain you best fit.

“COVID-19 has exposed the fragility of the music industry and reinforced that practitioners must find ways to promote, sell and showcase their work beyond live performances and carnivals.  From a Caribbean Export standpoint, I’m very pleased to be part of this but we can only do so much as a development agency. I want you to continue to do your part as we will continue to contribute to making sure you are successful. One way at least will be to ensure you have digital presence” she stated.

Sobers Espirt, Business Development Officer with the OECS Competitive Business Unit, also called for increased collaboration. He pointed out that the collaborative approach had been successfully used by big-named artists for years and suggested participants should consider this strategic approach.

“The interaction during the programme has been excellent and I’m even more excited about the outcome. We are hoping it will spur greater collaboration because internationally the success of the music industry is through joint efforts. What we witnessed in this programme were people, who represented all the islands of the Caribbean, coming together for this venture; it was tremendous. 

“The Caribbean needs that at this difficult time in our history. Caribbean Export has played their part in terms of bringing the resources required to get all the artists,  trainers, mentors and producers together, but the part that you must play has to be to thicken the collaboration, to seek out support from each other and to see how we can work to produce different grids of music for Caribbean listeners, and for global listeners who are looking to buy and consume Caribbean music, because that is the goal,” Mr. Espirt said.

Timeka Marshall, a Guyanese singer/songwriter, is no stranger to collaborations. While she endorsed regional “collabs”, Timeka urged persons to explore joint ventures beyond the Caribbean.

“Collaborating is something that I always love to do because you get a chance to reach into someone else’s fanbase and be expose to a whole new set of people. So it is something I would always encourage. A few years ago I released a song featuring StoneBowy from Ghana. That opened me to a whole new market and Africa is a huge market for reggae and dancehall.  With the explosion of Latin music, Latin artists are collaborating with English artists and the Spanish market is a huge market… The world is one just one huge melting pot of culture, sounds and so on; the more we can mix and the more we can blend, the better for us,” Timeka shared.

As result of the programme, some 23 tracks are being produced to be showcased virtually to buyers and sellers from North America, Europe and Africa and Asia.

• More than half (51%) of the Top 10 Rum Brands sold in the UK are produced in the Caribbean
• In Spain, the rum category is worth €42.3m
• In the Netherlands, rum forms just over a tenth (10.2%) of the Dutch Spirits market.

The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) has found an increase in popularity of rums in the UK, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands over the past few years. In the new report commissioned ahead of their Absolutely Caribbean virtual expo on 17th and 18th November, Caribbean rums have been identified as having significant potential across Europe.

“We are seeing great opportunity for Caribbean rum across Europe at the moment and we are really excited to have some fantastic producers at our event this year which helps to support international trade between the Caribbean and Europe,” comments Dr. Damie Sinanan, Manager for Competitiveness and Export Promotion at Caribbean Export.

“Consumers are becoming more aware of the unparalleled diversity of styles and flavours of Caribbean rum, and they love what it has to offer. This is why rum is the fastest growing spirit in the European market. We are excited to see where the future of rum will take us,” comments Benjamin Boothe & Kristoffer von Stedingk, Rum Spirits Academy Europe.

Total rum sales in the UK were worth £1bn last year and Caribbean rum plays an important part within that. In fact, more than half (51%) of the Top 10 Rum Brands sold in the UK are produced in the Caribbean. In Spain, the category is worth €42.3m.

In Germany, Rum, Arrak and Tafia form 10.9% of the spirits’ market. Cocktails in particular seem to be driving growth in the market as their popularity increases. Almost half of German consumers (47%) say that cocktails are their preferred style of serving when it comes to drinking spirits. In the Netherlands, rum forms just over a tenth (10.2%) of the Dutch Spirits market.

To showcase the array of Caribbean producers, and to support trade between the Caribbean and Europe, the Agency has launched their first virtual expo event: Absolutely Caribbean – unlocking the profit potential of the Caribbean on 17th and 18th November.

The event is supported by the West Indies Rum & Spirit Producer’s Association (WIRSPA), who represent distillers’ associations from across the ACP Caribbean and will be hosting a rum seminar in collaboration with the Rum and Spirits Academy of Europe.

For more information about the event and to register, please visit –http://expo.absolutelycaribbean.com/about.html

• The Caribbean food market is now worth almost £100m.
• Sauces and condiments in particular are worth £1.12bn and grew by 16.8% in the last year.
• The gluten free flour market grew 19.9% in 2019 in the UK and in Germany is worth £174m.
• Caribbean Export releases a report – Unlocking the profit potential of the Caribbean ahead of it’s virtual expo Absolutely Caribbean.
• Caribbean firms given the opportunity to showcase their products to European buyers.

A growing taste for Caribbean food in Europe could be lucrative for regional manufacturers, according to research from The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export).

The trend for exotic food sauces and condiments and natural, plant-based ingredients is highlighted in a new report commissioned ahead of Caribbean Export’s Absolutely Caribbean virtual expo on 17 and 18 November.

“We are seeing great potential for Caribbean food products across Europe at the moment”, says Dr. Damie Sinanan, Manager of Competitiveness and Export Promotion at Caribbean Export.

“It seems that consumers are looking for different flavours and playing more with spices but there is much promise amongst natural foods such a chocolate, teas and gluten-free flours. We are really excited about the range of quality, artisanal producers that we have at our expo this year which will help to support trade between the Caribbean and Europe.”

In the UK, the Caribbean food market is now worth almost £100m and foodservice wholesale giant Bidfood singled out Caribbean food as a Top 10 cuisine trend. In 2019, UK retailer Tesco also highlighted Caribbean fare as an ‘emerging trend’. Sauces and condiments in particular are worth £1.12bn and grew by 16.8% in the last year.

Craig & Shaun McAnuff at Caribbean food & lifestyle platform ‘Original Flava’, state: “We’ve seen a huge rise in the popularity of Caribbean foods in the UK in recent years which is really exciting. The likes of Ainsley Harriott and Levi Roots paving the way for Caribbean food; seeing staple Caribbean ingredients more widely available; but also seeing our cookbook as a bestseller on numerous charts and receiving TV & media recognition nationally. There is such a variety and so many flavours in Caribbean cooking which the British public are loving.”

In Spain, the ‘foods from other countries’ category has grown by 105.9% since 2012. Spicy tastes have seen strong growth with Caribbean flavours named as an emerging trend in sauces and spices, increasing around 55% to three million kilograms and over 29% in value to nearly €19m.

Almost a third (32%) of German consumers have said they like Caribbean food ([1]) which has led to an increase in heat and spice on the table during family dinners ([2]).

People in the Netherlands are also increasingly open to incorporating greater variation into their cooking, including flavour combinations and the use of fresh and natural ingredients, with the value of chilli sauces climbing 125% in value since 2016.

Europe’s love for wholesome plant-based ingredients, combined with the region’s efforts to promote sustainability, have also led to an increased interest in natural and organic products such as chocolate, tea and gluten-free flour.

In the UK, chocolate is a £4.3bn category and according to Kantar, plain and dark chocolate is growing by 14.5% year-on-year. In Spain, it is worth €1.5bn, and increased by 3.6% in 2019. Meanwhile, the Netherlands was the largest importer of cocoa beans in 2018 and is home to the largest cocoa grinding industry in the world.

The tea category in the UK is worth £561.3m which is not surprising given the nation’s love of the hot beverage. In Germany, 129 million cups of tea are consumed every day and in the Netherlands 71% of consumers drink tea at least once a week.

The UK’s gluten-free flour food category grew by 19.9% in 2019 compared to the year before and in Germany the market is worth £174m.

Caribbean food suppliers will be given the chance to showcase their unique food products to European buyers at Caribbean Export’s first virtual expo event: Absolutely Caribbean – unlocking the profit potential of the Caribbean on 17 and 18 November.

For more information about the event and to register, please visit –http://expo.absolutelycaribbean.com/about.html

[1] YouGov May 2018

[2] Mintel January 2017

Despite the challenges facing entrepreneurs in 2020, 14 OECS youth entrepreneurs were able to benefit from professional online business coaching and technical assistance coordinated by the OECS Competitive Business Unit and Caribbean Export Development Agency.

The four (4) month virtual programme ended on September 30 2020 and provided opportunities for youth startups in sectors such as; Agribusiness, Agro Processing, Creative Industries, Green Technology and ICT. While most of the entrepreneurs registered for the programme before the COVID-19 pandemic started, the programme became timely in assisting the entrepreneurs to adapt to the changing environment.

The programme featured a comprehensive business diagnostics assessment along with individual coaching and technical assistance to address some of the issues identified in the diagnostic assessment. Many of the young entrepreneurs expressed their satisfaction with the programme indicating that it gave them an opportunity to clarify their vision, to develop achievable goals, to develop transformative business models and strategies.

“It has helped me to formulate a clearer business model and it helped me identify new & innovative business opportunities. The programme also helped me strategize and set smart goals so that I can have a clearer path to follow and create an action plan to achieve these goals.”
Tonnie Pierre from Adroit (Grenada) said.

“It gave me the capacity to separate myself from an operator to a strategist in my business. Ensuring you take the time to work on and not just in your business. ” Ackim Sidonie from Two Aces (Saint Lucia) said.

The OECS was extremely happy to partner with Caribbean Export on this initiative, we are very focused on entrepreneurship and particularly youth entrepreneurship in the OECS. We are heartened by the innovation, maturity, passion and drive of the participants and we will continue to implement similar programes to benefit entrepreneurs across the OECS”. Technical Specialist for Entrepreneurship Development at the OECS Competitive Business Unit, Kwesi Roberts said.

Beneficiaries of the programme

Company	Entrepreneur’s name	Country	Sector
Shop D Caribbean	Darrion Louis	Saint Lucia	Information Communication Technology (ICT)
LinkUp	Kenna Questelles George	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Information Communication Technology (ICT)
The Two Aces	Ackim Sidonie	Saint Lucia	Information Communication Technology (ICT)
Zénaïde Aromatherapy	Zanda Desir	Saint Lucia	Manufacturing
Mec Designs	Mauisa Carbon	Antigua and Barbuda	Manufacturing
T & A Household Decor	Amy Antoine	Saint Lucia	Manufacturing
Adroit	Tonnie Pierre	Grenada	Agribusiness
Cronneit’s Forest Bows	Denny Cronneit	Grenada	Manufacturing
Flirt Cocktails	Hyacinth Richardson	Saint Kitts and Nevis	Agribusiness & Manufacturing
Mangal Trading Incorporation	Nila Mangal	Saint Lucia	Agribusiness
Akata Farms	Bevon Chadel Charles	Grenada	Agribusiness
My Crown Of Curls	Ranique John	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Agribusiness & Manufacturing
Emerald Solar and Wind Ltd	Nicholas Sander	Montserrat	Renewable Energy
Caribi Dreams	Mr. Maurice  John	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Renewable Energy

Coaches of the programme

Pablo A. Arroyo Casañas (Tampa, Florida-USA)

Pablo Arroyo has over 18 years of experience in business development as an owner, business consultant and coach in the public and private sectors. He is a NASBITE Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP), a Certified Marketing Executive (CME) from SMEI International and a Certified Transformational Coach from the Blue Mesa Group. During his career, Arroyo was involved in strategic market expansion for companies from diverse sectors with an emphasis on manufacturing, technology, agribusiness, food, tourism, hospitality, entrepreneurship and value-added enterprise development.

Ladi Franklin (Trinidad and Tobago)

Ladi Franklin is a Certified Value Builder™ who offers group and one-on-one coaching to value-growth entrepreneur-owned businesses. She is an Entrepreneurial Thought & Action (ET&A®) Educator and Business Strategy Coach with two decades of experience providing guidance to entrepreneur-owned small and medium scale businesses. Ladi has worked with MSMEs in diverse industry sectors including manufacturing, tourism, agro-processing, creativity, retail, healthcare, personal, and professional services sectors.

Michele Kalloo (Trinidad and Tobago)

Michele Kalloo has been involved in export sales and marketing throughout the Caribbean and Latin America for over twenty years. She has been guiding and advising business executives from large companies to SME’s looking to take their products to the world.

This release was originally posted on the OECS website.

• Caribbean to host the Absolutely Caribbean Virtual Expo with 50 Caribbean exhibitors 
• WIRSPA and Caribbean Export work together to support increased trade
• Eight Rum and Rum based Spirits brands from six Cariforum countries to participate

Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) and the West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA) are working together to support increased trade of rum and spirits between the Caribbean and Europe with the Absolutely Caribbean Virtual Expo, scheduled for November 17-18, 2020.

The Absolutely Caribbean Virtual Expo will host some 50 exhibitors from across the Caribbean that manufacture products in the areas of sauces and condiments, natural products and alcoholic beverages.

“The rum and spirits sectors are an important sector for trade in CARIFORUM and we have seen exports to the European Union grow by nearly 27% between 2017-2019” informed Dr. Damie Sinanan, Manager of Competitiveness and Export Promotion at Caribbean Export. 

Despite a contraction in sales in domestic markets and internationally due to the restrictions around lockdowns and social gatherings, Caribbean rum producers report continued interest in their premium offerings and are working to ensure that they capitalise on this interest once markets return to normalcy. Brands from Antigua & Barbuda, Belize, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti and Suriname will participate.

Delphine Gardere, Managing Director of Rhum Barbancourt of Haiti says they’re pleased to be participating “the coronavirus has kept us from implementing our growth plans in this important market – we think the virtual exhibition will allow us to reach new markets and provide tangible export results.”

Vaughn Renwick, CEO of WIRSPA said “this virtual trade show is designed to benefit smaller brands looking to extend their reach in export markets – key to its success is attracting solid importers, distributors and wholesalers to be part of the show.  We think Caribbean Export has done a great job on this score”.  He added “we’re pleased to partner with Caribbean Export on this innovative venture – presenting a virtual exhibition is new for many of us and it is great to see Caribbean Export leading the way.”

The Absolutely Caribbean Virtual Expo, provides an opportune time for Caribbean producers to showcase what they have to bring to the global market and is a follow-up to the 4^th CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum held, in Frankfurt Germany last year which saw some 70 industry buyers and investors conduct over 150 business to business meetings.  

The partnership with WIRSPA aims to support the participation of regional producers and leverage their knowledge and expertise in the international market.  WIRSPA is one of the oldest private sector trade associations in the Caribbean. It represents rum producers in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Haiti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago.

Visit www.wirspa.com; www.acr-rum.com

Email: wirspa@wirspa.com

Tel: (246) 228-8033

• Caribbean Export Development Agency has developed an online registry for the Caribbean based services suppliers.
• The CE Services Registry will enable Caribbean suppliers to be found by regional and international audiences.
• Listed services suppliers to gain greater exposure and opportunities in export markets.
• Caribbean service providers are encouraged to be listed to enhance their legitimacy.
• Registration can trigger new collaborations and partnerships as firms are able to identify other companies or practitioners with skills sets that they currently lack but that would enhance and extend their business offering.  

The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) has expanded its CE-Intelligence Portal to include a registry of Caribbean based service providers in its CE Services Registry.

UNCTAD has reported that internationally, in many developing states, Services exports rapidly grew, between 2005 and 2018 at a rate of 7.6 per cent annually. Additionally, services’ direct contribution to exports in developing countries grew from 14 to 17 per cent between 2005 and 2018. The services sectors also offer significant opportunities in terms of increased exports which can enhance the competitiveness of the region and stimulate economic development.

According to the International Trade Centre (ITC) CARIFORUM exports of services amounted to over one hundred million over the period 2014-2018. Despite the importance of services, many CARIFORUM states are yet to fully explore its potential.

“This is an important and fast-moving sector with services businesses contributing on average approximately 69 percent of GDP in CARIFORUM States, providing many new opportunities,” said S.H. Allyson Francis, Services Specialist at Caribbean Export. “The registry will allow Caribbean Export to have greater knowledge of the actors in the sector for business to business linkages and better craft interventions for technical and capacity building in the services sector. Our hope is that the CE Services Registry will serve as a pooled data source for the CARIFORUM Services Sector.”

Caribbean Export recognised that there was no central location for people to find services providers in the Caribbean.  Further, in order to truly leverage the benefits of the CARIFORUM-EU EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement) regional services providers may need to prove they are a registered service provider to prospective clients or even whilst attempting to provide their service across borders.   

The CE Services Registry enables those seeking services to easily search and find services providers by location, professional accreditations and industry.  Further, it presents services providers with a suite of useful resources to support them to trade their services across borders with export guides, information on trade laws and trade agreements.

“We recognise that the success of the registry relies on the quality of the information and service providers listed.  We are working with our partners to reach those providers in country and once we have a critical mass we will embark on a promotional campaign so that it becomes the ‘go-to’ space to find service providers in the Caribbean”.

Whilst the CE Services Registry is available for all CARIFORUM based services providers to register, Caribbean Export has partnered with the Coalition of Services Providers in Barbados, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago initially.

Caribbean Export encourages services providers to visit and register at http://services.ceintelligence.com/ in order to increase recognition and visibility, discover new collaborations or partnership and potentially gain more clients through the sites increased promotion.

• Naledo Belize Inc secures ‘New Food Product of the Year’ prize at leading food event
• Food Matters Live 2020 connects food producers from around the world
• Annual expo was held virtually this year because of COVID-19 pandemic

Caribbean company Naledo overcame fierce competition to win the ‘New Food Product of the Year’ award at Food Matters Live 2020, a prestigious international food event in the UK.

Belizean-based Naledo manufactures the world’s first wildcrafted, whole root turmeric paste as well as fresh juices blended with turmeric.

The social enterprise, which was founded by Umeeda Switlo in 2016, works directly with small-scale growers based in Toledo, Belize.

The Food Matters Live judging panel commended all five finalists in the new products category for their “innovation”.

Nutritionist Freya Strutt, from Chartwells Nutritionist Team, explained why the judges gave Naledo the top prize. She said: “The shortlist was really strong with lots of really good products and it’s exciting to see where the market is going in terms of new food products.

“But one winner was clear in terms of taste, usability, and the whole enterprise around the product itself. I congratulate them on their business.”

After hearing the exciting news, Umeeda Switlo said: “Naledo would like to thank Caribbean Export and the European Union for making sure we could attend the virtual event.

“Thank you to team Belize and all our growers; Spice farm, Texbell, Silk Grass and our distributors Ecoideas in Canada, UNFI in America, and Circle R in Belize. Thanks also to Marie Sharpe for her support and the Government of Belize.

“We couldn’t have achieved this without our Belizean team and our wonderful customers around the world.”

Naledo’s turmeric paste comes in four sizes and two flavours and is currently sold in over 1,000 retailers in Canada, Belize, America and the Bahamas.

The paste is sustainably produced from the forest to the table without any agricultural inputs. This creates a product that is exceptional in terms of taste and with minimal impact on the environment.

Naledo pays its farmers 28 times more than the average turmeric grower and this enables them to invest in education, health care, improved nutrition, and building a better future for their families and communities.

The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) has announced the launch of its first virtual expo event named ‘Absolutely Caribbean, unlocking the profit potential of the Caribbean’.  Taking place on 17^th and 18^th November 2020, the event will bring together around 50 producers to showcase some of the best products that the Caribbean has to offer. 

“We’re really excited to be organising our first virtual expo. We have seen a growing trend for Caribbean food, beverages and natural products across Europe in the last few years which presents a real opportunity for us.  In the UK alone, Caribbean food is now estimated to be worth £97m[1] with the number of Caribbean restaurants in the last year having grown by 144%[2],” comments Dr. Damie Sinanan, Manager of Competitiveness and Export Promotion from Caribbean Export.

Attendees will have the chance to book slots to meet with producers from a variety of categories including sauces and condiments; alcoholic drinks; natural, plant-based products and nutraceuticals.  There will also be a presentation by European consumer goods and retail experts to discuss the latest insights on these fast-moving consumer goods within the UK, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands.

Caribbean Export has partnered with Shaun and Craig McAnuff of Original Flava for the event who have found great success with their Caribbean food and lifestyle platform and recently released their first cookbook of authentic Jamaican recipes.  With an increase in demand for Caribbean sauces and condiments across Europe, the duo will host a live session to show how versatile these products are, including a cooking demonstration.

The event is also supported by the West Indies Rum & Spirit Producer’s Association (WIRSPA), who represent distillers’ associations from across the ACP Caribbean[3] and will be hosting a session on premium alcoholic drinks from the Caribbean in collaboration with the Rum and Spirits Academy of Europe.

The online event is a joint venture between Caribbean Export, the European Commission and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and has been launched off the back of a successful three-day trade show and conference which took place in Germany last year.

For more information about the event and to register, please visit  –http://expo.absolutelycaribbean.com/about.html

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[1] Grocery – IRI December 2017

[2] CGA August 2019

[3] ACP stands for ‘Africa, Caribbean and Pacific’. The ACP Caribbean states are the countries that are signatories of the Lomé Convention signed in 1975. This was superseded by the Cotonou Agreement in June 2000.

• Four Caribbean brands to join international innovators in the food ingredients market
• Caribbean brands aiming to take advantage of increase in demand for natural products
• Caribbean Export supports CARIFORUM firms participating in Food Matters Live
• Global natural food and drink market estimated to reach $191.9 million (US) by 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand from health-conscious consumers for natural products made with pure and simple ingredients. In 2016, the global natural food and drinks market was valued at $79.1 million (US) and by 2023 is estimated to reach $191.9 million (US)- a compound annual growth rate of 17.6%.[1] This presents an excellent opportunity for Caribbean suppliers operating in the natural products space.

On October 13th-14th 2020, Caribbean Export, in collaboration with the European Union, is supporting four Caribbean producers participating in this years’ Food Matters Live – a leading food, health and nutrition event.

“We were concerned that this event would not go ahead due to the current pandemic, so, we are pleased that it will still be held virtually.   Food Matters Live is an innovative exhibition, bringing together essential players in the food and drinks market across the world. We believe Caribbean brands will be able to leverage this chance to showcase their products and get people talking about what they have to offer” explained Dr. Damie Sinanan – Manager for Competitiveness and Export Promotion at Caribbean Export.

Food Matters Live attracts an unrivalled range of brands, retailers and food services companies and offers a curated experience for participants.  Funded by the European Union via the 11^th EDF Regional Private Sector Development Programme, the regional companies taking part are Caribbean Cure from Trinidad and Tobago; Shavuot International and Cold Bush Organics from Jamaica; and Belizean company Naledo which manufactures the world’s first turmeric paste. 

“Since the global pandemic, we’ve experienced a surge in demand for our natural healthy products from our international customers. At our core we are always ‘Harvesting Goodness for our consumers, communities and our team’. We’re very pleased to be able to meet with international buyers to increase our exports and penetration of overseas markets.” Shared Joel Harris, Marketing Director at Shavuot International.

The Agency anticipates increased exposure and demand for Caribbean products from this event for the firms taking part and similar businesses within the region. Food Matters Live provides an ideal platform to demonstrate the Caribbean’s diverse range of innovators who are blazing a trail in the natural products sphere.

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[1] Allied Market Research