Choublac / Caribbean Island Apparel

WEBSITE:

https://www.choublachaiti.com

COUNTRY:

Haiti

COMPANY PROFILE:

CHOUBLAC is a small Haitian company founded in 2010 under the umbrella of Caribbean Island Apparel, S.A. CHOUBLAC specializes in exquisite local handcrafted goods. The company’s mission is to promote sustainable change in Haiti’s artisan communities through innovation, design guidance, high standards of quality control and socially responsible trade practices. CHOUBLAC seek out, organize, and mobilize the creative talents of Haiti’s artisans, helping them to achieve beautiful products with lasting results. The company has two outlets in Haiti and have thrived over the past ten years to provide a reliable market for these artisans. Over 500 artisans within these communities benefit from CHOUBLAC business and many groups are mainly women.

PRODUCTS:

The CHOUBLAC Collection is unique and distinguishes itself from the usual Haitian crafts because the company constantly spends time innovating and improving the quality standards with the artisans and providing design guidance based on the current market trends. All CHOUBLAC’s products are skillfully handcrafted and represent the very best quality in their category. The company promotes economic growth in the communities in which it works and endeavors to enhance the image of Haiti through the beauty of its crafts and the talent of its people.

Xocolat

WEBSITE:

https://xocolat.com.do/

COUNTRY:

Dominican Republic

COMPANY PROFILE:

Xocolat created in 1993 by Chef Diana Munné, is a third-generation cocoa and chocolate business operating in the Dominican Republic for more than 80 years. The company has produced the first artisanal chocolates using the best Organic Cocoa Hispaniola grown in the Dominican Republic.

Combining chocolate with the finest ingredients XOCOLAT makes an exquisite variety of chocolates. Since 1993 -1999 the company has specialized in presenting and decorating its products to meet the demanding needs of its customers. In 2000 it began to enter the corporate market with customized products for the hotel and retail market. By 2005 Xocolat incorporated the pastry line using chocolate as its main ingredient.

The company operates a specialty chocolate store at the centre of Santo Domingo, with complete lines of different products all using their own chocolate brand Xocolat to produce beverages, bonbons, truffles, chocolates cakes and many different novelties.

PRODUCTS:

Xocolat produces chocolate bars for hotel amenities and gift shops including:

  • Caribbean flavours chocolate bars, 48 grs from origins Hispaniola cacao and 5 flavours distinctive from our Caribbean islands
  • Traditional bars 48gr, 5 flavours, pure flavours of our 100% Hispaniola cacao
  • Rustic aged Dark chocolate bars 22gr, 4 flavours, first grind process chocolate, purest form of eating raw chocolate, very dark and
  • Caraques

Makay Chocolat

WEBSITE:

http://www.makayachocolat.com

COUNTRY:

Haiti

COMPANY PROFILE:

Makaya Chocolat, is the first chocolate laboratory based in Haiti. The company’s production ranges from transformation of the beans to bars, pralines, dragées (sweets consisting of a center covered with a coating), desserts, sculptures… everything that is possible and imaginable with chocolate.

PRODUCTS:

Makaya Chocolat produces Chocolate Bars, pralines, dragées, hot chocolate, desserts, sculptures, chocolate Liquors and fountains.

Hoe DAGS Dawson Trading in staat stelde om personeel, export en omzet/omzet te vergroten

Who:

Dawson Trading Company Limited: www.easypickinsja.com,

Country:

Jamaica,

Sector:

Agro-processing and Distribution,

IMMEDIATE IMPACT:

  • Product Development – 6 new (shelf stable) products;

MID-TERM IMPACT:

  • Increase in staff – 6;
  • Increase in exports – 17%;
  • Impact on Sector (suppliers, etc.) – increased revenue;
  • Increase revenue/sales –20%;

Profile:

Dawson Trading Company Limited (Dawson Trading) was established in 2013 by owner, Jordan Dawson. The company specializes in the growth, procurement, and exportation of traditional Jamaican fresh produce including mangoes, breadfruit, avocado, peppers, and yams, to overseas markets primarily Canada, USA, and the UK.

The Issue:

Dawson Trading sought to address several main concerns facing the Jamaican produce sector, namely: reducing spoilage; increasing volumes purchased from small and rural farmers; and accessing new markets. In addition, the company wanted to increase revenue; create new attractive and necessary product lines for overseas customers; keep workers employed for longer periods of time; and earn foreign exchange.

Assistance Received:

Dawson Trading’s received a financial grant via the Direct Grant Assistance Scheme (DAGS) in 2018 funded by the European Union under the 11th EDF Regional Private Sector Development Programme. With the grant Dawson Trading sought to develop a viable methodology to keep fresh fruit in its natural state for longer periods of time by processing/peeling, blast freezing and storing the product items in a frozen state. The project included the identification, acquisition, and installation of production equipment for the processing of fresh produce, the development of food safety – HACCP plan and recall program to meet HACCP certification. In addition, the project also included marketing and promotions including the creation of a website and suitable branding for the packaging and labelling of the products.

Immediate Impact/Outcomes:

The production equipment acquired, through the DAGS, has enabled Dawson Trading to create a new line of six different shelf stable flash frozen fruit products. This has allowed the company to increase the quantity of produce purchased from local farmers. Notably, these purchases now include bruised and below standard fruit, which would previously have been discarded. This action has, therefore, reduced wastage and increased revenue generated for Jamaican farmers.

The acquisition of machinery for processing fresh produce was central in producing a new product line of frozen fruits, for the export market. Frozen products are now exported to North America, Europe, and the Caribbean. It has also increased the volume of purchases, reduced spoilage, and increased revenues for suppliers, by purchasing below standard produce (with no effect on the final quality of the product) and higher volumes during peak bearing season.

In addition, the company developed a website and a logo. Training was carried out for the implementation of food safety standards for key staff members and major work was done on documentation and improvement of the facility towards HACCP certification.

Medium-term Results and Impact:

Over the medium-term, the DAGS project enabled Dawson Trading to increase staff by 6 employees, namely an administrative assistant, a driver, and 4 labourers. In 2020 the company’s exports increased by 17% and revenue/sales increased by 20%. Of this percentage 2% was from the flash frozen line. The project also significantly increased revenue for local farmers because they can now sell more volumes including bruised products.

The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected the export demand for fresh produce which were previously Dawson Trading’s primary export and the new product line provided considerable revenue to supplement the shortfall. Further, Dawson Trading’s increased purchase volumes from local farmers supplemented the farmers’ revenue shortfalls that occurred, due to shutdowns in the tourism sector (hotels).

“The Direct Assistance Grant Program (DAGS) through the Caribbean Export Development Agency, has been instrumental in helping to equip my company with the provisions needed to propel it into its next stage of growth. Primary drivers for this growth were the implementation of food safety systems and the tooling of our factory to further develop our line of Jamaican flash frozen produce. Without the DAGS project, the company’s survival would have been unlikely during the pandemic.” Jordan Dawson, Owner.

Een DAGS-casestudy over hoe Cummings Wood Products de productie-efficiëntie verbeterde

Who:

Cummings Wood Products; cwpgy.com,

Country:

Guyana,

Sector:

Manufacturing,

IMMEDIATE IMPACT:

  • Enhanced Productive Capacity and Efficiency – 7-8%;
  • Product Development – 4 new products;
  • Reduced Operational Costs/Wastage – 7-8%;

MID-TERM IMPACT:

  • Increase in staff – 23% or 10 employees;
  • Increase in exports – 10% (2019);
  • Entry into new market – Jamaica;

Profile:

Cummings Wood Products (CWP) founded by Andre Cummings (CEO) in 2008, produces and exports flooring and decking to the Caribbean. The company’s vision is to be the leading flooring company by enhancing beauty and value with its products and services.

The Issue:

CWP was challenged with high production costs due to the low production capacity of current machinery and low level of recovery from raw materials. The company also wanted to reduce the environmental impact of its production processes; offer quality products at an affordable price to consumers; create jobs and develop the economies of Guyana’s rural communities.

Assistance Received:

In 2018 CWP received a Direct Assistance Grant funded by the European Union under the 11th EDF Regional Private Sector Development Programme. The funds enabled Cummings Wood Products’ to implement a plan to increase the yield from raw material (hardwood) and lower the company’s production costs, through economies of scale. The project included the acquisition and installation of production machinery to make new hardwood product lines, and transform off-cuts, end trimmings, etc. into saleable hardwood products, to increase the percentage rate of gross timber resource inputted into the production system.

Immediate Impact/Outcomes:

The acquisition of new technologically advanced production equipment allowed CWP to aggressively pursue value-added development per Guyana’s National Log Export Policy, intended to curb the export of round logs in favour of downstream value-added products. Aggressive product development and innovation was completed to ensure all product dimensions satisfy buyers.

The company expanded product lines include ‘custom-built’ modular kitchen cabinets, standard and customised chest of drawers, framed and paneled doors and end matched flooring. The company also saw significant improvement in productivity performance, cost minimization and production yield output at all cost centers throughout the manufacturing plant.

Production and maintenance downtime, change-over (set-up) loss time, dropped, with better up-time and line availability at the machine lines. Factor and total productivity and surplus production yield performance were consistently achieved monthly at all cost centers, machine lines, and at the plant level. In addition, two members of the management staff benefitted from certified technical training overseas and were instrumental in disseminating formalized in-house training to lower-level staff.

Medium-term Results and Impact:

In the medium-term, the production machinery acquired by CWP through the DAGS increased the yield from raw materials by 20%. This reduced the demand for the quantity of trees needed and thereby reduced the environmental impact from production. In addition, promotion of lesser-known hardwood species is expected to reduce the likelihood of overharvesting popular species. Wastage from forest produce was also minimised by utilising wood pieces as short as 6 inches.

The new machinery also enhanced productive efficiency and reduced operational costs by 7-8%. The approximate increase in export sales induced by the project was 10% and the number of staff increased by 23% or 10 employees. The company also successfully entered the Jamaican market.

“The Direct Assistance Grant Scheme is absolutely relevant and indispensable for private sector development. Often times than not, most entrepreneurs / business owners in the private sector are cash strapped and are trapped in a cycle of repaying large sums of debt equity from insubstantial turnovers (profits), all in a dire effort to keep their businesses afloat. Moreover, most private sector businesses, particularly young start-ups, lack the financial resource to invest in critical capital acquisition, to take their businesses to the next tier of performance. Access to reimbursement funding from the Direct Assistance Scheme serves as a major help to suchlike business owners, and also to other entrepreneurs who would want to access such funding, even as they seek to develop strategic alliances with Caribbean Export to benefit from the other service platforms. Andre Cummings, CEO

Hoe Coffee Solutions Limited de exportomzet en -inkomsten in 2019 verhoogde – Een DAGS-casestudie

Wie

Coffee Solutions Limited, http://www.coffeesolute.com

Land

Jamaica

Sector

Agro-verwerking

ONMIDDELLIJKE IMPACT

  • Verbeterde productieve capaciteit en efficiëntie
  • Productverbetering (kwaliteit, verpakking, enz.)
  • Hernieuwbare energie en energiebesparing

EFFECT OP MIDDELLANGE TERMIJN

  • Personeelsuitbreiding — 1 (parttime)
  • Stijging van de export – 2019 – 10%
  • Omzet/verkoop verhogen — 2019 – 10%
  • Vermindering van energiekosten/verbruik – 110%
  • Impact op de sector — hogere winstmarge voor boeren
  • Lagere operationele kosten en/of minder afval – 20-30%

Profiel

Coffee Solutions Limited (Coffee Solutions) werd geregistreerd in 2006 en is uitgegroeid tot een wereldwijde speler in het branden en exporteren van Jamaicaanse Blue Mountain-koffie. Het bedrijf levert apparatuur en machines voor pulperies, koffiefabrieken en winkels en biedt klanten adviesdiensten op het gebied van koffieoogst en koffieteelt.

De kwestie

Coffee Solutions moest de opslag van zijn koffiebonen verbeteren om de kwaliteit en consistentie van de producten voor de exportmarkt te waarborgen en concurrerender te worden. Om dit te bereiken wilde Coffee Solutions de energiekosten verlagen, inkomsten genereren en zijn ecologische voetafdruk verkleinen.

Ontvangen hulp

Coffee Solutions ondernam in 2018 de implementatie van een energiezuinig, kostenbesparend en kwaliteitsverbeterend project in het kader van het Direct Grant Assistance Scheme (DAGS), gefinancierd door de Europese Unie via het 11e EDF Regional Private Sector Development Programme. De fondsen werden gebruikt om het concurrentievermogen, de groei en de duurzaamheid op lange termijn van het bedrijf te verbeteren. Het project omvatte de installatie van een zonne-energiesysteem/fotovoltaïsch systeem voor hernieuwbare energie om de energiekosten te verlagen en de impact van het bedrijf op het milieu te verminderen. Het project omvatte ook de aankoop van een scheepscontainer of vrachtwagencontainer die geschikt is gemaakt voor de opslag van groene koffiebonen en de installatie van een zonne-energiesysteem voor temperatuur- en vochtigheidsgecontroleerde opslag om de kwaliteit van groene bonen te verbeteren en te zorgen voor consistentere eindproducten op de markt.

Onmiddellijke gevolgen/resultaten

Na de implementatie van het project zag Coffee Solutions de energiekosten met 20% dalen. De elektriciteitsrekening werd verlaagd van JMD25.000 naar JMD5.000. De export steeg in 2019 met 10%; er werd een kwaliteitsverbetering gerealiseerd in de opgeslagen groene bonen en er werd meer consistentie waargenomen in de eindproducten. Personeelsleden verwierven kennis over het efficiënte gebruik van energie en het controleopslagsysteem.

Resultaten en impact op middellange termijn

Op middellange termijn zag Coffee Solutions de exportomzet met 15% stijgen en de omzet in 2019 met 10%. Dankzij het DAGS-project kon het bedrijf ook zijn huidige werknemers behouden, de werkuren van tijdelijke werknemers verlengen en het personeelsbestand met 10% of 1 werknemer uitbreiden. De installatie van de nieuwe opslagfaciliteit resulteerde in een verlaging van de kosten van de koffiebonen van het bedrijf met 20-30%, een verbetering van de kwaliteit van de bonen en een verlenging van de periode waarin de producten kunnen worden opgeslagen.

Coffee Solutions installeerde ook een fotovoltaïsch energiesysteem dat een geschat overschot van 10% aan energie genereert, dat wordt verkocht aan het nationale elektriciteitsnet. Het bedrijf verdient nu inkomsten via dit systeem. Het bedrijf heeft ook de energiekosten/het energieverbruik met 110% zien dalen dankzij de installatie van het systeem.

De kostenbesparingen hebben het bedrijf in staat gesteld om zijn prijsmechanisme te herstructureren en kleine boeren lagere prijzen te bieden voor loonverwerkingsdiensten. Onder de koffieboeren in Jamaica bevinden zich vrouwen, die nu toegang hebben tot meer concurrerende tarieven voor de verwerking en zo hun winstmarge kunnen vergroten.

Daarnaast heeft de implementatie van negen projecten voor hernieuwbare energiesystemen het gebruik van energie uit niet-hernieuwbare bronnen verminderd en in een paar gevallen zelfs geëlimineerd. Door minder niet-hernieuwbare energie te gebruiken, is ook de koolstofvoetafdruk van kleine boeren in de industrie verminderd.

“De regeling voor directe subsidie heeft een positieve invloed op regionale bedrijven. Het stelt bedrijven in staat om projecten drie tot vijf jaar eerder uit te voeren dan de realistische prognose van het bedrijf. De financieringsfaciliteit moet Caribische bedrijven blijven helpen om hun exportpotentieel volledig te benutten.†Basil Jones, Managing Director

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