Blog Archief - Pagina 21 van 23

Sugar Town Organics, het moeder-dochterbedrijf dat wetenschap en natuur combineert om gezond voedsel en gezonde huidverzorging te produceren

Posted on mei 16, 2019juni 12, 2022 by Caribbean Export

Anastasha Elliot traces her foray into entrepreneurship back to the age of eight, when she baked, then later crocheted, designed clothing and tie-dyed t-shirts and more, which she sold to earn money for school and to help out at home. Now, the 36-year-old Kittitian is the CEO of Sugar Town Organics, a health and wellness company she founded with her mother after a cancer scare.

â€œMy mom was diagnosed with cervical cancer and that forced us to take a look at our environment, our food source, what and how we ate, how we were living both the emotional and mental aspects and the products we used on our skin and hair,â€ Anastasha shared. “She refused chemo and drugs, opting instead for a holistic lifestyle. She made some radical changes to our lives, and four months later, she was cancer-free.â€

They didnâ€™t know it at the time, but that experience set them on a path toward starting not one, but two successful brands, both under the Sugar Town Organics umbrella. Yaphene, a Hebrew word which means to shine beautifully, is a natural cosmetics line utilising actives found in, and indigenous to the Caribbean. Flauriel, a â€œmashupâ€ of Anastashaâ€™s grandparentsâ€™ and great grandparentsâ€™ names, produces Caribbean-flavoured gourmet sauces, liqueurs, wines, Caribbean treats, blended herbal tea and jams.

â€œBoth brands focus heavily on health, and on food, backed by the science,â€ Anastasha said. â€œI looked at how, in the Caribbean, we use food to maintain our health, beauty and families and also to heal from disease. Our brands are therefore very food centric, and very Caribbean, of course with cultural influences that both affected the Caribbean and play a role in the geographical origin of my family. My grand dad and his parents were not born in the Caribbean you see. Itâ€™s a social form of cultural regeneration, this educational aspect that we have also taken onâ€ she said.

The Yaphene and Flauriel brands pay tribute to the Region, not only through the materials used, but also by how they are sourced. Anastasha and her mum work with 11 farmers in St. Kitts and also source raw materials including fresh and dried foods from Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad.

Currently available at eight locations and counting across St. Kitts and Nevis, the mother-daughter team are focused on increasing Sugar Townâ€™s retail presence on the island and exporting throughthe Caribbean, and on empowering Kittitians to live healthier lives and create their own holistic recipes.

â€œIn another five years we would love to have our own outlet in town with a cosmetic lab where persons can come in and participate in classes, because we would like to be able to teach others to do basic things for themselves while getting a little creative, and create more of an empowerment aspect to the brand,â€ Anastasha said.

She also shared that they are currently focused on embarking on more meaningful export.

â€œWe did small-scale exporting for a while, and we have customers around the world who would order, and we would ship out to them, but since participating in WE-Xport, we have actually been able to take the brand across the Atlantic to countries in Europe, Anastasha said. And those exploits have gotten us quite a bit of exposure.â€

The Women Empowered through Export (WE-Xport) program was designed by the Caribbean Export Development Agency to support Caribbean women in business to start exporting, or increase the exports of their products and services.

With support from the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis and the WE-Xport programme, Anastasha will be promoting her lines at BMEX in June in Barbados and the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) in Trinidad from August 16- 25, 2019. And later this year she’ll be participating in the 4th CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum and Authentic Caribbean Expo in Frankfurt, Germany pegged for September 26-28, 2019.

The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has further thrown its support behind the local brand, enabling it to be featured at its first major trade shows in Paris and Dubai next summer.

To other young women who dream of embarking on their own business venture, Anastasha shared some vital advice.

â€œDonâ€™t be afraid to try. Donâ€™t be afraid to not get it right,â€ she said. â€œSurround yourself with likeminded people, people who will support what you are trying to achieve, who will push you, challenge you and who are willing to help. And always be willing to ask for help, because the only real way to fail is not to try.â€

Visit the WE-Xport booth at BMEX in Barbados in June 2019 to see the Sugar Town Organics range of products.

Find out more about Sugar Town Organics and their Yaphene and Flauriel brands on Instagram: @yapehne and @flauriel_foods

Facebook: @yaphene and @flauriel

And by visiting their website: www.sugartownorganics.com

On a Quest to Create the World’s Favourite Pepper Sauce and Empower the Community – the Hot Mama’s Belize Story

Posted on mei 7, 2019november 29, 2022 by Caribbean Export

When Wilana Oldham, a third generation Belizean living in Texas, met Howard in the nineties, he’d already fallen in love with her homeland seven years before, and after tying the knot, he convinced her to leave the Lone Star State for Belize.

He was an American investor. Her family possessed a generations old secret recipe. And together, they launched Hot Mama’s Belize , an agro processing company specializing in the production of high quality, premium habanero pepper products made with fresh vegetables, and without the use of artificial additives and chemicals.

The family recipe that inspired the business was a habanero pepper jelly, but while preparing to launch it, Wilana learned about a market trend in the food industry, and pivoted to capitalize on it.

The trend was for spicy foods, and while we moved to Belize with the intention of making the jelly, back in the US, everyone was asking us about the variety of peppers we were using, Wilana said. So we did a little research and I ended up talking to a food broker in Miami who needed fresh peppers. We started shipments into the US and eventually into Canada.

How Life’s Challenges Led Back to the Original Dream

Within a couple of years, the Oldhams were shipping a quarter million pounds of fresh red habanero peppers out of Belize.

Unfortunately, two separate cancer scares forced Wilana’s return to the US for treatment, but after receiving the all-clear, she returned to Belize, this time determined to revive the original plan. It was mango season, and the perfect time to get started with perfecting Manganero, the name they coined years before, when they first birthed the vision of producing the spicy-sweet mango and habanero pepper sauce.

It’s a particular variety of mangoes that we use, and the sauce is so delicious, Wilana shared. It’s one of those unique sauces that is perfect from breakfast to dessert and everything in between. You can put it on anything, she said.

And she really does mean anything. While the multi award-winning sauce really excels with seafood, Wilana shared that customers enjoy it on eggs, potatoes, rice, salads, even cheese cake. And Wilana herself makes ice cream with it. You just need to put it on whatever you are eating and it just makes it that much more delicious, she said.

The Product Failure that Birthed a Huge Success

Manganero’s success inspired Wilana to test another idea she had, but panic set in, when the double batch she created didn’t do what it was supposed to.

But her husband was the voice of reason, and his suggestion led to Hot Mama’s Belize number one selling product.

He stood there listening to me crying the blues for a while, and afterwards said are you finished? I said yeah. And he said what are you going to do. I said I don’t know. And he said well here’s what you need to do. You need to put it into a bottle, call it sweet pepper sauce and I think you are going to do very well.

Uplifting the Community is Foundational to this Social Enterprise

Hot and gourmet sauces, gift sets, jellies and specialty items, Hot Mama’s Belize growing product line is extensive, and as Wilana shares, the real success story here is not in how many award-winning products they have produced, or even how much they are earning in profits. For Wilana and Howard, true success, happiness and motivation come from the people they are able to help.

People often say to me, Wilana, how come you don’t have your own pepper fields? And I always respond the same way, because I believe in spreading the wealth, she said. If I can get one farmer in a village to grow and produce for me, it not only affects him, but his family and his neighbours who become involved, because he need to hire people to assist with the harvesting. And so, that starts the rippling effects.

Future Plans for Hot Mama’s Belize

With over a decade of experience in manufacturing and producing finished foods, and even longer selling fresh, Wilana’s attention is now focused on expansion through export, including greater penetration into the US and entering European markets.

They are doing this with support from Women Empowered Through Export (WE-Xport) , a programme designed by the Caribbean Export Development Agency to support Caribbean women in business to start exporting or increase exports of their products and services.

Having a lab on site to do our own testing, aids in improving the quality which is further assisted by implementing [Hazard Analysis Critical Control Procedures] HACCP throughout the facility. The application has been made and approval received for [Export Processing Zone] EPZ status, which allows for the import of supplies at a reduced rate. This is necessary to be more competitive for the export markets Wilana said. It’s all falling into place now, and that’s due in part to the support we’ve received through WE-Xport.

View the Hot Mama’s Belize range at the We-Xport booth at Bmex in June 2019.

Find out more about Hot Mama’s and follow their journey toward realising their vision of becoming the world’s favourite pepper sauce, by following them on Instagram @hot_mamas_belize, Facebook @hotmamasbelize and visit their website at: https://www.hotmamasbelize.com/

Tan Bun Skrati

Posted on mei 5, 2019juni 17, 2022 by Caribbean Export

At Tan Bun Skrati artisanal chocolate is made from tree to bar. The hands doing the harvesting are the same as those that do the fermenting, drying and all other steps in chocolate making up to the packing and shipping of the bars.

Pedro Plains Jerk Products

Posted on mei 5, 2019juni 17, 2022 by Caribbean Export

Our Story started in the â€œbread basketâ€ of Pedro Plains, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. The mountainous landscape overlooking the radiant coastal waters, envelopes these beautiful plains. This is the canvas on which the local farmers plant and reap the finest ingredients, carefully captured in each and every bottle of our products. You will taste our â€œfield to forkâ€ philosophy in the meals you enjoy with Pedro Plains Jamaica Jerk. We are very proud to work alongside these amazing, hard working stewards of this fertile stretch. We pay close attention to this farming community; itâ€™s development, sustainability and deep-rooted family values. Itâ€™s time to enjoy what we refer to as â€œA Little Taste of Homeâ€â€¦

Winfresh Products

Posted on mei 5, 2019juni 17, 2022 by Caribbean Export

From the start, weâ€™ve been champions of Caribbean produce and the people who grow it.
We are the only organisation in the Caribbean to work directly with farmers on all the Windward Islands, purchasing and processing their produce to sell on the world stage.
Over the last 55 years weâ€™ve helped farmers become more prosperous by encouraging them to embrace modern agricultural methods, as well as growing and developing our own businesses.

Designs by Nadia, a jewelry business that grew into a café, AirBnB and an art emporium

Posted on april 23, 2019november 29, 2022 by Caribbean Export

Necessity, it’s said to be the mother of invention, and when financial constraints necessitated that Nadia Jabour make, rather than purchase jewelry and accessories for her daughters, little did she know her inventions would lead to a fledgling business and living her dream.

Originally from Guyana, Jabour, after living in Canada for 25 years, returned to Guyana in 1994 and then settled in Saint Lucia in 2009, where she turned her jewelry-making hobby into a home business.

I had a day job and worked on jewelry at night and on the weekends, she said. But business started to pick up faster than I imagined, and I knew I either had to quit my day job, or scale back on jewelry making.

Jabour chose jewelry, giving herself one year to turn her part-time home business into a full-time success.

The strides made during that year were remarkable, and while Nadia’s laser focus, stellar work ethic and determination were at the root of the tremendous gains made, she states emphatically that her motivation was fueled by a network of people who saw her potential and threw their support behind her.

It wasn’t just friends who came by to buy my jewelry. They also supported me by telling other people about my pieces and bringing them to my home, Jabour shared. And these were new friends that I had acquired, because I didn’t know anyone in Saint Lucia when I moved here.

This belief that Jabour was onto something special extended even to her landlord, who saw Nadia’s passion and chipped in to help her along the path to success.

I shared my plans with him and he was phenomenal, she said. He said to me you don’t worry, I think this will work. So he gave me rent free for one year. I paid him back in the years that followed, but he allowed me that time to build my business.

Eager to ensure other local artisans could share in her success, Nadia started the Caribbean Network Development group, giving them greater bargaining power with hoteliers, government and other tourism stakeholders, which in turn gave their products greater visibility.

A small store in the Rodney Bay area followed, but in three short months, they outgrew the space.

And that’s how Island Mix came to be, Jabour said of the waterfront property she acquired. My jewelry is in there, and we have over 80 artisans now.

The property also hosts a cafe, an Air BnB, a restaurant and pottery, art and jewelry classes.

A sign outside, with the simple question, have you seen the view from our cafe beckons visitors inside, but once there, excellent service; quality, locally made products and the ambiance keep them coming back.

Island Mix Art Emporium is rated on Trip Advisor as the number one thing to do in Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia.

So, what’s next for Designs by Nadia and the Island Mix Art Emporium? Jabour is currently focused on expanding the AirBnB and is pursuing more meaningful export opportunities for her jewelry line.

Once I post something on my [social media] page, it’s usually sold right away within the Caribbean or the US and Canada. But what I am now working on is finding a wholesaler to buy my product in the UK, and on building a Shopify website to facilitate international orders.

Jabour is working toward achieving these goals with support from Women Empowered Through Export, a programme designed by the Caribbean Export Development Agency, to support Caribbean women to start exporting, or increase the export of their products and services.

Nadia found the mentorship and training offered through the programme to be invaluable and advises that it’s a great resource for Regional entrepreneurs seeking expansion beyond Caribbean shores.

She also shared this nugget for those who have a dream they long to make a reality.

Do your research, she said. Know your product and its market value. Once you do, the most important thing is to believe in it, she said. You MUST believe in what you are doing.

Meet Designs by Nadia at the We-Xport booth at Bmex in June 2019.

Find out more about Nadia Jabour and her entrepreneurial ventures on Facebook and Instagram.

De ongeëvenaarde waardepropositie van Belize voor outsourcing van bedrijfsprocessen

Posted on april 19, 2019juni 12, 2022 by Caribbean Export

AS A CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRY with an intrinsic Caribbean identity, Belize offers a truly unique solution for business process outsourcing.

On the eastern coast of Mexico and Guatemala, it is the only English-speaking country on the Yucatan Peninsula, and its social and political identity has mirrored that of its more-distant neighbours in the Caribbean archipelago.

Like many of the Antilles, Belize has invested heavily in social development, and it has created a highly-educated workforce that sees an annual growth of approximately 8,000 new graduates each year. And with a median age of 21, the country ’s young labour market now supports over 4,000 in-demand contact centre jobs in its fast-growth BPO sector.

Belize’s continental position also has its benefits. While inflationary pressures and costs of imports have driven up the price of doing business in many states, Belize enjoys a relatively low cost of living. Its local BPOs retain staff on an average (but competitive) wage of US$3-7 per hour, and salaries for outsourced roles are up to 60-80% less than those for similar jobs in the US.

What’s more, Belize’s BPO sector enjoys a marginal staff attrition rate of only 5%, and its mostly bilingual population also caters to the Hispanic market segments of its outsourcing clients.

Belize’s value proposition among outsourcing destinations is so unique that the government there has identified it as a priority sector for its economy. And with a progressive wave in the United States pushing for ambitious minimum wage targets, Belize will continue to be among the leading choices for American companies looking to preserve their profit margins. Its “near-shore” proximity to the US also eliminates the costly domestic night-shifts typical for companies that employ South Asian BPOs, and Belize’s highly connected air-routes make quick and cost-effective travel a reality for US clients.

Beyond the innate convenience of Belize as a BPO destination, clients can be assured that the country’s outsourcing sector is mature and competent. Protel BPO, one of the country’s leading outsourcing firms, has differentiated itself by offering solutions that seamlessly align with clients’ brand identities and service standards.

In business since 2013, Protel provides inbound and outbound customer services, sales and lead generation, appointment services and email/chat support. On the service end, its employees undergo rigorous on-boarding training, have neutral accents, and regularly interface with clients in twice-monthly review meetings to track progress on performance indicators.

At a time when data security is increasingly coming under regulatory scrutiny, Protel is also PCI certified to maintain the integrity of client information shared offshore. This goes hand in hand with Protel’s mission, which sets up the company as an extension of its clients’ businesses; and as partners with a shared vision. To this end, Protel offers tailored solutions to meet its clients’ needs, and as a locally-owned company, it can offer the most competitive rates for outsourcing services. Its clients generally see 30% savings over Central and South American call centres, 50% savings over their internal call centre operations, and as much as 70% in savings compared to third-party US-based call centres.

Belize, along with other destinations in the Caribbean are near-shore BPO options, with a cultural mix, offering English, Spanish, French or Dutch as primary languages. Their affordability and international service standards make the Caribbean a true rising star in the Global outsourcing space.

For more information on outsourcing to the Caribbean, and to register for Caribbean Export’s Outsource to the Caribbean Conference, please visit https://outsource2caribbean.org/. The Outsource to the Caribbean event takes place from May 6-10, 2019 in Curaçao.

This article was originally published on the Outsource to the Caribbean website .

A simple Trinidadian family recipe turns into a successful business primed for entering the global market

Posted on april 17, 2019november 28, 2022 by Caribbean Export

Habanero Pepper Sauce Company Limited is a small family owned business operating out of Claxton Bay, Trinidad under the leadership of Sharon Chautilal.

Sharon worked in an equipment company for eighteen (18) years as the Administrative Manager before leaving the corporate world to pursue her passion as well as life balance through flexible hours that can allow for more quality time with family and other personal interests.

Her family always had a little rum shop in Claxton Bay Village that sold appetizers with a home-made pepper sauce that her mother made, which became a favourite condiment. the favorite condiment always being the home-made pepper sauce that her mother made. During this time, Sharon has fond memories of helping her mother in making the pepper sauce. â€œMy mom would go to the market and individually handpick select the best peppers. She would then make a small batch of pepper sauce with freshly prepared ingredients resulting in a flavor that was always on point. It was also something that she loved doing and I truly believe that she channeled her positive energy and love into the product as with everything else that she put her energies in.

The growing demand from customers, their friends and their family whom they had shared the pepper sauce with could not be ignored. With her motherâ€™s blessing and a promise to always be true to the recipe and the quality, Sharon set out on her journey of making Habanero Trinidad Pepper Sauce, the first traditionally made pepper sauce to enter the market.

Sharon took some time away from Trinidad to develop her business plan, drawing inspiration from great companies such as John Deere, Honda, Yanmar and others such as Heinz, Tabasco, Coca Cola, Cadbury, Levi, etc. that she always admired. â€œI read business books from people I admired, Richard Branson, Sam Waltons of Walmart and Elon Musk. I saw no reason why a bottle of pepper sauce could not be marketed the same way, for example, as the best bottle of perfume in the world. As long as you remained true to quality, the sky is the limit.

With the help of an advertising firm, Silverpin Design Concepts, who understood her vision of wanting to add flavour to life in every way possible, they set out together to design a simple but effective label that would showcase the main star of the show, the pepper sauce. The consumer had to be drawn to the product itself and come up with their own relationship with the pepper sauce. She did not want a distraction such as a mascot, cartoon or anything too artistic to take the attention away from the sauce itself. In Sharonâ€™s words â€œwe are going to revolutionize the pepper sauce industry and build a strong brand.

At the time, there was no premium pepper sauce in the local market. â€œWe were the first to introduce gift editions. It was the perfectly packaged gift to give to employees, visitors, friends and families for Christmas. Since then, we have tried to have something innovative each year as customers are excited to see what we come up with.

This journey also led her to develop a strong supply chain by working with Farmers in developing good agricultural practices to consistently harvest first grade peppers for the best quality pepper sauces.

Thus, remaining true to her promise. The peppers are still hand selected and sorted, sun- ripened and only fresh ingredients are used. â€œWe absolutely do not use any coloring, artificial preservatives such as sodium benzoate, artificial flavours or thickeners. We make small batches and maintain a good positive energy while we work, always conscious of the end user. It’s all garden fresh and they have remained true also to the company’s mission statement of Adding Flavour to Life!

After six years in business, and the many challenges including a downturn in the economy and financial constraints, Sharon has remained focused on her dream of making the best tasting pepper sauces possible and marketing them internationally. She has taken some baby steps in achieving this already as the products are available on the company’s e-commerce website and orders have been shipped all over the world, including the USA, South America, Europe, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Her latest achievement has been a collaboration between Habanero Trinidad and the iconic Calypso Rose to launch a Calypso Rose Fire Fire Scorpion Pepper Sauce which was successfully launched for Trinidad and Tobagoâ€™s Carnival 2019. Calypso Rose would also be performing at Coachella 2019, one of the biggest Music Festival in the USA where she would be giving away some of the products so who knows where this dream may take her.

Calypso Rose ‘Fire Fire’ Scorpion Pepper Sauce

She has also been collaborating with a New York Chef Jonathan Scinto, who has appeared on the Food Network series Chopped. Habanero Trinidad is one of the sponsors of Chef Jonathan who is participating in the World Food Championship, the largest food festival in the USA sponsored by Walmart in Dallas this year.

Whatâ€™s next for Habanero Trinidad
With the assistance of Women Empowered Through Export (WE-Xport) programme, Sharon hopes to fully leverage their expertise and assistance to strengthen her marketing and export strategy in establishing a global presence.

WE-Xport is designed to support Caribbean women in business to start exporting or increase the exports of their products and services.
Sharon’s attitude in life, is you either win or learn. To the other aspiring female entrepreneurs who are letting fear hold them back from pursuing their dreams, she said boldly, Do it scared! Fear is there to make you cautious, not stop you.

Visit the We-Xport booth at Bmex in June 2019 to learn more about Habanero Trinidad.

Find out more about Habanero Trinidad by visiting their website, www.habanerotrinidad.com and follow them on Facebook and Instagram at habanerotrinidad

Hoe een Haïtiaanse ontwerper haar side-hustle veranderde in een belangrijk sieradenmerk

Posted on april 4, 2019juni 12, 2022 by Caribbean Export

Itâ€™s safe to say that Daphnee Karen Floreal, accidentally stumbled into business by doing what she loves.

In 2005, while studying for a Bachelorâ€™s degree in Business Administration, making jewelry was merely a hobby for the Haitian entrepreneur. It was a creative outlet that provided a sometimes much-needed break from academia. Daphne unwittingly became her best advertiser, as the unconventional pieces she crafted for herself captured the attention of friends, fellow students and others. She was initially giving them away but started to sell them below market value to earn pocket money.

Visibility Transformed a Side Hustle into the Main Gig

She dreamt of being a designer, but believed it was impossible to earn a living doing so in Haiti. Two years after she started crafting her pieces however, a breakthrough came with the inaugural Artisanat en Fete, a craft tradeshow that brought greater visibility to the countryâ€™s artists and artisans.

â€œIt is one of the events that I think gave me more exposure and helped me gain regular customers,â€ Floreal said.

Her work was innovative, and as the youngest designer trading at the show, she garnered media attention giving Bijou Lakay the publicity it needed to transform the young designer from a hobbyist, to the CEO and Creative Director of her own company.

Haiti Fashion Week followed, providing another opportunity for Daphnee to showcase her work, this time, bigger, more expressive pieces – literally works of art.

Results-focused Business Strategies Key to Sustainability

As a graduate in Business Administration Daphnee understood that in addition to her creativity, running a successful accessories start-up required business savvy and strategic thinking. She needed to always be on the lookout for opportunities to gain visibility, and capable of producing new, exciting designs and advertising concepts that keep customers interested and attract new ones.

â€œPositioning is key,â€ she said. â€œPhotoshoots utilising models have helped to increase sales, because they show potential customers how to wear the pieces.â€

While Daphnee is in the business of art, she reminds other creatives that the key word is â€˜businessâ€™. She therefore sets targets and produces reports detailing successes and failures of her product lines, allowing her to make the pivots necessary for continued growth like any other corporate entity.

â€œI studied management, and am now working towards my MBA, so my professional background definitely features in Bijou Lakayâ€™s day-to-day operations, and is integral to its success,â€ she said.

Social Impact, the Greatest Achievement of all

In 2018, Forbes identified DaphnÃ©e as one of ten innovative Haitian entrepreneurs changing the narrative. This and other strategies have enabled Floreal to gain international recognition and Bijou Lakay is now available regionally, in Europe, North America and online.

But as she works to expand Bijou Lakayâ€™s international footprint, Daphnee remains focused on whatâ€™s most important, strengthening the brandâ€™s social impact.

â€œMy primary goal is to make a difference in my community,â€ she said. â€œWe have more than eight artisans who work for us, who, without this work, could not afford to send their children to school.â€

â€œWhenever I feel discouraged, I think about the artisans, and itâ€™s one of the things that keep me motivated,â€ she shared.

Fusing Cultures in Bijou Lakayâ€™s Future Plans

A primary goal for 2019 is therefore to increase the number of crafts people working with the company.

â€œWeâ€™re particularly focused on Africa and Latin America,â€ Floreal said. â€œWe will still be a handmade line from Haiti, but these collaborations will facilitate a fusion of cultures through design, and I think thatâ€™s exciting.â€

Visit the We-Xport booth at Bmex in June 2019 to see Bijou Lakay’s unique and exciting jewellery collections.

Follow Bijou Lakayâ€™s progress, catch a glimpse of their pieces and/or make a purchase at: bijoulakayhaiti.com, and @ BijouLakay on Facebook and Instagram.

De mode-start-up klaar om Caribische stijl naar de wereld te brengen

Posted on maart 26, 2019juni 12, 2022 by Caribbean Export

Vincentian-born, Trinidadian-raised and a citizen of the Caribbean, Kimya Glasgow, the CEO and head designer of her self-named clothing and lifestyle brand, aims to bring a modern version of classic Caribbean style to the world.

Encouraged by her motherâ€™s side of the family to express herself creatively, Kimya convinced her dad that instead of pursuing law as he did, she was destined for a future in fashion.

She studied in Barbados, worked in the British Virgin Islands, qualified for a micro business loan, and with it began the process of bringing her dream to life.

â€œThatâ€™s how I stepped into business, and looking back, I should have been a lot more scared than I was,â€ she said.Â â€œBut when you are young, tenacious and driven, you believe you can move mountains.â€

Weâ€™re all gifted, and capable of making a difference

Undaunted by numerous mistakes made along the way, Glasgow said a goal-oriented attitude enabled her to learn and grow from them.Â She credits her primary school teachers with fostering this mindset.

â€œThey encouraged positive thinking from the get go, instilling in us that we have a special place in this world.Â God has given you gifts, theyâ€™d remind us, and you have to figure out how you will use them to positively impact others, even if in a small way,â€ she said.

Glasgowâ€™s gift is creating beautiful things, and while running a fashion startup is challenging, she feels giving up, would be like burying her talent.Â Instead, she plans to share it with the world. Her high-quality resort and swim wear pieces are currently delivered to Caribbean-based customers via LIAT Quick Pack or couriered by willing travelers.Â But sheâ€™s focused on building a sustainable production model to enable greater Caribbean presence, and gaining a foothold in the US, UK, EU and Dubai where she has captured the attention of buyers.

â€œ… We have exceptional talent in St. Vincent that often does not go beyond our shores.Â So Iâ€™m working on raising the capital to enable me to partner with local artisans.â€ she said.

This will enable Glasgow to increase production so that she can fulfil larger orders from overseas buyers.

The takeaway for women in business

Know your worth, she says.Â Women in business have a great deal to offer their communities and the world.Â Itâ€™s time we diminish unnecessary obstacles on their path to success.

â€œAnd when I say that, Iâ€™m not talking about just the legal side. Itâ€™s the invisible things we do and say every day,â€ Glasgow said.Â â€œBoys are never asked to set aside their entrepreneurial ventures to help mop the floor, or wash the dishes.Â But if a woman is baking cakes and making a living doing it, itâ€™s seen as a hobby.â€

Instead, she said, with vision, and the appropriate support, some so-called hobbies can be developed into profitable business ventures.Â Glasgow credits programmes such as Women Empowered through Export (WE-Xport) with creating a space where women can access the mentorship, technical and financial support needed to grow their businesses.

Through the programme, she successfully scaled up her business and is getting export ready.

The 2009 Caribbean Fashion Awards winner has shown at fashion weeks in Miami, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, St. Kitts and St. Vincent.Â Mustique, Bequia, Grenada and New York have also featured her collections.Â As she gears up for more meaningful export in 2019, the Kimya Glasgow brand is shaping up to be one to watch.

Visit the We-Xport booth at Bmex in June 2019 to view the Kimya Glasgow lifestyle brand.

Follow Glasgowâ€™s fashions online at: www.kimyaglasgow.com and @kimyaglasgowinc on Facebook and Instagram.

Willemsberg, de Surinaamse erfenis die bewijst dat het omarmen van verandering de sleutel is tot een lang leven

Posted on maart 19, 2019juni 12, 2022 by Caribbean Export

This Surinamese company first opened its doors in 1960, and at the time, Willemsberg founder, Leo Willemsberg imported white sugar. But when Suriname started producing its own sugar, Leo needed to find an alternative import, and opted for shelled peanuts.

By 1980, the next generation of Willemsbergs were at the helm of the company, and keen to start a more creative, entrepreneurial venture.

Willemsberg Managing Director Susan Tjong A Hung — Managing Director Susan Tjong A Hung

â€œMy brother said why donâ€™t we produce our own peanut butter; so instead of continuing to import peanuts for other peanut butter producers, we started our own factory,â€ Leoâ€™s daughter, and Willemsberg Managing Director Susan Tjong A Hung shared.

They started with two varieties, first a creamy version, and then crunchy with chunks of peanuts in it. Next came a hot variety with pepper, and finally, diet versions were added.

Today, there are six varieties of Wippy Peanut Butter. The preservative free nut butter consists of 95% peanuts, is sold in over 1,500 shops and supermarkets across Suriname, and has grown to become a trusted, recognisable brand and a huge favourite with the Surinamese people.

How increased competition spurred exports
As more companies across Suriname started producing peanut butter, Wippyâ€™s market share fell from 65 percent to 35. Whilst working on reclaiming five to 10 percent of the market through increased marketing events, such as supermarket tastings and health and wellness campaigns in schools, they have also turned their attention beyond Surinameâ€™s shores to capture more sales.

â€œWe have an excellent distributor,â€ Susan said. â€œThey are the sole distributors for Coca Cola in Suriname, and they are doing a great job at pushing the Wippy brand.â€

Distributor Fernandes has already taken Wippy into Guyana and is currently working on expanding their presence there.

With assistance from the Women Empowered Through Export (WE-Xport) programme, Willemsberg is now also looking to Europe to boost sales.

WE-Xport provides technical assistance, grant funding and training geared toward preparing women-owned Caribbean businesses for export.

Fosten branded peanut butter

â€œWe had a lot of help from our WE-Xport coach, and this enabled us to export to The Netherlands,â€ Susan shared. â€œThe coach guided us through the process and researched the documents and other requirements needed to export to and promote our product in Holland.â€

Unable to sell in The Netherlands under the name â€œWippyâ€ because of its similarity to internationally-known peanut butter brand â€œSkippyâ€, the Willemsberg team registered the name â€œFostenâ€ â€“ a reference to the traditional way of making peanut butter in Suriname.

With the necessary paperwork done and registration complete, Willemsberg exported their first palettes of over 6,000 jars of Fosten peanut butter to Holland where they are focused on the Surinamese diaspora of approximately 400,000.

Flexibility and teamwork, key to Willemsberg success

The ability to read and respond to market trends has played a crucial role in keeping Willemsberg in business for almost 60 years. But the true credit, says Susan, must be given to her 34 members of staff.

She offered up this nugget for other small business owners.

â€œDo not be afraid to trust and count on your management team and employees. Give them the opportunity to help, and to express their ideas,â€ she said. â€œInvest in your employees, guide, coach and always be honest with them, and you will see that this will reflect positively in your companyâ€™s performance.â€

Visit the We-Xport booth at Bmex in June 2019 to learn more about the Wippy brand.

Find out more about the Willemsberg story and Wippy Peanut butter at: www.wippypindakaas.com and on Facebook and Instagram @wippypindakaas.

Your True Shade, the innovative cosmetics line fusing science & nature

Posted on maart 12, 2019november 28, 2022 by Caribbean Export

Dubbed Jamaica’s first healthy cosmetics line, Your True Shade is committed to producing products that celebrate the diversity of skin tones found throughout the Caribbean and beyond, and are free from the harmful chemicals commonly used in some skincare products.

The brand’s creator, Dianne Plummer, entered the green skincare and clean cosmetics space like many others, out of necessity. While studying sustainable energy and chemical engineering in Sweden and Finland, finding makeup that offered ideal coverage without irritating her sensitive skin and causing eczema flare ups proved to be challenging. So, using her engineering background, Plummer formulated her own skincare and makeup line, using hand-picked, natural ingredients, and in 2015, True Shade Cosmetics Limited was born.

Determined to be a trailblazer in natural skincare in the Caribbean, Dianne focuses heavily on innovation, research and development.

I’m always trying to make everything better, change formulations and tweak things as we go forward, she said. Because innovation has to be at the core of the business.

The same old way of doing things is not a sustainable business model, she said, instead, a revolution is needed. What will separate the outstanding entrepreneur from the average Jane or Joe is the ability to bring something new, never before seen or done, to the market. In an already saturated market, like skincare, one must figure out how to do it differently and be innovative.

By fusing technology, science and nature to deliver a safe, efficacious product, Plummer continues to innovate in her space. She’s successfully changing the narrative surrounding beauty by making it synonymous with health.

Plummer’s products not only conceal and minimise imperfections, the locally-sourced, natural, anti-inflammatory and hydrating herbs, spices and plant extracts used to formulate the line also promote healing and repair. In essence, it’s makeup with skincare benefits.

Your True Shade is also the first Caribbean cosmetics brand to be certified Cruelty Free International in the United Kingdom, and among the brand’s numerous accomplishments are features in European media, including on Richard Branson’s Virgin.com, and selection for the Caribbean Export Development Agency’s Women Empowered Through Export (WE-Xport) programme.

WE-XportÂ provides mentorship, technical support and funding to women-owned CaribbeanÂ businesses to prepareÂ them for export, and to expand their currentÂ exports.Â

Your True Shade is in 10 stores across Jamaica, and is currently closing deals to enter three new stores.

We want to dominate locally so persons can access the product in different parishes, Plummer said.

We are also working on building a presence in the Caribbean, Europe and Africa. So, with We-Xport I am learning the tools that are needed to get me into expanding beyond Jamaica, Plummer shared.

In August 2019, Your True Shade will celebrate four years in business, and Plummer shared that she is pleased with its growth, and excited about being able to establish the brand as a global key player.

This growth, and Plummer’s ability to maintain positivity and momentum during what has been an exciting, but challenging entrepreneurial journey are due, to formulating and sticking to a vision for her company.

Every decision made, every person employed, every new product added to the line must be in line with that vision.

Once I formulated my vision and started making decisions in line with it, I saw tremendous growth and cohesion with all my activities, Plummer shared.

So that’s one thing I would like to leave with every single entrepreneur out there.Â Keep the vision in mind, and tie every single business activity to that vision.

Visit the We-Xport booth at Bmex, in June 2019, to find Your True Shade.

Find out more about True Shade Cosmetics: www.yourtrueshade.com and join their community on Facebook @trueshadecosmetics and Instagram @yourtrueshade.