Bridgetown,
BARBADOS, June 12, 2019. Supporting regional trade is
central to the work of the Caribbean Export Development Agency
(Caribbean Export). Caribbean Export in collaboration with the
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH or GIZ
in short, supported the participation of four CARIFORUM companies to
exhibit at the recently held Jamaica International Exhibition (JIE)
at the Montego Bay Convention Centre from May 30 to June 1, 2019.

“Participation in the
JIE enabled us to gain meaningful feedback on our new product line
and promote our existing teas with various key players in the
Jamaican market. We were able to present our teas to hotel
management, distributors and even the Mayor of Montego Bay which was
encouraging as the feedback was fantastic” informed Sophia Stone,
CEO at Caribbean Cure Ltd from Trinidad and Tobago.

Other exhibiting
companies included Benedicta SA producers of the region’s only
cider alcoholic beverage from the Dominican Republic, Gom Foods out
of Suriname who produce a range of marinades and condiments; and from
Saint Lucia the Winfresh Group also presented their range of sauces
and condiments.

Speaking on his
experience at the JIE Gustavo Cruz Jerez, Co-Founder and CEO at
Benedicta SA highlighted that they “made good business contacts for
Jamaica, Guyana, Costa Rica, Suriname, Grenada and Miami.”

Inclusion of CARIFORUM
firms at National Trade show such as JIE is an important intervention
for the Agency. In addition to JIE the Agency supported seventeen
(17) of the WE-Xport
firms to participate in BMEX in Barbados over the period June 7-10,
2019 together with regional buyers in the BIDC Buyer Program.
Caribbean Export in cooperation with the European Union will continue
supporting national trade shows throughout the year such as the
Guyana Trade and Investment Exhibition (GuyTie); Everything Vincy
2019 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the upcoming Trade and
Investment Convention (TIC) in Trinidad and Tobago.

Caribbean Export will
itself be hosting a trade exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany on
September 27th as part of the 4th
CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum, a 3-day event to support increased
trade between CARIFORUM and the EU. Over 60 CARIFORUM companies will
participate in the business forum many of whom have had tremendous
success at the aforementioned national events.

“We are grateful to Caribbean Export
and GIZ team for supporting us in this initiative and helping us
progress one step further in international market
penetration” expressed Stone.

About
Caribbean Export

Caribbean
Export is a regional export development and trade and investment
promotion organisation of the Forum of Caribbean States (CARIFORUM)
currently executing the Regional Private Sector Programme (RPSDP)
funded by the European Union under the 11th
European Development Fund (EDF) Caribbean Export’s mission is to
increase the competitiveness of Caribbean countries by providing
quality export development and trade and investment promotion
services through effective programme execution and strategic
alliances.

More
information about Caribbean Export can be found at
www.carib-export.com.
Contact: JoEllen Laryea, PR and Communications, Caribbean Export
Development Agency, Tel: +1(246) 436-0578, Fax: +1(246) 436-9999,
Email: jlaryea@carib-export.com