Caribbean Food and Beverage trade show aimed at reducing imports

The first Caribbean Food and Beverage Trade Show – A Taste of the Caribbean – to be hosted in Trinidad, is not just another trade show.

The event which will feature exhibitors from the region, is aimed at reducing regional food imports by 25 per cent by the year 2025, chair of the Caribbean Supermarket Association (CSA) Rajiv Diptee said.

Earning foreign exchange is also an expected benefit.

The event is scheduled to take place between June 28 and July 1, at the Centre of Excellence where the availability of what can be provided intra regionally will be explored.

Diptee said the initiative has been many years in the making and is being done through a collaborative effort of CSA, the Caricom Private Sector Organisation (CPSO), the Supermarket Association of TT (SATT) and Southex Promotions.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed among the partners last August, where goals were set with objectives to become more Caribbean in nature.

At the trade show launch held at Krave Restaurant, Marabella on April 12, Dipee said the decision to fast-track the programme is being driven by domestic food security in the region and the ability to access quality food in an environment strained by global factors.

He cited the covid19 pandemic and the Ukraine/Russia war as among the factors, as well as trade barriers and shipping issues.

TT, he said, accounts for US$1 billion of the US$6 billion food import bill in the region.

“We have to be able to pivot,” he said.

Both Diptee and CPSO CEO and Technical Director Dr Patrick Antoine were excited by the possibilities of displacing just about US$2 billion of imports and the benefits that would be for TT in the regional markets.

It will have the potential to connect buyers to cottage producers, agro-processors, farmers, regional manufacturers, industry suppliers and several industry startups that have bumped onto the radar since the advent of the pandemic.

Much more will be realised when the full scope of the value chain is considered, they said.

The event will be made up of three components – a trade show, conference event and a culinary food festival – said Diptee.

It will culminate on each of the four nights, with cultural shows of the different tastes of culinary delights from all corners of the Caribbean.

Top chefs from the region, restaurateurs and personalities will join artisan brewers, distillers and winemakers to craft some of the most delectable tasting opportunities available to visiting patrons.

This showcase for local and regional chefs and artisans is being viewed as opportunity to create new markets.

The conference component, will feature experts in the industry, which will “allows us to lean into the regional conversations and cutting-edge trends that define the food security of today and tomorrow.

“For example, how are we addressing adaptable technologies for agriculture in the face of climate change and how resilient is the framework to support that from a regional perspective? Can we adapt trends in energy to support the framework of needs?”

The organisers envision that the event would become the meeting point for all categories of industry players in the food and beverage sector in the region.

One of the stated objectives is to create niche markets for products and allow easier imports into markets.

The opportunity for medium and micro-processors, in terms of investment, technologies for production, storage and capacity, is also being viewed as an upside to this collaboration.