Caribbean businesses set sights on European market with participation at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2022

By JoEllen Laryea

Ten Caribbean food producers will boost their chances of expanding into the lucrative European market when they take part in the upcoming Speciality & Fine Food Fair (SFFF) at Olympia in London from 5-6 September 2022.

The regional companies set to exhibit at the SFFF under the ‘Absolutely Caribbean Pavilion’ are Naledo (Belize), CariBelle Foods (Trinidad and Tobago), Old Duppy (Barbados), Flauriel (St Kitts and Nevis), Chocolala (The Dominican Republic), Pringa’s (St Vincent and the Grenadines), Shavuot (Jamaica), St Lucia Distillers (St Lucia), Kalembu (The Dominican Republic) and the Antillia Brewing Company (St Lucia).

Supported by the European Union and the Caribbean Export Development Agency, these businesses will aim to attract leading European buyers and distributors when they exhibit a range of traditional products made from indigenous ingredients including hot pepper sauce, turmeric paste, jellies and jams, cocoa, tea, beer and rum.

The SFFF is described as “the go-to showcase for emerging and established brands within the artisan, fine food and drink industry”. It is renowned for uncovering ground-breaking and inspiring products as well as predicting emerging trends and this year over 10,000 visitors from around the world are expected to attend the annual event.

“We are extremely excited to exhibit our tropically inspired Caribbean ales at SFF22. It is a great way to reboot our exports to the UK after two long years of pandemic disruption. We look forward to meeting new distributors, importers and retailers and sharing a taste of St Lucia with them” shared Andrew Hashey, Founder, Antillia Brewing Co.

SFFF exhibitors are given direct access to hundreds of decision makers who represent established retailers and brands around Europe, allowing them to network and learn, while sharing their unique products and individual business stories.

In order to give the ten Caribbean participants the best chance of success at the SFFF, Caribbean Export has also been assisting some of them with preparing to export via a ‘Launch to Market’ programme which ran from September 2021 to June 2022.

This readiness programme focused on issues such as market compliance, regulations and labelling, as well as marketing and branding with the aim of capitalising on increasing consumer demand in Europe and the UK for Caribbean food which is worth upwards of £100m, according to research commissioned by Caribbean Export. Now these Caribbean companies will take all that they have learned from the ‘Launch to Market’ programme, and combine it with the unparalleled exposure provided by the SFFF platform, to demonstrate why their products should be on menus and shelves throughout Europe.

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