THE BEVERAGE Coalition of TT hopes to engage the public in conversation about its sugar intake with a newer healthier lifestyle to meet changing times with its balanced calorie initiative.
The coalition is a consortium of TT’s leading beverage companies, including Caribbean Bottlers TT Ltd, SM Jaleel and Company Ltd, Agostini’s Ltd and Blue Waters Products Ltd.
The consortium launched the initiative on Monday at the TT Chamber of Commerce’s head office at Columbus Circle, Westmoorings.
It is part of a national education campaign on balancing people’s diets and exercise routines.
“Lifestyles have changed,” said Camille Chatoor, general manager of Caribbean Bottlers TT Ltd. “This is about creating that level of awareness of lifestyle change. So it's not just balancing your beverages.
"We are in the industry and we are members of the industry and so we are taking that leadership role in starting the conversation. Our hope is that conversation starts to spread."
The initiative will introduce new beverage products, promote better reduced-calorie beverages, put a focus on providing clearer, easy-to-find calorie and nutrition information on packages and enhance the marketing of existing beverage products with fewer calories.
The initiative will be part of a larger education and consumer awareness drive which would encourage people to moderate their calorie consumption for a healthier lifestyle.
The Balance Calorie Initiative started in the US in 2015 to help in the fight against obesity there. The goal then was to reduce the calories consumed per person nationally by 20 per cent by 2025.
“I believe the first step is creating awareness and open information so that people can understand what is in the products that we create,” said Marc Mouttet, group sustainability director of Agostini's Ltd. “We have to make the information available to the consumer to ensure that they make informed choices.
"It’s a cultural shift and a mindset shift for many, which doesn’t happen overnight, but we see this as the future of the industry and how we could grow together.”
Chief strategy officer of SM Jaleel and co ltd Rajesh Rajkumarsingh said TT’s beverage industry exports almost 70 per cent of what is produced locally, making it one of the largest exporters for TT next to oil and gas.
He said one of the keys to the success of this initiative was to promote the natural and home-grown products currently on the market.
“We have a wide portfolio of Caribbean flavours and products that are natural. We have 100 per cent juices, no-sugar, all-natural products,” Rajkumarsingh said. “Part of this programme is to try to make consumers aware.”
Pradeep Subrian, CEO of Blue Waters products, said the initiative would be extended to about ten years, in which a long-term, concerted effort would be made to change the nation's consumption habits.
“In year one we expect to see the level of awareness and acceptance toward the low-calorie, low-sugar products from all companies increase,” Subrian said.
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