VISHANNA PHAGOO
Despite the TT Manufacturers Association's (TTMA) annual Trade and Investment Convention (TIC) being half its size, many businesses were elated to take part and talked about its benefits. The convention is popular among businesses as it gives companies of all sizes a chance to put their names, products and brands out there.
At this year's convention, there were 137 booths and few small to medium enterprises given, TTMA president Tricia Coosal said, the space was very limited at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya.
"It's approximately half the size compared to the other years and the one we had in 2019. The reason for this is when we were applying for permissions we were still in the middle of a pandemic so, unfortunately, the show is half its size, but it hasn't taken away anything except for a lot of companies requesting the spaces," Coosal said last Friday.
She said the focus was on the improving what is made in TT to further exports.
"We are looking at how best we can use what is grown locally on our soil so to not only supply the local market in Trinidad, but move to the region and then for international export, as we work with the government to ensure we provide an environment that these companies can grow with us in."
One up-and-coming business at TIC was Health Mix TT. Managing director Kevon Singh said the Couva-based company's brand was to make health alternatives to otherwise unhealthy food products, like cake mix. Its products can be found throughout Trinidad at different supermarkets, and on social media under the brand name.
"Right now, our sales are pretty awesome we are getting a lot of sales from local gourmet shops and we sold a palette of cake mix from Pricesmart in one day. People are thinking about the product and they want to know how it actually tastes and once they do they'll see that it tastes like regular cake."
And knowing what to do to be export-certified is what Jeffery Lewis was on hand to offer to entrepreneurs and businesses, as the director of FSMA Food Safety – a software as a service provider.
His online platform was displayed on a television screen at the top of the booth so onlookers would be able to make sense of what he was offering. Lewis said his platform gives companies that are having problems accessing the necessary means to certify their food product for export to the US – in accordance with its Food Safety Modernisation Act – an easy and clear-cut way of doing it.
"Just like how the law is structured, we made it into an automated system so, it means then we guarantee that the law is covered so, any supplier to the US can be assured that all the requirements are met."
He said currently, many people are unaware of the laws and it causes a problem when trying to export. But with his platform, all a business owner has to do is place information about the company and the website will do the rest. It ensures the business owner goes thorough the training and demonstrations virtually before approving the application.
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