CONTACT Magazine (Vol.18 No.3 – December 2018)

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looking outwards courtesy sacha cosmetics Kama Maharaj, the founder of Sacha Cosmetics Sacha Cosmetics: take advantage of T&T’s trade agreements Sacha Cosmetics first exported 15 years ago, to Caricom. It has also exported to Cuba for over ten years now, and has made inroads online, selling on Amazon in Canada, the European Union, the UK and the USA. In 2015 Sacha entered the Latin American market, operating first in Panama where it now owns five stores. Recently it signed an agreement to position its makeup products in 115 retail outlets of the Colombian-based La Riviera Group, and it plans to further increase its outlets worldwide using a franchising model. Kama Maharaj, Sacha’s founder, says: “The major challenge of exporting to Latin America is the time and costs required for completing regulatory and product registrations. However, we persisted because Trinidad and Tobago has duty-free or partial scope agreements with several of these markets.” In Colombia, import duties on American and European brands are 15-20%, while Sacha can enter the market duty-free. Maharaj encourages exporters to identify their competitors, and to differentiate their products and services. Sacha is positioned as a high-end brand in its export markets, and as the only makeup line made specifically for multi-cultural women with light, medium and dark complexions. As Sacha looks to new markets in Africa, Maharaj recommends that local firms should not restrict themselves to Caricom, as it’s a small market with limited growth potential, and nearby Latin America provides additional scope. 40 Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce www.chamber.org.tt/contact-magazine
Trinidad Tissues: use the trade support agencies Trinidad Tissues Limited (TTL) first exported paper products to Cuba in 2014, using a local broker. In preparation for their first visit in 2015, they met with the Cuban Ambassador, which was crucial to gaining approvals and market entry. TTL’s CEO, Kevin Marcilliat, also credits exporTT’s Trade Facilitation Office in Cuba for helping the company to gain direct entry by arranging documents and registrations. TTL offers bilingual customer service, which has been a tremendous asset in trading with Cuba. Eventually it formed a partnership with a small paper manufacturing plant, and started shipping semi-finished products in 2016. Sallyann Rampat, Director of Sales & Marketing, says: “Since then we have doubled sales to Cuba year over year. We have also exhibited annually at FIHAV (the Havana international trade fair) since 2015, in order to maintain market visibility, and we have built excellent relationships with the main agencies in Havana.” TTL now exports to over 25 countries in the Caribbean, Central and South America. Export sales have tripled in the past five years, and now account for 50% of revenue. Rampat urges exporters to Cuba: “Invest in bilingual ‘hunters’ and have patience. While payments may be challenging, you will get paid.” “Invest in bilingual ‘hunters’ and have patience” The Cuban ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago receives a donation for hurricane relief from Sallyann Rampat, Director, Sales and Marketing, and Kevin Marcilliat, CEO of Trinidad Tissues courtesy trinidad tissues www.chamber.org.tt/contact-magazine 41 Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce
Page 1 and 2: Vol.18 No.3 - December 2018 The Voi
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Page 9 and 10: A note from the editor Exports play
Page 11 and 12: Jaleel Beverages were followed by a
Page 13 and 14: vertical integration by buying frui
Page 15 and 16: Residential Lots and Townhouses for
Page 17 and 18: “For the first time the macroecon
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Page 21 and 22: Export House, head office of exporT
Page 23 and 24: Travel mania/shutterstock.com In th
Page 26 and 27: looking outwards Breaking into Euro
Page 28 and 29: looking outwards EU-Caribbean: trad
Page 30: looking outwards Who do we have tra
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Page 37 and 38: attempts to register product under
Page 39 and 40: Organisation Location Contact Funct
Page 41 and 42: Private sector agencies Organisatio
Page 43: courtesy tobago cocoa estates Tobag
Page 47 and 48: Lake Asphalt of Trinidad and Tobago
Page 49 and 50: Trinidad and Tobago: expenditure 20
Page 51 and 52: Contact Magazine Energy Statistics
Page 53: Contact Contact Issue Issue 2 cover

CONTACT Magazine (Vol.18 No.3 – December 2018)

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