JBDC Pushes 86 Local Brands at Diaspora Conference as Melissa Recovery Work Intensifies
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC), through its Things Jamaican™ retail platform, pushed approximately 86 local brands into the spotlight at the Jamaica Diaspora Conference as part of a market access intervention linked to the agency’s Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts.
However, the intervention also exposed the continuing challenges facing many micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) still trying to rebound from the hurricane.
According to JBDC, of the brands on show, the agency had initially targeted 30 producers from affected areas and supply chains who were actively trying to recover. Only 22 were able to provide supplies for the Things Jamaican™ booth, underscoring the difficulty many MSMEs continue to face in restoring production, accessing raw materials and returning to market.
“We had a target of 30 that we know were actively rebounding. However, only 22 of them were able to provide supplies. So, we still have at least eight of those entities that are not able to supply at this point,” said Janine Fletcher-Taylor, Manager of the Marketing Services Unit at JBDC.
She said the shortfall points to a wider recovery issue, particularly among businesses whose supply chains, production facilities, inputs and customer bases were disrupted by the hurricane.
“Some persons may have the production facility and everything up and running but no supplies,” Mrs. Fletcher-Taylor said. “We have to wait for some of those crops to be re-harvested or grown and re-harvested.”
She noted that agro-processors have been among the hardest hit, given their dependence on agricultural inputs, several of which were affected in hurricane-impacted parishes. Other producers, including those in fashion, accessories and the creative industries, were able to rebound more quickly in comparison.
The Things Jamaican™ booth featured local products across several categories, including agro-processing, fashion, accessories, art, ceramics and other Jamaican-made goods. Of the approximately 86 brands showcased, 58 registered transactions. More than 110 products were sold during the engagement.
“For us, that is 110 products entering the hands of consumers. And that’s one of the first points of validation,” Mrs. Fletcher-Taylor said.
She added that fashion and accessories performed particularly well at the conference, reflecting strong interest among members of the diaspora in products that allow them to visibly identify with Jamaican culture.
“This time around, we saw quite a number of persons wanting to wear something Jamaican and to be identified as a Jamaican in the colours and the type of features of our fashion and accessories,” she said.
BUSINESS AFTER MELISSA
The market access intervention formed part of JBDC’s broader Hurricane Melissa recovery support for MSMEs. Acting Chief Executive Officer, Harold Davis said, acting on instructions from the Ministry of Industry, Investment & Commerce, the agency moved quickly after the hurricane to better understand the needs of its clients and to develop a structured response, which is aimed at helping MSMEs regain revenue, rebuild stronger and become more resilient in the face of future climate-related shocks.
“So far, we have surveyed about 530 of our clients, and we are using that survey to develop a programme of assistance for them,” Mr. Davis said.
He explained that the impact of the hurricane cut across several sectors, including agro-processing, creative industries, health and wellness, logistics, infrastructure and manufacturing. The needs of affected businesses, he said, vary depending on their sector, location, level of damage and ability to resume operations.
“When people talk about building more resilient businesses, we have to be careful to understand that it’s very specific to the type of business, the circumstance that they’re in, the sector, and the realities of the entrepreneur, him or herself,” Mr. Davis said.
He added that many Things Jamaican™ suppliers were affected not only by physical damage, but also by disruption across the full business chain. “Many of our suppliers to the Things Jamaican product would have been dislocated and many of them are in the parishes that were most greatly affected,” he said.
For agro-processors, the disruption was especially pronounced because many rely on inputs from affected parishes. In addition, several producers depend on the tourism market, including hotels, attractions and gift shops, which were also impacted.
Nearly half of Things Jamaican’s suppliers are manufacturers of food items or in agro-processing (49.30%), while another 30.8 percent produce gift & craft items.
“So, the whole supply chain from supply to market was disrupted,” Davis said.
Mrs. Fletcher-Taylor said JBDC’s marketing services response is centred on restoring access to markets, supply chains, production capacity and overall business stability. She said access to finance remains a critical part of recovery, but MSMEs must also be ready with proper records, documentation, evidence of damage and costings to support funding requests.
“Those would be the critical touch points for us, restoring access to markets, restoring access to supply chains, restoring access to production and production facilities or capabilities, and of course, getting the business back to stability,” she said.
The Diaspora Conference, she added, provided a strategic opportunity to introduce local products to a key international audience while gathering market intelligence and building potential export linkages. “The diaspora presents an ideal partner across the world in terms of accessing investment opportunities and in terms of accessing markets,” Mrs. Fletcher-Taylor said.
She noted that the diaspora should not be viewed only as buyers, but as partners who can help Jamaican businesses understand international markets, connect with retailers and identify legitimate opportunities. “The diaspora market facilitates good partnerships and networks on the ground in those regions that we want to enter,” she said. “They are able to connect us to buyers and retailers. They are able to introduce us to the right networks.”
-END-
