BY SHEENA FORDE-CRAIGG | OCT 18, 2022
Participants in the “pre-acceletator” phase of the Barbados Food and Rum’s Food and Beverage Accelerator Programme. (S. Forde-Craigg/BGIS)
Last Friday evening, eight local small businesses were chosen to have their product offerings taken to the next level through the Food and Rum Festival’s Food and Beverage Accelerator initiative.
Announcing the eight businesses to be part of the next phase of the accelerator programme was Founder/Creative Director, TEN Habitat, Selwyn Cambridge, at TEN Habitat located in Wildey, St. Michael.
Those receiving assistance to ensure their business increase productivity and prepare for the export market are: Auntie Phyllis Bajan BBQ Sauce; Bernice Tropical Pasta; Carringtons Rum Crème; Coconut Baby; Happy Treats; Hot Steppers Pepper Sauce; Irie Vibez Hazina and The Golden Spoon.
The announcement followed the initiative’s “pre-accelerator” phase which involved a 14-day training session.
Mr. Cambridge who conducted the training explained that: “The pre-accelerator was 14 days of intense training to get them [participants] to understand their business, understand their pricing, their costing and then understand the market positioning and refine their brand story, so that they can be better positioned to take advantage of the second phase of the programme, which is the actual accelerator, and then the in-market work that they will do in connection with the Food and Rum Festival.”
Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. Chief Product Development Officer, Marsha Alleyne, speaking to the participants, stated: “On behalf of all of the panel this has been a richly rewarding experience. We did not know what we were going to expect from you. I think that you were all victors and richer from this accelerator programme.… When I see the level of entrepreneurship, the level of innovation, the level of creativity, we are really excited and very, very happy from a BTMI’s perspective and I can’t wait for the next phase.”
The six remaining businesses Craving Baje, Momo’s Coco Loco, Perfect Pesto, Relentless Nostalgia, SmartMeats and Utopia Blends, though not advancing to the next phase of the initiative, would be participating in a four-week development programme, which involves helping the owners learn how to capitalise more on the local market, grow their customer base and build up their business structure.
Deemed the most improved participant in the programme and moving on to the next phase, 25-year-old Irijah Alkins of Irie Vibez Hazina, formerly Irie Winez, spoke on her experience during the initiative to date.
She said: “When I first got to the accelerator programme I didn’t have a business; I just had a product and I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t even have standard labels. But through the training and talking to Selwyn, and feedback from the team including other participants, I learned I had a solid product and I just smashed the glass ceiling. I feel really thrilled to be a part of the programme and move on to the next step because I was not expecting it.”
Also sharing his experience and advancing to the next phase is 20-year-old Tyrique Wilson, who entered the programme selling rum creams under the brand Sunbury, now rebranded Carringtons.
“The pre-accelerator programme was challenging, not in the sense that it was difficult, but that it pushed us to do the best that we can, and it challenged us to liberate our minds and take more risk; and that partly contributed to why I embraced my brand story and chose to rebrand so soon,” Tyrique disclosed.
He also noted he was nervous but ready to tackle the next phase of the accelerator initiative.
