One week after Saint Lucian’s Julien Alfred wins the country’s first gold medal at the 2024 Olympics thrusting the Easter Caribbean Island onto the world stage, two Export Saint Lucia executives arrived in Brooklyn on August 9, for trade talks with Consul General to New York Jeremiah Hyacinth and I am Caribbeing, Founder Shelly Worrell.
The timing could not have been more perfect for forging trade partnerships with Saint Lucian’s small business owners in the New York diaspora.
Sunita Daniel, chief executive officer, and Fercinta Louisy, senior client manager of Export Saint Lucia,
Sat down for a roundtable discussion at the 1399 Nostrand Avenue, “I am Caribbeing” store, stacked with Caribbean merchandise, a brand that has carved a niche in the Brooklyn neighborhood. All thanks to Shelly Worrell, whose vision, brought the initiative to fruition.
Mixologist, and Manager for Spiribam Spirits & St Lucia Distillers, Sunshine Foss, founder and CEO of Happy Cork, Happy Buds, Mike Nicholas, owner of Aunts & Uncles, a plant-based restaurant, and MacDonald Romain, owner of Labay Market Exotic Imports, participated in the discussion.
Worrell told Caribbean Life, she was contacted by Consul General Jeremiah Hyacinth who though it was important for her to meet with the delegation from “Export Saint Lucia”, and by extension, small business owners in Little Caribbean, to discuss trade partnerships within the diaspora.
Worrell, who founded Little Caribbean, felt the Caribbean community was missing from New York melting pot of cultures, adding, when she looked around in 2017, one of the largest and most diverse, and significant populations, did not have a brand presence, where thousands of nationals live.
She noted the presence of China Town and Little Italy and set out to change the narrative, creating I Am Caribbeing, under which Little Caribbean, was realized to a bustling, community of small business owners, and signage above the streets a place of familiarity where many nationals grew up, and where people from all over the world come to visit.
Chief Executive Officer Sunita Daniel explained that Export Saint Lucia is a government agency run by the private sector. Almost seven thousand clients, including manufacturers, creatives, entertainers are represented by the agency.
“Anyone leaving Saint Lucia is represented by the agency, to ensure they get access markets.
The organization started its first Export Saint Lucia Runway fashion showcase of local designs, that was recently invited to Nigeria, said Daniel.
“Our biggest product is Sea Moss. It’s taking over the world. The United States is our biggest market, however in the last year we have seen diversifications in the market, and we anticipate by next year we will no longer export to the U.S., said Daniel, adding that Australia, and New Zealand, have taken over the market share, and the agency is tapping into the Romanian market that has expressed an interest in Sea Moss, for medicinal use.
The Taste of Saint Lucia store, and a mobile station that travels across the Island sells local products, she said, noting that after a presentation is made outside of the island, the question is always, “how, will we get the product.”
On August 22, however, the agency will launch a line of its product in London, in collaboration with a Saint Lucian-born entrepreneur, who will provide a space for the merchandise, stamped with the Saint Lucia seal of approval.
“We are looking for a ready market in Brooklyn, to establish a Taste of Saint Lucia products. The partner we chose must understand that small businesses must be paid,”
“Partners must have the same vision and passion we do for our manufacturers. It’s not just about the money, but the culture, we want someone who has that same value as us, said Daniel.
Consul General Jeremiah Hyacinth, said having seen what’s happening in Little Caribbean, “I want to see more of my Saint Lucian products in Little Caribbean, “hence we have a delegation here, looking to see what the needs are.”
“Our goal is collaborating with as many small business owners as possible. Little Caribbean is in the middle of the community, my focused goal is to remain relentless in getting product on the shelves.”
“Our Saint Lucian Sea moss has become green gold. The focus is to improve on the product, but ensure that it’s featured on, as many shelves as possible,” said CG Hyacinth.
He reiterated that products from Saint Lucia must get to the diaspora, to get money into the pockets of not only the small business owners in Brooklyn, but the outskirts of the borough, noting that his office will serve as a buffer between Export Saint Lucia, and the importers in the diaspora.
“Moving forward, I think it will do very well, in terms of our products being here, it’s a start. We look forward to bigger and better things. I live for today’s experiences, having met so many young Saint Lucians who are doing marvelous things. I’m getting connected with them, this means the world to me, said the envoy.
Kigan Joseph is the territorial manage for Chairman’s Reserve, Saint Lucia Distillers. “The spirits are not only in the Caribbean neighborhood, but also in bars and restaurants in New York City, New Jersey and Philadelphia.”
“Our goal is to let the world know that even though Saint Lucia is a small island, we make run just as good as other parts of the world and in some cases, we make it a little bit better,” asserts Joseph who imports, Bunty Rum, and Margo Bay rum cream, inspired by the tropical bay of the island, among others.
Michael Nicholas, was born in the neighborhood to Caribbean parents, said that there has never been a place to sit-down and four years ago, with wife Nichole, of Caribbean roots, created Aunts & Uncles, a Caribbean-inspired plant-based eatery, that caters to health-conscious patrons.
Sunshine Foss, a New Yorker who grew-up in Saint Lucia, owner of Happy Buds Brooklyn, and Happy Cork Brooklyn. “We carry the largest assortment of black-owned wines and spirits in the country. Happy Buds is a new business, it’s all about cannabis and CBD benefits. Our focus is on women, and black woman brands, and anything that does amazing things for our community,” said Foss.
MacDonald Romain, owner of Labay Market Exotic Import, at 1122 Nostrand Avenue opened in 2005. He harvests vegetables in his homeland of Grenada, others are sourced. From breadfruit, to soursop, genip, banana, papaya, mango. sugar apple, sapodilla, and passion fruit, can be found in his market.
The group, later sampled fare from plant-based restaurant Aunts & Uncles, before venturing on a walkabout in the Little Caribbean community.
