MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica - Sacha
Cosmetics, a well-known beauty brand founded in 1979 in the twin island Republic
of Trinidad and Tobago is the winner of the inaugural Caribbean Exporter of the
Year Awards.
The family-owned business claimed the top accolade from a
field nine nominees drawn from across the region as the curtains came down on
the 3rd CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum held in collaboration with
ACP Business Climate facility (BizClim) between April 15 and 16 at the Hilton
Rose Hall Beach & Spa Resort.
Sacha Cosmetics was started 35 years ago and is currently
distributed in 23 countries and sold online in North America. The company
started with a vision, “to develop a cosmopolitan brand of cosmetics which
would look equally exquisite on all skin tones”, according to Founder and
Managing Director Kama Maharaj.
In 2013 the company was appointed sole supplier of cosmetics
to the largest distribution company in Cuba with 2,179 retail outlets. Its
products have been used by numerous
makeup artistes at major international beauty events and among other
achievements, Sacha was the official cosmetics for the 1999 Miss Universe
contest, the 2000 Miss USA Pageant, the 2011 Miss Bahamas Pageant and the 2014 Miss Panama Pageant.
Thanking Caribbean Export for recognition, Mr. Maharaj said “Sacha’s
philosophy is that a woman’s make up must enhance her natural beauty, not hide
it. Over the years we have committed ourselves to building a powerful brand.”
He declared, “We don’t make cosmetics, we make women look
more beautiful…In fact, we do not sell cosmetics, we sell hope”, he jokingly
told the audience that broke out in fits of laughter and applause.
The award seeks to recognize the firm which has achieved
significant exporting success and whose brand epitomizes Caribbean Export’s philosophy
of “Taking Caribbean Excellence to the World.”
Commendations to Sacha came from the President of the Private
Sector Organization of Jamaica, William Mahfood, the guest speaker at the
Awards Ceremony, and from Caribbean Export’s Executive Director, Pamela Coke
Hamilton.
“We deemed it absolutely necessary to give due respect to our
region’s exporters, companies that have played a significant role in
strengthening our economies and generating foreign exchange”, said
Coke-Hamilton.
She noted that many of the companies had generated employment
opportunities and helped to influence a strong favourable perception of the
Caribbean brand both regionally and internationally.
Mr. Mahfood said manufacturing and exporting in the Caribbean
was a daily challenge “so I take my hat off to you and I congratulate you for
all that you do.”
Awards were presented in six other categories.
The Young Exporter of the Year was awarded to a company, whose
principal shareholder is no older than 35 years, and was copped by Trinidadian
sleep systems manufacturer Advanced Foam Limited, winning from a field of eight
nominees.
The Green Exporter of the Year Award, which recognizes an
exporter that has invested in green technologies and integrated alternative
energy solution into its operation leading to export success, went to Nand
Persaud and Company Limited, a rice milling complex in Guyana whose products
are on grocery shelves worldwide. From producing one ton of rice per hour in
1992, the company now has the capability of producing up to six tons of
parboiled rice and eight tons of white rice per hour. The company recycles all
of its rice shell to power all its machines, including paddy dryers, and is
looking to expand production capacity by ten percent next year.
Gopex International of Suriname emerged the victor from a
field of ten nominees for the Emerging Exporter of the Year award which
recognizes a new export business that has entered the export market over the
last three years, and which is experiencing significant success.
The Caribbean Export Choice Award was given to the exporter,
which exemplifies great drive and determination to export products and services
globally was claimed by SMAKS Luxury Group of Trinidad and Tobago, producers of
the world’s first tea-infused Chai rum.
The Special Award for Excellence in Service Export recognises
an outstanding Caribbean firm whose primary area of business is the provision
of services with global reach was won by, GeoTech Vision from Jamaica.
Jamaican agro-processor Denese Palmer of Southside
Distributors of Jamaica was adjudged as the Female Exporter of the Year as the
curtains came down on a successful 2-day CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum organized
by the Caribbean Export Development Agency
in collaboration with the ACP Business Climate facility (BizClim).
The ACP Business Climate Facility (BizClim) is a programme of the ACP
Secretariat financed by the European Union under the 10th European Development
Fund (EDF). It aims at fostering a business enabling environment for the
Private Sector in ACP countries and regions by improving legislation,
institutional frameworks and financial measures.
