New Caribbean Food and Beverage Trade Show announced for Trinidad & Tobago

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

TrinidadandTobago, April 27, 2023 – The Caribbean Food and Beverage Trade Show, first in the region, was launched at Krave Restaurant, Marabella, Trinidad on Wednesday April 12th, and is set to début between June 28 and July 1, 2023, at the Macoya Centre of Excellence.

According to Rajiv Diptee, chair of the Caribbean Supermarket Association (CSA), the initiative is a collaborative effort of CSA, the Caricom Private Sector Organisation (CPSO), the Supermarket Association of TT (SATT) and Southex Promotions.

He said the event will feature exhibitors from the region, and is geared towards decreasing regional food imports by 25 per cent by the year 2025.

Additionally, it could potentially replace about $2 billion of imports, providing benefits for Trinidad and Tobago in the regional markets, as expressed by Diptee and Dr.Patrick Antoine, CPSO CEO and Technical Director of  CSA.  Also, foreign exchange is an expected benefit.

The occasion will see regional top chefs, restaurants, and personalities joining artisan, distillers, and winemakers to craft some Caribbean-touched, mouth-watering opportunities for visiting patrons, and it will comprise three components; a trade show, conference event, and a culinary food festival.

The conference aspect will present experts in the industry, allowing “us to lean into the regional conversations and cutting-edge trends that define the food security of today and tomorrow,” as stated by Diptee.

Organizers of the event are optimistic that it will become the meeting point for all categories of industry players in the region’s food and beverage sector, and that it will bring forth the opportunity to create new markets.