Connect with us

Bahamas News

Super Value Eggs priced to save Consumers $5 per Dozen; now sourcing from Dominican Republic

Published

on

Deandrea Hamilton

Editor

 

The Bahamas, March 7, 2025 – Nearly 25,000 eggs were destroyed by the Agriculture Department of the Turks and Caicos  Islands, when officials learned that a local grocer sourced eggs from the Dominican Republic, without the requisite government approvals.  An effort (by that grocery store) which was likely driven by the need to meet the surging demand and beat the soaring prices.

The TCI Animal Health Ordinance 2024 mandates the confiscation and destruction of the commodities, and violators may be subject to fines or other penalties, said a government issued release which also explained why eggs from the DR are not approved for Turks and Caicos consumption.

“It is important to note that the Dominican Republic has not declared itself free from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, making it a high-risk zone for disease transmission into the TCI.”

The 24,840 eggs were discovered during a routine inspection of imports from the Dominican Republic on February 27, 2025.

While reaction to the decision has been mixed, other governments are under pressure to find relief in the cost of this item for consumers.

The Dominican Republic, according to media reports noticed the surge in demand years ago.  The Latino-Caribbean country, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti formulated a plan that is now paying off, tremendously.

News company, Dominican Today reports egg production for February and March in the DR has topped 350 million eggs.

“Since 2019, the country has implemented an avian influenza vaccination program to protect local production and stabilize the industry.  Egg exports have also surged, with shipments averaging 67 million units per month in 2024 to markets such as Cuba, Aruba, and Haiti.”

These days the list of clients has grown and includes the British Virgin Islands and more recently, The Bahamas.

Super Value and its chain of over a dozen stores had to find a solution and introduced Super Value branded eggs to the market with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Debra Symonette, President of Super Value, on Monday March 3, told Bahamian media: “The price of eggs has been soaring for months now, and we have been making every effort to bring these prices down. The bird flu has caused this. It’s been spreading across the US, and as a result, millions of chickens have been killed. As a result of the death of these birds, fewer eggs are being laid, and with the supply going down so significantly, the prices have continued to soar.”

The sticker shock spawned countless memes on social media; residents creating cell phone videos of the local price of eggs and sharing it online.  Super Value soon stopped labelling the eggs with the steep price tags and even announced it was prepared to take the loss for households in The Bahamas did not suffer.

Super Value soon proved that its diligence would cement a new connection; a new source market would drive egg prices per dozen to below $4USD.

“We’re all trying to bring down the price of eggs to a considerable, an acceptable amount and today, we’re glad to say that the Super Value chain of stores, they would [have] reached out to the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources, referenced the sources of eggs from some other areas who we’ve been trading with for a number of years, and we would have placed them in the hands of BAHFSA (The Bahamas Agricultural Health and Food Safety Authority) who is in charge all of those safety concerns, meeting all the requisite protocols and everything else,” said Neil Campbell,  permanent secretary.

Campbell also confirmed the new price.

“And today we are pleased to say that through that initiative, we now brought down the price of the eggs to $3.79. Once you add VAT it is now $4.78. So it’s another initiative brought on by the Ministry of Agriculture, where we would have heard the cries of the public, the nation, and received directives.”

Initially the new supplier was not revealed, but it did not take long for the Dominican Republic to be identified.  Almost simultaneously, it also became known that the Turks and Caicos destroyed eggs from the same country, for fear of lower safety standards.

Bahamians questioned whether The Bahamas government was allowing the grocery store chain to put public health at risk.  Super Value aimed to allay fears.

Tribune Bahamas reported: Clifton Fernander, Super Value’s perishables buyer, yesterday reiterated that the lower-priced eggs – sourced from outside the traditional US supply chain – had met all the Government’s health and safety regulatory requirements amid questions over their origin, date, quality and nutritional value. Super Value itself had also tested the eggs’ condition itself by boiling and frying them.

The Bahamas Agricultural Health & Food Safety Authority also issued a statement on March 6.

“BAFSA is in receipt of documents from the Government of the Dominican Republic verifying that the consignment of eggs for Super Value is in good sanitary condition, complies with current regulations, and is, therefore suitable for export and human consumption.”

The fear about eggs and the surge in its cost stem from an outbreak of avian influenza in the United States.

U.S. media reports inform: More than 20 million egg-laying chickens in the US died last quarter because of bird flu, data from the US Department of Agriculture shows.

Egg production plants began shutting down during the second quarter of 2024 due to the detection of the H5N1 strain of bird flu.  Initially costs edged up and then they more than doubled.

Beyond the frustrating costs now attached to this pantry staple, there has been cross contamination with deadly consequences for people.  Earlier this year, a Louisianna native died after contracting the virus.

“As of January 6, 2025, there have been 66 confirmed human cases of H5N1 bird flu in the United States since 2024 and 67 since 2022. This is the first person in the United States who has died as a result of an H5 infection,” informed a January 6, 2025 statement issued by the CDC.

Sourcing eggs to end the “shell shock” to Bahamian consumers was widely praised and residents rushed to Super Value stores to take advantage of the more cost effect product; savings are pegged at around $5 per dozen.

“We have some on the shelves now. People seem to have already gotten the word because people are in there now like crazy everywhere. We’re putting them out as fast as we can.”

Bahamas News

Twist To Win Ends in a Grand Style with Four $5,000 Mall at Marathon Shopping Sprees  

Published

on

Twist To Win grand finale winners (l-r) Brian Bethel, Taraceta Neely, Ashia Demeritte and Merlin Adams posing along with their winnings from the shopping spree.

NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers and distributors of Coca-Cola and Dasani products concluded their 10 weeklong Twist To Win campaign with four $5,000 Mall at Marathon shopping sprees.

The campaign which was available throughout the entire Bahamas allowed consumers to enter by purchasing a 20oz bottle with a yellow cap from the following brands: Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola No Sugar, Sprite, Fanta Orange, or Fanta Grape. Each yellow-cap had a unique alpha numeric code underneath which they submitted to the Twist To Win WhatsApp number.

With each qualifying purchase, participants residing in The Bahamas were entered to win instant prizes and into a grand prize draw to win one of four $5,000 shopping sprees at the Mall at Marathon.

Participants also enjoyed exciting instant prizes such as: Airpods, JBL Speakers, premium Coca-Cola merchandise, $500 Visa gift cards and Amazon, Spotify and Apple Music digital gift cards.

Out of 76,000 plus submissions, Brian Bethel, Ashia Demeritte, Merlin Adams, and Taraceta Neely won the coveted Mall at Marathon shopping sprees at the following select stores, Kelly’s House & Home, The Sports Center, John Bull, Brass & Leather, and BTC.

Leading up to the grand finale shopping spree, Coca-Cola hosted a Trivia Showdown with the eight finalists to determine the four winners. Finalists were tested on their knowledge of World History, Pop Culture, Caribbean Bottling Company and Coca-Cola Facts!

After a few rousing rounds of trivia, the four winners were declared after each winning their spot in the shopping spree by answering their questions correctly and choosing the “Grand Prize” Coca-Cola labeled bottles at random.

The morning of the shopping spree Coca-Cola gave the winners exclusive access to the Mall at Marathon and its participating stores before their usual operating hours. Grand prize winners were greeted with wide smiles from Coca-Cola brand representatives and morning bites before the big event.

At the start of the thirty-minute clock the grand prize winners along with each of their Coca-Cola shopping assistants ran to the various stores collecting items in their arms and carts.

Merlin Adams, a husband and father of four was proud to have executed his game-plan at the end of the shopping spree. With toys, a new phone and materials for his home from Kelly’s, Adams felt accomplished in what he gathered.

Taraceta Neely, a winner from Eleuthera collected beautiful bags for herself and relatives from Brass and Leather and Brian Bethel bought matching athletic and outdoor wear from The Sports Center for his family.

The final winner Ashia Demeritte bought linens and household items in addition to a new phone from BTC right in time for Christmas.

Caribbean Bottling Company is proud to share the real magic of Coca-Cola with the grand prize winners and the may instant prize winners across the Twist To Win campaign. For more updates on new products, promotions, and events follow www.cbcbahamas.com.

Continue Reading

Bahamas News

 The Coca-Cola Art Project Astonishes Art Lovers at The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival  

Published

on

NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers and distributors of Coca-Cola and Dasani products displayed their astonishing Coca-Cola Art Project (CCAP), during Baha Mar’s five-day Culinary & Arts Festival.                                                                                                                                                                              Earlier this year, Coca-Cola partnered with The University of The Bahamas’ Visual Art and Design Department for a culturally rich art competition. UB’s art students were challenged to create pieces surrounding the theme, Bahamian music.

As a result, 20 student works of art were made, with four students declared as winners at the CCAP exhibit opening in Baha Mar’s ECCHO: Art Gallery in August. To recreate the culturally stimulating magic felt at the exhibit’s premiere, the CCAP was featured at the FUZE Art Tent during The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival.

Nine incredible pieces of art lined the walls of the Coca-Cola Art Project, four of which included the winning pieces from Jhanaisia Cole, with ‘Gaulin Bride’; Alyssa Pinder, with ‘Shotgun Wedding’; Nelson Gray, with ‘Untitled’; and Jaela Bowe, with the piece ‘Whims of Obeah, a Folktail’.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Additionally, an intimate listening room was built. It displayed students’ artistic processes, UB Visual Art and Design representatives, and a recap of the exhibit opening for audiences.

Art enthusiasts also enjoyed premium limited-edition CCAP keepsakes at the booth. Journals which featured a collage of all 20 student submissions on the front and back cover, postcards with an art piece on the cover along with the student’s name, title, dimension and materials on the back and pens designed with the CCAP’s dynamic logo.

Throughout the art festival diverse groups of people visited the art tent taking in the displays while enjoying the artistic insights from the listening booth.

Community and culture are always at the forefront of Caribbean Bottling Community, and it was boldly showcased during The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival for the third consecutive year.

For more details on the Coca-Cola Art Project, events and new products visit www.cbcbahamas.com today!

Continue Reading

Bahamas News

CWS Brings a Galore of Bubbles at Annual Jollification Festival  

Published

on

Caribbean Wines & Spirits team members smiling behind one of the company’s two bars at Jollification

NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor delighted Jollification attendees with bubbles from their Bottega and Bouvet Ladubay sparkling wines and Besserat de Bellefon champagne lines.

Located in the Monument Circle on The Retreat grounds, CWS transformed The Retreat Garden into a lush lounge with Besserat, Bouvet and their latest product addition, Bottega, during the two-day affair.

The festivities kicked off Friday during BNT Member’s Night. Guests enjoyed exclusive offerings from CWS’s catalogue, offered exclusively to members.  Complimentary mixes or glasses on the rocks included El Tequileno tequila, Hard Truth whiskey, House of Angostura rum, Cross Keys gin, Nemiroff vodka and a slew of wines such as Fonesca Bin, Bottega and Besserat.

Guests also savored the ‘Jolly Paloma’ cocktail, an instant favorite made with El Tequileno tequila, Schweppes Grapefruit and Domaine de Paris rose wine.  To end the night, guests were treated to branded limited-edition wine tumblers as keepsakes.

On Saturday and Sunday, Jollification attendees delighted in glasses or bottles of champagne and sparkling brut or rosé wines while taking in the comfort of the chic lounge.  In addition to purchasing bottles for onsite consumption, consumers were also able to purchase bottles as gifts whether for themselves or someone special.

The sophisticated “bubble lounge” lounge was decked with velvet couches, gold rimmed cocktail tables, blue and pink pillows, and a white floral branded backdrop created for capturing the perfect picture.

Caribbean Wines & Spirits, a historic partner of the Bahamas National Trust was pleased to support Jollification 2025 to kick off the festive season and share their expansive range of spirits.

To keep up to date with all CWS products and events, visit their website at www.cwsbahamas.com today.

Continue Reading

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

TRENDING