BIDC launches campaign in Canada
Wednesday May 11 2011 | 06:39 AM

THE Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC) is launching a major promotional campaign in Canada to regain market share for Barbadian foods in specialty stores and major retail chains there.

BIDC’s Executive Director of Export Development and Promotion, Ms. Sonja Trotman, has announced the initiative following her recent return to Barbados from a one-week visit to Toronto, Canada.

Trotman revealed that increased promotional efforts will be undertaken with the placement of advertisements in relevant publications in Toronto. There will also be food sampling exercises, “as well as the use of shelf talkers and posters at major locations,” she said, noting that these initiatives have already been discussed with some store owners and will be executed in consultations with importers.distributors.

Trotman said that while there, discussions were hosted with Invest Barbados, the Trade facilitation Office Canada, and other parties interested in working with the Barbadian products.

“Coming out of those talks, we propose to expand our efforts with the view of implementing a programme designed to launch Barbadian products in specialty stores as well as in major Canadian food chains,” she said.

“This is also being done in support of our findings which suggest that while Barbadian food products are very well known and appreciated by West Indians and Canadians alike, there is now a need to regain consumers’ interest in these products through the introduction of a promotional campaign designed to revive interest,” she said.

She also said that meetings with Regent Distribution, the major importer/distributor of several Barbadian products catering largely to the West Indian community, and visits to retail outlets carrying West Indian products revealed that more promotion and marketing is necessary to enhance the awareness of the Barbadian products to this segment of the market.

“Most store owners confirmed that the Barbadian products were good sellers, especially condiments and beverages, prior to the fall off,” Trotman said.

Barbadian exports to Canada declined from Bds$19.3 million in 2009 to Bds$15.2 million at the end of last year. The visit by the BIDC personnel was intended to deepen relationships with the trade facilitation advisers and importers in the market in an effort to improve and expand distribution of the products.

The BIDC also participated in the Good Food Festival trade show, exhibiting local products as part of efforts to enhance Canadian consumers’ awareness and knowledge of their use, so as to build on sales and ultimately increase exports.

But while taking steps to expand distribution, Trotman said that full support of suppliers will be necessary to ensure that a consistent supply of products is always available. “Consistent availability was expressed by operators of the retail outlets as being one of the major concerns. While commending consumers for their loyalty, they expressed the view that they are often disappointed as the products are not always available,” she noted. 

Exhibiting at the Good Food festival was the start for the campaign. Coordinated by the BIDC’s Business development Officer, Ms. Leslie Austin, sampling was done for a number of products including rum cakes, biscuits and cookies, condiments, sauces, and beverages, both aerated and those made from syrups.