Caribbean Export OUTLOOK 3rd Edition

83 Our Competitive Advantage

Joanna Edghill of Megapower Ltd. / Photo Credit: Jaryd Niles-Morris

emblematic of a truly entrepreneurial spirit, but also serves the sustainable development of the Caribbean region by raising environmental awareness and the promotion of the use of renewables. While the historical economic foundation of the region was based on the exploitation of its environmental assets, such as the production of sugar and bananas, so too will future development. The region’s environmental assets (e.g. strategic tropical location, marine environment, unique flora and fauna, renewable energy), coupled with our historical legacies and cultures that represent the Caribbean as a brand in food and beverages, sport and the cultural industries, provide the potential for the sustainable development of the region. Across the region women are pioneering in these areas. The enterprising spirit of Caribbean women is however not geographically confined to those residing in the region; the diaspora, another underexploited asset of the region, is also playing a role. Kreyol Essence is a producer of ‘Natural and Ethical Beauty Products from Haiti’ , 12 sustainably exploiting both the natural assets of the region and the Caribbean as a brand . The genesis of this company is rooted in its founder Yves-Car Momperousse’s ‘hair catastrophe’. While residing in Philadelphia, a lack of access to her usual saviour, Haitian Black Castor Oil, led to the founding of Kreyol Essence, an agri-business which currently has its

head office in the USA and a farm in Thiotte, Haiti. But this is no simple story of just discovering an opportunity and bringing a new product to market. This is a story of a successful developmental intervention in Haiti, a country devastated by a major earthquake in 2010, which resulted in Yve-Car being named the Female Exporter of the Year in 2016 by Caribbean Export. This social enterprise encapsulates many of the principles seen when profiling women-owned businesses in the region; niche product development, participation in high value-added activities, export generation, an entrepreneurial spirit, and the exploitation of the environmental and brand assets of the region. KE is clearly focused on sustainability with respect to the economic, social and environmental development of Haiti: ‘As a social business, we are obsessed with economic development, empowering women, and taking care of our environment. This is Not About Hand-Outs. Sassy, funny and exuding with confidence our hard-working and uncompromising Haitian employees and team do not request charity, but rather jobs.’ 90% of Kreyol Essence's staff are women… 350 farmers, women producers and men hired… 100,000 castor trees planted and 150+ hectares cultivated.’ 13