Jamaica should look to China for business opportunities - Go Jamaica

Jamaica should look to China for business opportunities - News - Go-Jamaica Listen to Live Jamaican Radio, Listen to Power 106 FM 24x7. Click Here to Listen Free | (Advertisement) | News Home | News | Sports | Business News Jamaica should look to China for business opportunities

2012-07-11 17:09:34 | (0 Comments)

Debbie-Ann Wright, News Editor
The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre

Transport and Works Minister, Dr. Omar Davies, is imploring members of the Jamaican private sector to look to China as a viable market for their goods.

Speaking today at a forum on doing business with China, Dr. Davies said while Jamaican businesses have always had a relationship with China, it has primarily been through the importation of Chinese goods.

He says while this has helped to bring more affordable goods to Jamaicans, it?s time for Jamaican businesses to broaden their horizon as it relates to doing business with the Chinese.

Investment and commerce minister, Anthony Hylton, who also spoke at the function, says the strategic approach to exporting to China should focus on high-value niche products.

He says these are products such as Blue Mountain coffee and Appleton rum.

In the meantime, Dr. Davies is urging Jamaican businesses not to see Chinese investment in Jamaica as a threat.

He says they should instead look for ways to exploit opportunities created by these investments.

The Chinese have been making considerable investments in Jamaica, with one of the most recent being an agreement for a Chinese company to complete the North South Link of Highway 2000 and the Mount Rosser bypass.

The same company, China Harbour Engineering Company Limited, is also the main contractor on the $400 million Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme.

debbie-ann.wright@gleanerjm.com
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Western foods provide big opportunities in China - Jamaica Gleaner

Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter

COURTNEY SPENCE, who describes himself as a partner in a growing restaurant business in China, says there is "a huge demand for Western foods" in that country and Jamaicans should seek to take advantage of such business opportunities.

Spence said yesterday that his restaurant serves up Jamaican and other Western foods to the palates of people in the Far East.

He was among scores of persons who attended a Doing Business with China forum staged jointly by the Jamaica-China Friendship Association and the Chinese Embassy at the Wyndham Kingston hotel in New Kingston.

He argued that foreigners in China have been craving for a taste other than that which Chinese food offers.

"With our spicy ingredients, it gives a better flavour for the Africans. When we opened the restaurants, a lot of Africans and Indians come there because we are offering the spicy food."

Spence also said Jamaican liquor is a hit in China, and so too is the island's national dish.

"They have sampled the ackee and the salt fish and they love it," he said.

He told The Gleaner that Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is popular in China, but claimed that there is a widespread practice of business people using the Blue Mountain name to market low-grade coffee there.

Spence also said there was tremendous opportunity for proof-readers and editors in China. He has encouraged Jamaicans to go to China and experience the business opportunities there and then seek to take advantage.

China is the world's second-largest economy after the United States. It is the world's fastest-growing major economy, with growth rates averaging 10 per cent over the past 30 years. The country is also the largest exporter and second-largest importer of goods in the world.

Spence said he was among the many people who saw the business opportunity in the Far East and sought to take advantage. He was in the business of buying used cameras in China and selling them in the Caribbean.

However, his entry into the restaurant business came by accident. He said that in 2000, during one of his regular business trips to China, he was swindled out of his money by Chinese businessmen.

"I lost everything, so I had to spend a year there. I taught English and during that year, because I did not like eating from the Chinese restaurants, I started doing my own cooking," Spence said.

"The local friends that I was with liked the cooking, so we started a partnership to do a restaurant. The restaurant grew. I then was drafted for politics in Jamaica and I had to return home."

Airport restaurant

Spence, who was at the time seeking to gain the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) nomination to contest South St Andrew in the 2002 election, said the restaurant business in China has grown. He said there are now six restaurants and that his business partners are seeking to start a Jamaican restaurant at the Shanghai Airport.

Fay Pickersgill, chairman of the Jamaica-China Friendship Association, said that body would be taking a delegation to China and has extended an invitation to Jamaicans to take advantage of the opportunity.

The dates for the trip are September 7 to 27. It will cost US$7,500 each for double occupancy and US$8,500 for single. The money will cover airfare, accommodation, inland travel, meals and attractions.

Liu Lei, a commercial councillor in the Chinese Embassy, said Jamaicans going to China to do business should recognise that the culture there is based on relationships.

"It is appropriate to bring a gift, particularly something representative of your firm or region to a business meeting or event. This will play an important part in your business relationship," she said.

She also said the senior personnel in organisations should be presented with gifts that are perceived to be of a higher value than those given to subordinates.

daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com

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Big business opportunities for local producers - Jamaica Observer

Business

Expo Jamaica 2012

BY PAUL ALLEN Business reporter allenp@jamaicaobserver.com

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

EXPO Jamaica 2012 has been lauded as a major success, having created promising business opportunities for local producers.

The four-day trade show, which ended Sunday, saw over 200 local companies showcasing their products to 380 buyers from 24 countries.

"The response has been very positive," said a manager of Wallenford Coffee Company, while standing by his company booth which was decorated with dried coffee beans and barrels, as other members of staff give passers-by cups of the hot beverage, a draw for many.

The Wallenford executive said that although the company already has a strong distribution network, both locally and overseas, it has benefited from additional interest arising from the expo.

"For example there was somebody from Guyana who said the product was not being distributed there, so there's the possibility of reintroducing Jamaica Blue Mountain (coffee) back to Guyana," he noted.

One satisfied patron stated, "the interest in Jamaica and all things Jamaican remains", echoing the general sentiment from nearly all those questioned by the Jamaica Observer.

Coza International, a US-based distributor of Caribbean foods, said they have identified at least four companies in Jamaica with which they would like to do business.

"I am finding a lot more products this year. Caribbean foods are a growing industry, and we are trying to introduce as many Jamaican products to our Miami and New York markets," Coaza International President Darsham Lam told the Business Observer.

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Own Your Own Jamaica Blue Cafe Franchise Business!

The Jamaica Blue brand offers a unique point of difference, with consumer experiences that tie back to Jamaica, its culture and idyllic setting. This gives our customers the opportunity to relax and escape -- to take a moment and savour a great cup of coffee and delicious, freshly prepared food. When you own a Jamaica Blue Cafe Franchise Business, you're never alone. With extensive training and operational support, a Jamaica Blue franchisee has all the tools they need to run the most successful business.

To find out more information about Jamaica Blue business opportunities, please visit http://www.jamaicablue.com.au/

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Own Your Own Jamaica Blue Cafe Franchise Business!

The Jamaica Blue brand offers a unique point of difference, with consumer experiences that tie back to Jamaica, its culture and idyllic setting. This gives our customers the opportunity to relax and escape -- to take a moment and savour a great cup of coffee and delicious, freshly prepared food. When you own a Jamaica Blue Cafe Franchise Business, you're never alone. With extensive training and operational support, a Jamaica Blue franchisee has all the tools they need to run the most successful business.

To find out more information about Jamaica Blue business opportunities, please visit http://www.jamaicablue.com.au/

View the original article here

Own Your Own Jamaica Blue Cafe Franchise Business!

The Jamaica Blue brand offers a unique point of difference, with consumer experiences that tie back to Jamaica, its culture and idyllic setting. This gives our customers the opportunity to relax and escape -- to take a moment and savour a great cup of coffee and delicious, freshly prepared food. When you own a Jamaica Blue Cafe Franchise Business, you're never alone. With extensive training and operational support, a Jamaica Blue franchisee has all the tools they need to run the most successful business.

To find out more information about Jamaica Blue business opportunities, please visit http://www.jamaicablue.com.au/

View the original article here

Own Your Own Jamaica Blue Cafe Franchise Business!

The Jamaica Blue brand offers a unique point of difference, with consumer experiences that tie back to Jamaica, its culture and idyllic setting. This gives our customers the opportunity to relax and escape -- to take a moment and savour a great cup of coffee and delicious, freshly prepared food. When you own a Jamaica Blue Cafe Franchise Business, you're never alone. With extensive training and operational support, a Jamaica Blue franchisee has all the tools they need to run the most successful business.

To find out more information about Jamaica Blue business opportunities, please visit www.jamaicablue.com.au

View the original article here

Own Your Own Jamaica Blue Cafe Franchise Business!

The Jamaica Blue brand offers a unique point of difference, with consumer experiences that tie back to Jamaica, its culture and idyllic setting. This gives our customers the opportunity to relax and escape -- to take a moment and savour a great cup of coffee and delicious, freshly prepared food. When you own a Jamaica Blue Cafe Franchise Business, you're never alone. With extensive training and operational support, a Jamaica Blue franchisee has all the tools they need to run the most successful business.

To find out more information about Jamaica Blue business opportunities, please visit www.jamaicablue.com.au

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BUSINESS: Panmedia launches Tenders Jamaica app - Go Jamaica

Panmedia launches Tenders Jamaica app - Business - Go-Jamaica Listen to Live Jamaican Radio, Listen to Power 106 FM 24x7. Click Here to Listen Free | (Advertisement) | News Home | News | Sports | Business | Caribbean | International Business Panmedia launches Tenders Jamaica app

2012-01-17 14:05:33 | (0 Comments)

Details of government bids for goods and services can now be obtained on a new Blackberry application developed by digital agency Panmedia.

The app, Tenders Jamaica, can be downloaded at BlackBerry App World and offers the latest and most accurate tenders and procurement information, Panmedia said in a statement today.

It said users get easy access to tender information from both public and private entities, and was an invaluable source of information for business opportunities and market intelligence.

Panmedia said the app pulled its content from Tenders Jamaica, a Panmedia Network website updated weekly with available contracts. The app displays only critical information in a concise format and users can submit their own tenders, which will be included in the listing after verification, the company said.

The Tenders Jamaica app is compatible with all BlackBerry devices with OS5 and above, and uses a small install footprint and minimal network resources.

In addition to Blackberry App World, the app is also downloadable from Panmedia?s website, www.panmedia.com.jm and from http://www.tendersjamaica.com.jm

?This app provides potential suppliers with all the necessary tender information to find, bid and win the best contracts,? the statement quoted Panmedia?s lead developer Vivian Gordon as saying.

Panmedia?s chief executive officer Knolly Moses said ?it gives a competitive edge to those with the app on their phone.? He added: ?It is a practical solution for busy executives who use new communications technology to advance their business.?

Panmedia develops mobile applications across all platforms, using JAVA and WebWorks development for Blackberry applications. The digital agency has developed apps for weather updates, business and art events and for converting foreign currency.

business@gleanerjm.com
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Cultivating the best of opportunities - Farmers diversify crops to gain new markets - Jamaica Gleaner

Grace Smith and her husband, Tedius, go through the rows of sweet peper plants at their greenhouse in Mafoota, St James. - Photo by Mark TitusMark Titus, Gleaner Writer WESTERN BUREAU: Despite a decline in business over the past year, veteran farmer Grace Smith is determined to make the best of the opportunities given to her. "I simply love farming. It gives me a sense of satisfaction. The freedom of being your own boss is something more valuable than anything money can buy," she said when Western Focus visited her farm in Mafoota, St James, on Tuesday. "I have been a farmer for almost 30 years. If it was not for the love of agriculture, I would have left a long time, but this is my life. I would not do anything else." Smith cultivates vegetables and is a leading member of the Mafoota Farmers' Cooperative, formed over a decade ago. She benefited from a supply deal under the Sandals-Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) project. As part of the project, the hotel provides the farmers with vegetable seeds and marketing opportunities, while RADA assists with technical support. Supplying some of the more prominent resorts in the region, Smith and her husband, Tedius, have established themselves as among the most reliable suppliers of fresh vegetables. Cabbage, carrots, callaloo, lettuce, zucchini, yellow squash, and other produce from the farm make their way, not only to the hotels, but also to local markets for consumers. Demand shrinking Smith's career in farming, which began in the 1970s, has managed to school her six children. However, things have not been the same in recent times, with requests for produce from her seven and a half acres farm declining. "Farming is a challenge. Sometimes it is good, but sometimes it is bad," she said pensively. "It is hard to invest so much in fertiliser, pesticides, and all that is needed to produce crops at the level that it is needed but not have enough market to supply." Apart from fulfilling their contractual obligations, the Smiths can be found at the Charles Gordon Market in Montego Bay, St James, each week. "With the fluctuation in demand, we have to do everything to get our produce out there. So when you come to the market, just ask for the lady with the best callaloo, and they will all point to me," Smith stated.

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Think big in 2012! US ambassador urges Portland Chamber to dare to be different - Jamaica Gleaner

Think big in 2012! US ambassador urges Portland Chamber to dare to be different - Lead Stories - Jamaica Gleaner - Saturday | January 14, 2012 Saturday | January 14, 2012 Kingston           Home Lead Stories News Sports Entertainment Business Letters Commentary Flair Health World News Lifestyle In Focus Auto Social Outlook Food Art & Leisure Classifieds Jobs Photos Radio Mobile Version
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Think big in 2012! US ambassador urges Portland Chamber to dare to be different Published: Saturday | January 14, 2012 Comments 0

Gareth Davis, Gleaner Writer PORT ANTONIO, Portland: UNITED STATES (US) ambassador to Jamaica, Pamela Bridgewater, has urged the Portland Chamber of Commerce to be a stronger voice within the tourist industry and to do more to capitalise on business opportunities. Bridgewater was addressing the chamber's annual general meeting at the Port Antonio Marina on Thursday. She told the gathering that it was important that the chamber maximise the benefits that are available and use the various avenues of economic trade opportunities between Jamaica and the US. "We challenge you to make exports to the US favourable to Jamaicans. We know that small businesses - such as those in Portland and other places - comprise the bulk of this parish economy and, therefore, I think that you are missing a very important business opportunity. We stand ready to work with you, to assist your business community, and to explore the tremendous potential of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI). Think big in 2012. Don't stay where you are. Explore, as the sky is the limit for you." Opportunities to explore Bridgewater said over 90 per cent of Jamaica's exports to the US can enter that market duty-free under the CBI or under the Generalised System of Preferences. "Jamaican exporters are not taking full advantage of this opportunity. Jamaica's ginger is of the highest quality in terms of its benefit to individuals, its taste, flavour, and its properties. I know that those who grow ginger are looking for ginger capital. And if those who have capital would put some of that capital together, perhaps those individuals could go ahead and market this ginger in places around the world, bringing value added to Jamaica and Jamaicans." rural@gleanerjm.com

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Find solutions to problems, package your skills this year - Jamaica Observer

WITH the excitement of the holidays and the elections behind us, one thing everyone can agree on is 2012 will be a tough year and all Jamaicans could do with extra money. So what are the areas in which one can earn extra income?

According to money coach and founder of Financially SMART Services, Cherryl Hanson Simpson, one should think about finding solutions to people's problems, package the skills you have, and tap into the global market through the Internet.

"Regardless on the size of your business, you have to understand, entrepreneurs make money by solving people's problems. There are opportunities wherever you can provide a service or product to someone. It could be at your school, your workplace or church, wherever people are gathered. Try to think about what is it that people want that they are willing to pay money for," she said.

"For example, one of the problems at many workplaces is that many people don't have breakfast; this could be a business opportunity. It doesn't have to be something as big as ackee and saltfish; it could be something simple like waffles or fritters -- whatever I can serve to my co-workers to make a few extra dollars," Hanson Simpson said.

Setting a target that you are working towards helps one to be more focused on what is needed to make the business successful. If you need money to pay for a particular item or pay for a credit card debt, knowing how much you need helps you set weekly and help in the pricing of goods or services, she suggested.

Hanson Simpson also said that Jamaicans need to tap into the global market via the Internet if they want to grow their small business outside the island. Affiliate marketing and auction websites like eBay are great ways to take your business to the international market.

"It's not enough to say nut'n nah gwaan in Jamaica; people all over the world are establishing businesses on the Internet. There are ways for people to link up and do business without it costing them a cent. It doesn't have to be an extensive business, it can be a niche market," she the money coach whose website address is www.financiallysmart.org.

"Not because things are tough in Jamaica, not everyone is poor. Remember the money that is leaving your pocket is going into someone else's pocket. There are countries in the world, such as China where hundreds of millionaires are being made," Hanson Simpson said.

She also suggested that Jamaicans take advantage of the unique products available in the island and sell them to the world; spices, herbs, handmade jewellery are some that come to mind.

Hanson Simpson further encouraged Jamaicans to read and learn about business through books and online.

"If you don't have a computer at home, there are many Internet cafés around which offer Internet service for as little as $500 for half an hour. One of the books I recommend is Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. Almost everybody I speak to who has read that book has developed some business idea from it," she said.

One way to make extra money is to attractively package the skills you have and teach them to others.

"The new economy is not about what you have; it's about what you know. It's about understanding how to make money from what you know," she said.

HANSON SIMPSON... there are opportunities wherever you can provide a service or product to someone

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