KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaican condiment and seasoning manufacturer King Pepper Products has re-entered the Canadian market after participating in a JAMPRO-led trade mission to Canada in 2016.

A news release from JAMPRO disclosed that the company, which was joined by six other Jamaican manufacturers, was able to secure a distributor for its Eaton’s line of products, and received its first container order to Canada late last year.

King Pepper’s Managing Director Christine Wong said her company was focused on maintaining its presence in the North American market due to the large Diaspora base in the United States and Canada. She described her experience on the mission as fruitful, saying, “The Canada mission was well organised”, adding that “it was an asset to the mission that JAMPRO has a Toronto office, and I feel that it was a significant reason for the trip’s success. Buyer feedback to our Eaton’s products was extremely positive. They were particularly impressed with our packaging and wide product range.”

JAMPRO said it has focused on Canada as a key export market for Jamaican products due to the large Jamaican Diaspora and changing food consumption trends flavouring ethnic foods.

It is estimated that there are over 300,000 people of Jamaican descent in the country, and that the Caribbean food market is valued at US$10 million and growing five per cent annually.

The Agency said it has utilised its roster of distributors of Caribbean products in Canada to bring more Jamaican products to the country, and has developed a close relationship with the top importers. Together these importers/distributors account for 50 per cent of the Canadian ethnic food market.

Congratulating the company’s success, Vice President of Export and Market Development Robert Scott said that JAMPRO has a strategy in place to support Jamaican companies that wanted to maintain their presence in Jamaica’s traditional and non-traditional export markets. Jamaica exported over US$181,056,624 worth of goods to Canada in 2015, consisting mainly of aluminium oxide according to the International Trade Centre (ITC).

JAMPRO said it wants to increase agro-processed exports to boost this figure. VP Scott called on Jamaican exporters to be more pro-active in reaching out to JAMPRO for market intelligence, advice and contacts in the Canadian market, as the Agency works more aggressively to bring more locally manufactured products to Canadian shelves.