All is now set for National Baking Company’s Jamaican Made Christmas, scheduled for November 26 and 27 at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

A total of 90 exhibitors will have items on sale at the two-day expo for small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses across the country.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for shoppers to get excellent gift items at great prices just in time for Christmas,” Tiffany Wong, who is in charge of special projects in the office of the chairman at National, told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.

Wong also made a special appeal for shoppers to support the charities that will have items on sale. They include Mustard Seed Communities, Laws Street Trade Training Centre, Alpha Boys Home, Deaf Can! Coffee, and The Step Centre.

The charities receive a waiver on the fee to exhibit. At the same time, all other exhibitors are required to pay a commitment fee to secure their spot. However, the fee will be fully refunded at the end of the event.

National Baking Company Chairman and CEO Gary “Butch” Hendrickson, who conceptualised the trade show, reiterated that it is aimed at giving small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses a platform to reach a larger audience than their resources may otherwise allow.

The 90 exhibitors were chosen from a flood of more than 200 applicants who have come to realise the true benefits of the event, which is now in its third year and which also promotes the culture of supporting Jamaican entrepreneurs and products by buying local.

Hendrickson has said that the most common feedback his company receives is the level of exposure the event gives to entrepreneurs.

“The event keeps growing, and after each event we carefully dissect it to see how businesses and customers could get even more value,” Hendrickson said. “For example, last year we implemented the entrance charge, which saw shoppers paying a fee which was reissued to them in shopping vouchers. This year we are inviting new businesses while giving shoppers more variety to choose from.”

The event will run from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm each day.