ROSE HALL, St James — The second annual staging of one of the Caribbean’s largest tradeshow on beauty and wellness, Jamaica International Beauty Expo (JIBE), being presented by Fontana Pharmacy, gets underway this weekend at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall.

The expo, which begins tomorrow and ends on Sunday — from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm daily — will be officially opened by Her Excellency Janet Omoleegho Olisa, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Jamaica, and features some 100 exhibitors, with several industry leading brands and micro, small and medium enterprises from the beauty, fashion and health/wellness industries being showcased.

The expo holds true to its theme, the ‘Business of Beauty’ with activities including discussions and workshops designed to further boost the links between the beauty industry and the wide economy.

JIBE has also stuck to another core value, that of creating trade links with the international market for opportunities for distribution and export.

The expo has attracted international exhibitors this year, including industry players in the Jamaican Diaspora in North America and a trade delegation from Ghana exhibiting products and services.

A key component of the expo is its focus on the building of local brands through the JIBE platform and creating a space for networking, and this year even more local brands have signed on, and will roll out exhibits on hair and skin products, as well as fashion.

The expo enjoyed a phenomenal start last year and based on this success, one of Jamaica’s leading supplier and distributor of beauty products, Fontana Pharmacy, has signed on as presenting sponsor.

Suzette Brown, JIBE coordinator, explained that from a production standpoint, the event will be bigger than last year.

“We are very happy to welcome on board Ascend Innovations and through our partnership with Elite Conceptz & Solutionz, the production aspect of the event will be amped up. Another feature that worked very well for us last year was the Kiddies Zone, where we incorporate activities that draw on the creative side of the children. We are adding as many touches as possible to add value for our attendees and exhibitors,” Brown stated.

The three-day tradeshow is also sponsored by the Jamaica Observer, SSMC Xpress International, Ettenio, Sagicor Bank, Alikay Naturals, Montego Bay Convention Centre, Access Financial Services and Life, Call Ambulance Services, Sea Garden Resort, Fern Tree Spa at Half Moon, among others.