In an era defined by resilience and innovation, the 2025 Trade and Investment Convention (TIC) is proving to be more than just a trade show—it’s a launchpad for small businesses ready to scale, export, and thrive.
At TIC, the spotlight isn’t reserved for conglomerates.
From artisan snacks to eco-friendly packaging solutions, micro and small enterprises are commanding attention.
Over 90 small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) have taken the stage, many of which started during the pandemic and have since evolved into recognizable supermarket brands.
The Sunday Business Guardian visited the TIC on Friday and spoke to SMEs to garner what they hope to achieve from this year’s event.
Like many small entities, Heavenly Images was born during the COVID-19 pandemic and for Sasiya Albert of Mayaro, it was a dream come true.
From an assortment of body butters to an array of other skin care products Albert already has a few international clients based in the US and the UK.
The best sellers, she said, remain the body butters.
“In different climates, they pay attention to their skin especially when it gets really cold or hot,” Albert said, adding that she sources ingredients, such as bees wax, from local suppliers.
Albert, who wants to expand her footprint to “colder countries” soon, had a booth at the TIC for a second time, and is hoping to establish deeper networking opportunities like so many other SMEs who attended.
For others, like Tonči Chocolates, a family-run business from Tobago, attending the TIC was also an opportunity to launch a new chocolate bar-70 per cent espresso.
Founded in 2018 by Randy and Carlina Taylor from Plymouth, their small business specialises in creating high-quality chocolate and coffee products, using locally sourced ingredients such as cocoa beans from Tobago and Robusta coffee beans from Trinidad.
The brand is named after Carlina’s second son, Tonči, who died in 2017 from brain cancer at two and a half years and who loved cocoa tea.
The business was established to honour his memory.
“At first, making chocolate was just a coping mechanism for us and it was something to remember him by. But then we wanted the world to know about him and we wanted to create a legacy in his name by doing the chocolates and letting persons share in what he loved and what we love,” Carlina explained.
While forex remains a challenge, Carlina said she has found innovative ways to work around the situation like using credit cards.
In taking the business forward, Carlina plans to source beans from other islands throughout the Caribbean and incorporate them into her chocolate bars to have an offering of different flavour profiles.
Enabling regional expansion
The TIC 2025 also is proving to be a gamechanger for regional businesses across the Caribbean.
Janique McKenzie is a senior business development officer at Jamaica’s Caribbean Flavors and Fragrances Ltd, which specialises in the manufacturing and distribution of flavours and fragrances for the food, beverage, baking, and confectionery industries. She represented the Jamaica Manufacturers Association at the TIC for a third time.
“We hope to achieve better inroads with the customers here, who we would interact with at TIC and trust that it would be a lucrative partnership,” McKenzie explained.
While she too agreed that foreign exchange remains problematic in T&T, McKenzie is hopeful that a positive way forward could be paved.
“For example, for us to have a bank account here in Trinidad and Tobago, which would make it easier for our customers to trade outside of using up their forex… I believe that is an option that could be placed on the table. Government to government should consider that,” McKenzie said.
She also shared Caribbean Flavors and Fragrances Ltd has been growing in T&T, adding, “We have several big companies here in Trinidad that we are partners with that we support in terms of providing them with raw materials. So we are doing well here in the local market and we continue to thrive.”
The TIC also showcased first time entrants.
Coco Hill Forest, one of Barbados’ leading reforestation and conservation project companies, is confident that its signature product – the Coco Hill Forest ginger liqueur would find entry into the T&T market.
Piloted by founder and visionary Mahmood Patel, Coco Hill Forest spans 66 acres and is modelled after what the entire island of Barbados would have originally looked like prior to 17th-century deforestation with the establishment of sugar plantations.
While this period saw the double-edged sword of environmental degradation and biodiversity loss, projects like Coco Hill Forest today are helping to restore it, Patel explained as he is on a quest to seek distributors from T&T. He is also confident the product could compete with similar local items.
“This is unique. This is a premium project,” Patel said. The liqueur is infused with Barbados hand-planted and harvested ginger and with the island’s aged Foursquare Distilleries rum.
He estimates a bottle of 750ml could retail at between TT$225 and TT$250.
Countries like Indonesia and the Dominican Republic also had a strong presence at TIC.
Romanna Sirait, chief of the economic section at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, said while her country exports more goods to T&T such as palm oil and butter and even auto parts than this country does to Indonesia, she hopes trade ties could be strengthen and there be more of a balance of trade.
Moreso, Sirait said Indonesia has an interest in this country’s energy sector.
“We would like to have cooperation with Trinidad and Tobago, especially in energy, gas or oil,” she explained.
Construction compant from the Dominican Republic, Trax, used the opportunity of hosting a booth at the TIC to re-establish itself in T&T.
Julio Avendano said while Trax had a presence a couple years back it wants to make a come back.
“We might have had some presence in the past, but maybe throughout the years nothing much has happened. We currently don’t have any presence here. That’s why we’re trying to achieve any commercial allies and so forth. So that’s what we’re trying to get back to,” he explained.
The company manufactures steel profiles used in the framing for any construction.
The Dominican Republic section also represented a wide variety of sectors including food, beverage, fruits, vegetables, tobacco and jewelry.
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Local, regional and international booths catch the eye at TIC – Trinidad Guardian
