JBDC Holds Workshop on Natural Products Market on Thursday

The Wellness Cluster of the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) will be hosting a business opportunities workshop on Thursday (October 15), at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston.
Dubbed ‘Business Opportunities in the European Natural and Organic Products Market’, the workshop is geared towards highlighting major developments in the European natural products market and export opportunities for Jamaican companies.
It is targeted at local sectors that promote agriculture, agro-processing, natural and organic products, agricultural educational institutions, exporting and manufacturing associations, standards and certification entities, investment and export agencies.
“This workshop is about strengthening local companies who want to export to the European market…we want to ensure that manufacturing and production companies in Jamaica are aware of what the standards are and how they can tap into this market,” Public Relations Officer at the JBDC, Sancia Campbell, told JIS News.
Topics to be explored include: major product groups and categories; market drivers and restraints; product trends; standards and certification; and market entry routes.
Product categories to be covered at the workshop are organic foods, functional foods and nutraceuticals, natural personal care products, vegetarian foods and health products.
The workshop will be led by Founder and Director of Organic Monitor, Amarjit Sahota. Organic Monitor is a UK-based specialist research and consulting firm that focusses on global organic and related product industries. Some of their clients include Heinz (USA), La Soy (Germany) and Nestle (Switzerland).
The workshop will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at a cost of $4,000 per participant.
The Wellness Cluster is one of five clusters managed by the JBDC, and is a part of the Cluster Sector Initiative component of the Private Sector Development Programme (PSDP), which is jointly funded by the Government of Jamaica and the European Union.