JMEA 75TH Anniversary Supplement by The JMEA

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JMEA 75TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2022

Looking forward to continued partnership

S THE JMEA celebrates its 75th anniversary, I am reminded that it started with a single focus on manufacturing, and its existence precedes the Independence of Jamaica from British rule. The occasion reminds me that neither individuals nor organisations need to wait for permission to excel, but also reinforces the importance of partnership and inclusion, as united we stand. The merger of the Jamaica Manufacturers Association and the Jamaica Exporters Association created a giant in industry and commerce and is a recognition that one cannot be as effective without the other. This merger took vision and courage. Since its formation, the JMEA has dedicated the expertise of its staff and members to the advancement of the combined sectors. It has concentrated its efforts on research and development of the various items manufactured

by its members; on lobbying Government to create and maintain an enabling business environment, including the creation of fiscal and financial space conducive to manufacturing and exporting. It is among key promoters of brand Jamaica both locally and internationally. In the early years of its establishment, the mission of the Jamaica Manufacturers Association was primarily to meet the needs of the Jamaican people and of our mother country. The quality of the goods produced by its members has caught the eyes, nose and palate of persons far and wide and the demand for our produce grew. However, the concept of ‘produce locally, market globally’ has taken brand Jamaica into many homes around the world and today, wherever in the world you travel, you will find items made in Jamaica and if not, it is still purported to be “made in Jamaica”. Over the years, I have watched the JMEA adapting to its changing environment and is today an embodiment of not just manufacturers but of exporters as well. It has taken service providers of the micro, small and medium-size enterprises under its wing. It is now advisor and trainer of the business sector in Jamaica. Its vision of being the driving force for the productive sectors has indeed been realised. Its mission to strengthen its members has given the JMEA and indeed Jamaica the power of leverage. As a minister of industry and commerce, I

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had the opportunity to see at first hand the involvement of the JMEA in the operations of its member companies. I have worked with them in their quest to make business easy for and in Jamaica. It welcomed partnerships internally and externally. Its leaders were never afraid of competition and welcomed every opportunity to learn and to grow. Looking at the future, advancements in technology, particularly digital technology and industry 4.0 (loT, machine learning, etc) have opened many new doors for manufacturers and the JMEA. Many lessons have been learned arising from the COVID19 pandemic. Crucially, the role of the global supply chain and logistics in mitigating risks to its members’ business viability is a key lesson that must now be internalised. How the JMEA positions itself and its members to grasp the opportunities that a rapidly changing world is presenting, will determine its continued relevance and the success of its members’ businesses in the years to come. I congratulate you on your 75th anniversary and look forward to a future of continuing partnership on behalf of Jamaica and its people. G. ANTHONY HYLTON Shadow Minister for Industry, Investment and Global Logistics

Together we have survived the worst!

S THE JMEA celebrates its 75th anniversary, a quick reflection on the Association’s history and the contribution of its members confirms that manufacturing and exporting is still the most viable option to drive economic growth for Jamaica. I am honored to be the President of this great Association during this milestone achievement. When I was first elected President of the JMEA in 2021, I was fully aware of the task at hand. More than 18 months into the pandemic, the manufacturing and exporting industries were still navigating the devastating impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic – grappling with global supply chain and logistics challenges and skyrocketing commodity prices, lockdowns, containment measures and restrictions that gutted

productivity, among others. I knew that now more than ever, the JMEA would be called upon to show up in every possible way to support its members. In response, the JMEA stood firm to support members through one of toughest times in modern history, by continuing its legacy of being a strong advocate for the manufacturing and exporting communities. We are now reaping the benefits due in part to this advocacy as evidenced by the most recent economic report from the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) on the second quarter of 2022. It states that real GDP growth is estimated to be 5.7%, with the manufacturing industry estimated to have grown by 2.8% over the period. In 2022, I accepted a second term as President with a renewed motivation to strengthen the advocacy of the Association and to work with the Secretariat to implement programmes that will help companies to move beyond the COVID-19 era. Our focus is set on tackling long existing challenges such as access to finance and pursuing an aggressive export-led growth agenda. To this end, in April we signed a MOU with the Jamaica Stock Exchange to get thirty (30) to fifty (50)

manufacturing companies listed on the Junior Market over the next two years. In September we signed a MOU with the VM Group to establish the JMEA Retirement Account (JMEARA) with the goal to drive pension enrollment of persons working in the industry. While we build new partnerships, we also

maintain longstanding ones that continue to grow or evolve with the changing times such as the Bureau of Standards (BSJ), EXIM Bank Jamaica, the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ), JAMPRO and the Tourism Linkage Network. We look forward to working with our partners to drive economic growth.

At 75 years, JMEA has been battle tested; we recognise that many challenges lies ahead, but also that there is no better opportunity for re-igniting the industry than now. Together we have survived the worst! JOHN MAHFOOD JMEA President

JMEA 75TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2022

Commendable work in advancing country’s earnings

HE BUREAU of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) is pleased to join with the membership and staff of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) as you celebrate your 75th anniversary. History records that your antecedent organisations, recognising the strength of a formal partnership, after many years of joint activities, formally joined forces in 2018. This, in itself, reflects the vision that has always guided both groups – one focusing on non-traditional exports and the other on all things manufacturing. Since the merger in 2018 and long before, the BSJ has nurtured its relationship with your members, always cognisant of the fact that only the consistent application of standards and maintenance of some quality systems within the manufacturing industry will ensure that products are able to compete once exported. The Bureau of Standards Jamaica is particularly proud of its Business Partnership Programme with the JMEA, in which the BSJ provides discounts of

20 per cent for medium-size enterprises and up to 25 per cent on select services for micro and small enterprises. Through this programme, the BSJ continues to facilitate members of the productive sector, ultimately contributing to improving their bottom line, while providing internationally recognised testing and calibration services. Through our Train the Trainer programme, the BSJ affords some key officers of the JMEA access to world-class training and facilitation in standards and quality, with the primary purpose of JMEA personnel being equipped with necessary skills to, in return, share on implementing quality in manufacturing and export companies throughout the country. It is our hope at the BSJ that this initiative, over time, will positively influence the export trajectory of our country. Standardisation and conformity assessment are integral to manufacturing entities growing and establishing themselves as market leaders. In our thrust to support the Ministry of Industry,

Investment and Commerce’s renewed focus on driving exports, the Bureau of Standards Jamaica stands ready, through its cadre of professionals, to work with your members, to provide opportunities for learning, business support, testing and calibration. Through all these efforts and more, our commitment is to make standards work for you. The Bureau of Standards Jamaica is proud of your work and commends your membership and administrative support team for the critical work that you do to advance this country’s earnings. Happy 75th, JMEA! DR VELTON GOODEN Executive Director Bureau of Standards Jamaica

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Charles Barrett of Jamaican Teas accepting the award for Counsellor Corps of Jamaica Award for Next-Generation Leadership Award.

Seprod accepting the Governor General’s Award for Manufacturer of the Year.

Joni-Dale Morgan, of Morgan’s Creek, accepting the award for New Exporter of the Year.

Nadine Walters of NA Dezigns N More accepting the award for New Manufacturer of the Year.

Audience celebrating awards.

Kimone Meikel from Jamaican Teas accepting award for the JMEA Best Digital Ad Campaign.

Lauren from Trade Win Citrus being interviewed after their win for Breakthrough Product of the Year.

GK Foods and Services, Latin American and the Caribbean, accepting Exporter of the Year Award. 12

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Richard Pandohie Acceptance Speech after Seprod wins the Governor General’s Award for Manufacturer of the Year.

Red Stripe celebrating their win for VM-JMEA Legacy Award. NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2022 JMEA 75TH ANNIVERSARY

75 years of service to Jamaican exporters and manufacturers A

FTER DECADES of partnership on initiatives geared at advancing the growth and development of Jamaica’s manufacturers and exporters, the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA) and the Jamaica Exporters’ Association (JEA) formally merged in 2018 to become the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA). Today, the JMEA is the leading voice for manufacturers and exporters and remains resolute in its pursuit to advance the conditions in which the productive sector operates and promote Jamaican brands both locally and internationally. Our members have continued to be brand ambassadors for Jamaica through product innovation, import substitution and exports of quality products and services. The JMEA understands that export-led growth turns economies around

and by thinking differently, through branding, linkages, selling beyond traditional markets and developing other innovative ways of promoting local products and services, export growth and profit are achievable. While our members focus on the core nature of their businesses, the JMEA is busy at work advocating for the necessary policies to create an enabling business environment, developing programmes and partnerships to facilitate the growth and further expansion of member companies. More specifically, the JMEA directors and staff provide unmatched support and services in areas such as: Advocacy: Representation made to Government on matters impacting manufacturers and exporters. Several major incentives have been achieved including duty- free imports on raw materials. Access to Finance through

Partnerships: Access to finance through partnerships with the financial sector, private equity schemes and grant funding. Market Research & Export Services: Research and preparation of market profiles to assist with penetrating and securing new markets as well as services that assist our members with navigating the export landscape. JMEA/FedEx Discount Programme: Allows members of the Association to access a minimum 40% and maximum 50% discount on FedEx services for importing and exporting of goods. Standards and Quality: Assistance with implementing and acquiring required local and international standards through JMEA’s partnership with the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ). Members receive a 20-25% discount.

Business Development: Services/ capacity building through the Development Bank of Jamaica’s (DBJ) IGNITE Project. Trade Opportunities: The provision of several platforms to promote members’ products locally and overseas including our flagship biennial Expo Jamaica and Jamaica International Expo (JIE), the Buy Jamaican… Build Jamaica Campaign and trade missions. Capacity Building: Through regular internal and external seminars and workshops. Mentorship: The provision of mentorship coaching for micro, small and medium-sized businesses. Linkages: Tourism and distributive trade networking and business opportunities through linkage events and partnerships, for e.g. Speed Networking and Christmas in July. Incentives: Assistance with

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acquiring manufacturing and agricultural incentives. Advertising Opportunities: Advertising through our email blast, newspaper supplement, newsletter, website, social media pages, year planner and other activities. Industry Information: Information provided on industry events and trends through emails, bulletins, membership meetings and research papers. Business Operations: Guidance on starting and operating a manufacturing and or export business. Our membership is currently over 500 strong! Still not a member? Do not sit on the sidelines. We will help you expand your market reach from domestic to international spheres. Become a part of our extensive network and let us help take your business across borders.

Expo Jamaica making a return April 2023 A FTER A two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, plans are now in high gear for the staging of Expo Jamaica, April 27-30, 2023, under the theme ‘Connecting the World to Jamaica’. The National Arena and the National Indoor Sports Centre will be transformed into a multi-sectoral exposition showcasing manufacturers, exporters, primary producers, tourism industry players, and service providers creating a carefully curated display of Jamaican products and services. Expo Jamaica 2023 marks a return to the scale and breadth of pre-pandemic events. Expo Jamaica showcases the prowess of the local productive sectors – all that Brand Jamaica has to offer the world! The long-standing event, first held in 1971, is the largest and most impactful trade show of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean. The show is firmly acknowledged as the go-to hub to identify quality local products and to do business with Jamaican manufacturers and exporters. As organisers of the event, the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) is focused on ensuring that the expo provides opportunities for increased trade, exports, and investment in keeping with the association’s mandate, being the largest business development organisation in Jamaica for the productive sectors.

A wide range of Jamaican products were on display at Expo Jamaica 2010.

Expo 2023 will feature a wide variety of booth exhibitors, industry influencers and brands that represent the make-up of the local manufacturing industry. The event provides an excellent opportunity to discover and learn more about Jamaican products and services as it offers an excellent platform for local businesses to market their products as well as strengthen their brands

and participate in high-value networking by connecting with both local and international buyers to solidify business expansion and exports. The four-day event will be divided into buyer and consumer days, with the buyers taking precedence on the first two days, April 27 and 28, to give an opportunity to businesses to make B2B connections. On the last

two days, April 29-30, the expo will open its doors to thousands of consumers who always look forward to booth exhibitions, product samples, and to make purchases of locally manufactured goods and fresh produce. Expo Jamaica has grown significantly in size and reputation to become the English-speaking Caribbean’s top trade show with an audience that returns mainly from the Caribbean, North and South America, and Europe. The biennial event in its last face-to-face staging, 2018, attracted over 220 exhibitors, 570 buyers, and 21,500 consumers. With the COVID-19 pandemic behind us, and large-scale events returning to in-person staging, the JMEA expects a massive turnout for Expo Jamaica 2023. Exhibitors, sponsors, and buyers are strongly encouraged to contact the JMEA to secure their space.

The 2022 JMEA M&E AWARDS THE JAMAICA Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) hosted its 5th annual Manufacturers & Exporters (M&E) Awards in Association with VM Group, October 0, 2022, at the Jamaica Pegasus under the theme ‘Manufacturing and Exporting: Reigniting Jamaica for Greatness.’ This was the first face to face gala since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also a grand celebration of the JMEA’s 75th anniversary. The JMEA M&E Awards presents the ideal opportunity to acknowledge and reward the achievements of members. The event was a celebration of resilience, hard work, dedication, inspiring business acumen and agility displayed over the past two years in the face of the COVID-19 Pandemic. This year 21 awards were issued to 14 companies, and two individuals. Red Stripe was the biggest winner of the night copping four awards. The other winners were Seprod Limited, Fleetwood Jamaica Limited, Technological Solutions Limited (TSL), EdenJoy Whole Foods, NA Dezigns N More, Morgan’s Creek, Caribbean Foods Limited, Rainforest Caribbean, Caribbean Producers Jamaica (CPJ), Trade Wind Citrus, Home Choice Enterprise Limited and

Grace Kennedy Foods, Latin America and the Caribbean. Three new awards were given, two of which went to individuals as opposed to companies. The Consular Corp of Jamaica Next Generation Leadership Award, went to Charles Barrett of Jamaican Teas and the President’s Award for Director in Service, which went to a very surprised Kathryn Silvera, who has served as a JMEA director for more than 10 years and have provided tremendous support to the work of the secretariat. Rounding off the new awards was the Best Digital Ad Campaign, which went to Jamaican Teas. The event was an astounding success by all accounts. Host Dr TerriKarelle Reid, former Miss Jamaica World and media personality, delivered a witty performance that kept the audience engaged, dancing and chuckling with amusement in between her masterful announcements of the night’s winners. ‘Jamaica’s First Lady of Jazz’, Dr Myrna Hague, put on a worldclass performance during dinner with timeless covers, while DJ Narity kept the crowd‘bouncing’with hits after hits. Congratulations to all winners and a big thanks to all the sponsors that partnered to make the event most memorable. NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2022 JMEA 75TH ANNIVERSARY

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JMEA 75TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE | THE GLEANER | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2022

Kamesha Blake, executive director, JMEA.

Enabling manufacturers through Jamaican capital market and equity financing THE JMEA continues to explore innovative and effective means of satisfying and adding value for its more than 500 member companies. With access to capital arguably the main hindrance to growth for many promising Jamaican companies, in March 2022, the JMEA inked a partnership with the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) to tap into equity financing by listing 30 to 50 member companies on the Junior Market within two years. While this is ambitious, the goal set out in the National Five-Year Manufacturing Growth Strategy, where the manufacturing output contribution of J$81 billion to GDP by December 2025, requires such bold and aggressive steps to bring about any real change in the sector, and ultimately to see any sustained growth in GDP. The JSE is among the best performing stock exchanges in the world, ranking number one by Bloomberg Business in 2018 after boasting a market rally of over 233 per cent in that same year. At the end of 2021, a total of 95 companies were listed across all five markets of the JSE, with a total market capitalisation or the total value of shares on the JSE Main and Junior markets amounting to US$12.07 billion or J$1.87 trillion. Listing on the JSE is one of the most lucrative means of securing much-needed capital for growth and expansion for many small and medium-size enterprises, as investors have demonstrated a

strong appetite and high confidence in the stock market. Since 2022, all Initial Public Offers (IPOs) brought to the market have been significantly oversubscribed. For instance, JMEA member Spur Tree Spices Jamaica, made history as the first company listed on the Junior Market in 2022. The company offer of approximately 335.4m shares at a price of $1.00 per share was oversubscribed by 300 per cent and had 4,794 shareholders in the process. The positioning of member companies for growth and success remains the core of the JMEA’s mandate. Since signing the MOU, the association has identified member companies that are best poised to take advantage of the existing liquidity in the market. Through partnerships with key experts – brokers, auditors, and lawyers, etc, the JMEA is creating an incubator to provide technical support to prospective listers. The manufacturing industry presents real growth prospective; it is expected that companies will be oversubscribed like all the others listed on the JSE before them, and the newfound capital injection will be game changing for companies, enabling them to expand at a pace in line with their growth potential. President John Mahfood, a major champion for getting companies listed on the JSE, continues to share his successful experience with Jamaican Teas Limited. Listed in July 2010, Jamaican Teas raised over

John Mahfood, JMEA president.

J$92 million on the market through the issue, subscription, and sale of approximately 27.3m shares at a price of $3.37. A decade after listing, Jamaican Teas now has J$4 billion in assets which Mahfood credits to the expansion of the company to

the capital, exposure and incentives received from being listed on the Junior Market. The JMEA president believes that the JSE represents the best source for the level of funding companies require to aggressively expand and

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penetrate export markets. It is an exciting time for the JMEA and the JSE! We look forward to seeing the many IPOs of member companies as they make their stock market debut and skyrocket their companies to the next level.

Project Amazon: enabling exports through e-commerce I

N 2015, Bill Gates warned that we weren’t ready for a global pandemic in a talk at TED2015. However, he reassured the world that “there’s no need to panic ... but we need to get going”. Bill Gates suggested putting all good ideas into practice, from scenario planning to vaccine research, to health worker training. Fast-forward to March 2020 when the World Health Organisation declared the COVID19 pandemic, the world stood still! Governments implemented strict measures to contain the spread of the virus; with people locked inside their homes – social distancing. E-commerce boomed as everyone turned to online shopping more than ever before. For Bill Gates, preparation for the pandemic was about the health factors, but for manufacturers, distributors and retailers, preparation was digitisation – shifting businesses to an online, e-commerce platform. The biggest winner of the COVID19 pandemic was perhaps Amazon, and by extension companies that were already set up or positioned to quickly shift to using the e-commerce platforms to reach consumers when physical shops were forced to close and consumers stayed home and had little choice but to shop online. Amazon’s revenue in 2021 was US$470 billion, which was a 22 per cent increase over 2020. In particular, the online store segment of the business recorded US$141.25 billion in 2019 and by the end of 2021, it was US$222.08 billion. Amazon expanded its fulfilment infrastructure by 50 per cent in 2020, adding more than 250,000 employees in the process. But one might ask, why are we so fascinated by Amazon? In 2021, Jamaica generated US$1.4 billion earnings from exports, an increase of 15.2 per cent over 2020. In comparison to Amazon, this is not even a drop in the bucket! Just imagine if Jamaica could capture one per cent of Amazon’s sales. Not being hopeless fanatics, but given Jamaica’s location in proximity to the United States where a large percentage of the Jamaican diaspora resides,

John Mahfood, president of the JMEA, Speaking at the launch of Project Amazon.

Kamesha Blake, executive director, JMEA speaking at the launch of Project Amazon.

Amazon is a viable conduit for local manufacturers to reach their target market. Given the JMEA’s thrust to identify opportunities and to assist member companies to grow through the provision of meaningful support, in August 2022, the association launched Project Amazon – an eight-week

training and development initiative funded by the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) and the EXIM Bank, to facilitate 20 micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) members of the JMEA to sell their products on the Amazon e-commerce platform. Led by Barrington McIntosh, logistics consultant to Amazon,

the programme guided participants through the process of registering a seller account with Amazon, setting up their e-commerce payment capabilities with Payoneer, and going through the intricacies of photographing, packaging, and listing products on the platform’s marketplace to launch for sale. Stakeholder partner, DHL, was engaged to provide information on Amazon’s shipping requirements and processes. The first cohort of companies included Home Choice, Spur Tree Spices, EggPress Farms, Jah Jireh Herbal, Blue Bantan Books, Ideas from Us, PearL Brands, Kande’s Delight, NA Designs N More, Sankhard Company, T3J Organics, EasiSpice Manufacturers, HoneyVera, Eden’s Lab, Real Botanics, Concept Promotions, and JBDC’s Thing Jamaica. In 2021, Amazon had more than 310 million customers and was growing. With the Jamaican population less than three million people, the Amazon market is more than one hundred times the size of the Jamaican market! For SMEs, Amazon presents great advantages as it facilitates access for local brands

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without them having to establish distribution centres outside of Jamaica, which is out of the reach of many companies that size. E-commerce is one of the key components of the JMEA’s aggressive export-led agenda in keeping with the National Five-Year Manufacturing Growth Strategy. Project Amazon is one of the many initiatives to be spearheaded by the JMEA to help its members to access export markets under this strategy. The E-commerce model provides a direct route for Jamaican manufactures to their consumers – bypassing distributors and the jockeying for limited supermarket shelf spaces, which typically favours more known and established brands under the traditional retail model. With the training of the first batch of companies completed, the JMEA is hopeful for phase two through continued funding from partners, DBJ and the EXIM Bank. There is already a waiting list of companies eager to participate. E-commerce is expected to grow by almost $11 trillion between 2021 and 2025 and Brand Jamaica is ready to capture a share of the market!

Devon H. Reynolds, head of manufacturing at Wisynco, holds up a one-gallon bottle to WATA. Also pictured are Senator Aubyn Hill, minister of industry, investment and commerce; Mrs Kamesha Blake, executive director, JMEA; Andrew Mahfood, CEO, Wisynco; and Conroy Rose, CEO, VM Pensions Management.

The JMEA tours Wisynco O

N WEDNESDAY, November 9, Wisynco facilitated a highlevel tour of their Lakes Pen and White Marl factories for more than 20 participants. President John Mahfood led the delegation, which included Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator Aubyn Hill; directors and members of the JMEA Secretariat, including Executive Director Kamesha Blake and other specially invited guests from the VM Group; JAMPRO; EXIM Bank; Trade Board Limited; and the Port Authority of Jamaica. Factory tours are an important feature of the JMEA members’

JMEA President John Mahfood, addresses tour participants.

engagement strategy and the association’s wider mandate to “support the development of manufacturers, exporters and service providers across multiple sectors throughout Jamaica”. The tour provided an ideal opportunity to highlight Wisynco’s exemplary manufacturing and exporting prowess, and to inspire other JMEA member companies to look to exports for further expansion and growth. The JMEA is particularly in support of Wisynco’s planned expansion into the Cuban market, one of our closest neighbours. The association has been pushing the prospects and opportunities for local manufacturers

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and exporters to explore the regional market for quite a while. Noteworthy, Cuba in particular has made recent changes in allowing the private sector more latitude in trading to alleviate post-pandemic food and other supply shortages being experienced on the island. Wisynco currently exports to more than 20 countries, employing a team of over 600 persons. In the third quarter of FY 2022, Wisynco boasted a 27.8 per cent increase in revenue over the corresponding quarter in FY 2022, its best-performing quarter to date. In

PLEASE SEE WISYNCO, 22 21

WISYNCO CONTINUED FROM 21 his remarks to tour participants, Hill stated that “Wisynco has made great strides in creating a first-world manufacturing and distribution facility”. Minister Hill lamented that while manufacturing is being represented well in revenues, there is a US$4.5-billion gap in exports that needs to be narrowed. “It is entrepreneurs and businesses in the JMEA, such as Wisynco, that are going to change this by investing in our country and expanding,” the minister continued. During the tour, participants were shown the bottling process of the Bigga soft drinks and WATA, two of Wisynco’s best-performing products in both the local and export markets. The company produces millions of bottled beverages annually. Participants were also able to observe the storage and inventory management of some of the 162 local and international brands distributed by Wisynco through its impressive distribution network. The company has a fleet of 100 trucks and contracts some 400 truck drivers to move goods 24/7. According to the leadership of Wisynco, improvements and greater investments are coming. Operations have commenced at the newly built Northwest Distribution Centre in Trelawny. Additionally, the White Marl location will see increased capacity with the purchase of a new filing and production line for carbonated beverages, to the tune of about

A Wisynco worker on the WATA production line.

$5 billion, over the next two to three years. Speaking to the participants of the tour, Chief Executive Officer of Wisynco Andrew Mahfood expressed, “Congrats to the JMEA on its 75th anniversary and the support that your organisation does for manufacturing in Jamaica. We (Wisynco) are a proud member

of the JMEA and we continue to support all Jamaican-made products.” The JMEA is pleased with Wisynco’s increased focus and priority on exports and supports efforts made by the company in product and channel developments. The association will continue to highlight companies excelling

Members of the JMEA Secretariat and Board Members at the soft launch of Expo Jamaica 22

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in manufacturing and exports, in keeping with the National Five-Year Manufacturing Growth Strategy, which sets a goal “to grow the manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP, moving manufacturing output from J$66 billion in 2018-19 to J$81 billion by December 2025”.

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