Everyday Value investing in Jamaica’s future
EVERYDAY VALUE Jamaica Limited has demonstrated confidence in the future of Jamaica’s economy with its acquisition of St Bess Foods and Lowe’s Peanut Brittle Limited amid the downturn in global fortunes from the devastating impact of COVID-19.
St Bess Foods is a local manufacturer of traditional Jamaican treats and spices, while Lowe’s Peanut Brittle Limited specialises in the production of peanut brittles.
The acquisition comes months after Everyday Value Jamaica introduced its new look with aims to improve brand image and presence, increase company awareness and to reposition the company for expansion.
While its expansion plans have been slowed by the global pandemic, Marketing Manager Shanice Nation said it remains committed to strengthening its collaboration with peanut farmers in St Elizabeth and is in the process of finalising these, when it will embark on a full-fledged public relations drive to bring customers up to speed with its plans for progress.
“We are calling for farmers who are interested in giving us supplies of peanuts to really reach out to us,” Nation told The Gleaner.
“We used to distribute for St Bess and when they wanted to sell, we took that opportunity and made it our own. We do plan on doing a (product) line extension so they can look out for those, and some of those items will be for the export market. It is still a fairly new acquisition so we are just laying the groundwork for when business goes back to normal.
“With this acquisition, we have gained an important extension to our portfolio, a solid production team of professionals who will play an integral role in meeting the demands of customers who are part of the tourism sector. We also now have the ability to tap into international markets that we would not have been able to explore at this time without this opportunity,” she explained.
GROWING PLANS
The company has already hired an additional 10 persons and will be looking to increase staff over time, as business grows.
Meanwhile, Managing Director Zhen Tang has indicated that the strategic vision for Everyday Value is to continue to support its existing active product lines, while making significant investments in technology and other initiatives that will help to bolster the products and services offered by the distributor.
“As our company evolves despite this uncertain period, we must still continue to make preparations for the re-emergence of markets that would have been affected by COVID-19. We believe that preparation with the right systems in place, backed by leveraging our own locally made products, is the way forward to rise above this economic crisis and to be able to compete in the global marketplace,” Tang added.
Everyday Value Jamaica Limited is a growing local distributor whose aim is to provide some of the best Jamaican-made and international consumer products at competitive prices. Its product categories are snacks, beverages, confectioneries, personal care, household supplies and car accessories.