Duty free access to Cuba attracts Trinidadian interest

Trinidadian company Sacha Cosmetics targets Cuban market.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago, Thursday June 28, 2012 - Sacha Cosmetics Ltd is targeting its second Spanish-speaking country for the year as it continues to push its regional expansion.

Just a few months after revealing its renewed marketing thrust into Colombia, the make-up company from Trinidad and Tobago, held a presentation in Havana, Cuba of its most popular product lines for the benefit of the top officials of Cuba’s largest retail companies.

In business for 33 years experience and present in over 20 countries, Sacha is keen to penetrate the region’s Spanish-speaking countries and in April Kama Maharaj, chief executive officer of the company, revealed that they intended to use Colombia as the launching pad to do so.

During meetings in Cuba organized by the Trinidad and Tobago Trade Facilitation Office (TIDCO) and the Chamber of Commerce of Cuba, Maharaj indicated that Sacha’s interest in the Cuban market was in part driven by the Cuba- Caribbean Community (CARICOM) agreements that allowed Sacha cosmetics to enter that country duty free as Trinidad and Tobago is a CARICOM member.

Maharaj used the opportunity of the visit to promote Sacha’s unique selling point in its suitability for tropical climates. He noted that its main brand Sacha, and lower cost Arista have a wide range of bold and vibrant colours, and their makeup remained “freshly applied” for many hours, even in hot and humid climates such as Cuba.

However, this is not the first time that Sacha has sought to penetrate the Cuban market. Over the past 10 years Sacha Cosmetics Ltd has exhibited its make-up at the Havana International Fair; and Maharaj revealed that its cosmetics and perfume were marketed before in Cuba, but funding problems caused the contract not to be renewed.

Jennifer Jones Kernahan, Trinidad and Tobago’s ambassador to Havana, expressed her satisfaction with the growth of trade relations between the two nations, especially after the creation of TIDCO four years ago. Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)