BRYDENS ANSWERS THE CARICOM CALL
Seprod & The Brydens Group CEO Richard Pandohie at TIC 2023.
THURSDAY, 20 JULY 2023: Port of Spain – In the same year that Caricom turns 50, The Brydens Group turns 100. This year, the Group commemorates 100 years of business in Trinidad and Tobago from its new position within the regional Seprod Group of Companies Ltd. The Group has already seen benefits from its acquisition by the regional manufacturing and distribution conglomerate with continued growth across its local subsidiaries.
According to Seprod and The Brydens Group CEO Richard Pandohie, the founding premise of The Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) remains valid today, but “fifty years on from Caricom’s inception, it is time to reset and reassess the region’s goals. As a regional company, we support the growth of an enabling economic environment across Caricom states, with opportunities for companies to move across and invest in each other to make our region more competitive in the global marketplace.”
At its centennial showcase at the Trade and Investment Convention (TIC) in the Centre of Excellence, Macoya, The Brydens Group – mostly known as a distributor of imported goods – displayed its export potential products. The Group has developed a range of private-label, owned brands to meet the growing needs of local, regional and international markets, and is tapping into the food, pharmaceutical, household and home care segments. Its parent company Seprod reported profits of approximately J$1.4 billion at the end of its first quarter 2023, which it attributed to an uptick in exports and the continued success of its newly acquired business in Trinidad and Guyana.
Pandohie welcomed the recent decision by Caricom Heads of Government to allow free movement for all Caricom nationals as a vital step forward for regional integration and value-added synergies in business. He shared his sentiment that “The Brydens Group is an example of the dynamism of the regional private sector, constantly alert to opportunities across the region and merging interests to improve business. Our business goals align with those of Caricom – to promote and support a unified Caribbean Community that is inclusive, resilient, competitive, and sharing in economic, social and cultural prosperity.”
Ends
From left to right Managing Director of Franco Trading & Distribution Limited & Head of Shared Services & Special Projects, The Brydens Group, Scott Franco; Managing Director, Bryden pi, Barry Tangwell; The Brydens Group Deputy Chairman, Michael Conyers; Managing Director, A.S. Bryden & Sons (Trinidad) Limited, Stephen Welch; Managing Director, Micon Marketing Limited, Gerard Conyers; and Managing Director/CEO, F.T. Farfan, Andrew Crooks at TIC 2023.