For the 56 exhibitors at the Guyana Trade and Investment Exhibition (GuyTIE) the first day ended with cautious optimism they had not secured any markets but they had secured the interest of at least one of the more than 100 foreign buyers who had travelled to see what they had to offer.
Sandra Craig of SS Natural Flavour BBQ Sauce explained to Stabroek News that while she had been approached by four buyers only one had made an overture.
“He said he is interested in distributing not only my sauces but the other sauces on display here and has collected our information so it’s a start,” she said.
Craig like several others who spoke with this newspaper expressed the view that the buyers had used the first day to simply explore.
“I think they are just collecting our brochures and all the information so they can spend the night looking at whether we can fit their market,” May Cheong of Guyana Ideal Life Inc explained.
According to Cheong she has also used the time to acquaint herself with services which might make her business easier. She noted that an engagement with Caribbean Airlines has helped her work out a few kinks involved in the logistics of shipping her product, Coconut Oil, to overseas markets.
Asraf Narine whose company JUV is promoting their newly launched fruit scented coconut oil also noted that engagements with the buyers have given him and opportunity to target his brand to his specific market of Spas and Salons.
A similar statement was made by Tazmein Coates who explained to Stabroek News that her hope is to see her scented coconut oils in luxury hotels around the world.
Meanwhile Go-Invest’s Korean counterpart the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) took the opportunity provided by the exhibition to market 12 of its own companies to the Guyanese markets.
According to Luis Beltran, Kotra Senior Analyst his organization is also scouting for investment opportunities for Korea Businesses particularly in the area of infrastructure development.
