Small businesses, such as shops, grocery stores, and convenience stores, are a fundamental pillar in the economy and everyday life of Grenada, Jamaica, St Lucia and Belize. Besides their economic significance, these small businesses hold great cultural value as places where local traditions and customs can be found, and the promotion of dialogue and community interaction.
As part of their commitment to support and empower small businesses, The Coca-Cola Foundation, in partnership with FUNDES Latinoamérica, launched the free training programme entitled “Grow-ing Together” to enhance business success and turn their businesses into centres of higher profits. This course covers topics such as managing your business, digitising your operations, and financial health. It is available 24 hours a day, accessible on mobile phones, and can be completed in 90 minutes, leading to a certificate award. The programme has benefited more than 500 small businesses in 2023 such as Sharin Pitts from Belize, who stated, “I took the training and enjoyed how simply the terms were broken down. I also appreciated the financial section, and customer profiling helped my business greatly.”
“Strengthening the business skills of small shop owners is one of our top priorities, which is why we will continue collaborating on the development of initiatives that create significant positive impact for their lives and businesses,” said Saadia Madsbjerg, President of The Coca-Cola Foundation. “Small shops and convenience stores are the heart of the Caribbean; they are essential for the communities where they are located. Therefore, we will continue to support the transformation by creating and backing initiatives that contribute to this community’s development and economic empowerment,” stated Frances Taylor, Managing Director of KOSCAB-Grenada Bottling Company Ltd.
It aligns with the Coca-Cola Caribbean System’s commitment to position itself as the regional leader in portfolio innovation with long-term commitments to a global environmental, social, and governance (ESG) agenda. The aim is to impact the socioeconomic growth of communities throughout the region, and the digital training programme “Growing Together with Coca-Cola” is a perfect example of an initiative that promotes regional prosperity. This programme is also supported by The Coca-Cola Company bottling partners for these countries, Wisynco Limited in Jamaica, Heineken in St Lucia, Bowen & Bowen in Belize and KOSCAB-Grenada Bottling Company Ltd., in Grenada who will be in charge of the outreach efforts for awareness and engagement with local businesses.
The expectation for the ‘Growing Together’ Programme is an ongoing, positive transformation in the lives of the participating entrepreneurs and their families, extending even further into the prosperity of their communities. “For The Coca-Cola Company and our partners, it is always a priority to support businesses who join us in our shared goals of refreshing the world and making a difference. ‘Growing Together with Coca-Cola’ will help all participants strengthen their businesses and financial acumen with pragmatic and engaging knowledge specifically related to operating their stores,” noted Muhammad Abdullah, Vice President of Franchise Operations Caribbean, the Coca-Cola Company.
“FUNDES is honoured to take part in the ‘Growing Together’ programme, and to collaborate closely with Coca-Cola Latin America to promote economic empowerment of small businesses within the region. Our belief centres around generating growth and meaningful impact that enriches the business dynamics of shops and convenience stores, thus creating a positive difference for both these establishments and their families. We are dedicated to actively contribute to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG),” expressed Anwar Suárez, Project Manager at FUNDES Latino-américa. For the love of them, their families, and the Caribbean, let’s support the small businesses.
