EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This study was focused in three countries due largely to high egg product imports and consumption. These countries are Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Barbados.

Jamaica and the Dominican Republic are the two well known giants of the Caribbean and there is no doubt to be included in these analyses, regarding to Barbados, was replaced by the Bahamas due its high import duties.

This research, therefore, focused to Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Bahamas. These countries have currently imports and non-import trade barriers.

See the data from Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, and Foreign Trade Statistics for the Caribbean as whole, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Barbados and The Bahamas. (Attachment 01).  

Facing all types of AI rumors from media news all over the world on the safety of poultry products, it will be strongly suggested to create a “Food Safety Breakfast Seal” among selected upscale hotels which are willing to use and serve pasteurized US egg products in their breakfasts. This USAPEEC seal will be provided to the hotel restaurants using US egg products and also having established basic GMP, and even essential HACCP or other food safety programs for restaurants, which could be supervised by USAPEEC technical staff. This seal might be also used with locally egg products, if any, just to not create any unnecessary conflicts with local industry.

 The USAPEEC seal will encourage the restaurant industry to change the use of shell egg for processed eggs. This seal will also encourage the tourists to have egg products for breakfast, particularly at omelet stations and as food ingredients for bakery purposes.

 This research study was focused in three of the countries with higher potential to become egg products importers in the Caribbean basin.

 There is no doubt that the three countries selected earn most of foreign exchange from their tourism industry. A lot of work must be done to promote the use of egg products in this area. The international tourism is demanding better food safety controls and wholesome foods.

 In my trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, I observed a chef preparing omelets from a pitch with apparently pasteurized egg, however when I asked to the chef, he told me, “These are shell eggs broken the day before because some customers do not want to see me cracking shell eggs, due to the fact that DR shell eggs are extremely dirty”. International tourists have been asking them to use pasteurized eggs, but there are no availability in the island, so the only solution they found in order to avoid claims from their customers, was to break shell eggs pretending they were pasteurized egg products.

 This example can also be seen in Jamaica (Ocho Rios, Kingston, etc) and almost all the rest of the Caribbean islands. That means that there is an important lack of knowledge, not only for egg products, but essential rules for food safety.

 It is recommendable to establish the training program for the food service level which is the sector with higher potential market in the whole area.

 According with different chefs in Dominican Republic, Bahamas and Jamaica the important consumption of eggs is in the breakfast and the foreign consumers are requesting every time for better sanitary procedures and safety food, therefore

A “U.S.A. E.P. Food Safety breakfast program” .is recommended with trainingSeminars in both trade shows with Caribbean participants and on site seminars.

Regarding the food ingredients area, the Dominican Republic has an excellent opportunity in the bakery and mayonnaise industries. They could receive technical assistance on how to switch their recipes from shell eggs to pasteurized eggs, which could be funded by USAPEEC-AEB budget.

Since every country has different market needs and opportunities, it is very important to establish a “Tailor made” strategy for the three countries, in order to approach for the best results.

On the other side, it is also very important to participate at the trade shows in which the Caribbean customer has strong participation. A survey from the ATO Miami, shows that the trade shows with more participation are the following: Food Marketing Institute (FMI), Taste of the Caribbean and Fancy Food Show, National Restaurant Association (NRA), TCLA (Miami), Marine Hotel Association and Sea Trade Cruise Shipping Show, Americas Food & Beverage Show and Taste of the Caribbean, and IFT.