From Trinidad Express Newspapers

Sacha Cosmetics, a well-known beauty brand founded in 1979 in the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the winner of the inaugural Caribbean Exporter of the Year Awards, The Bahamas Weekly reports.

The family-owned business claimed the top accolade from a field nine nominees drawn from across the region as the curtains came down on the third CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum held in collaboration with ACP Business Climate facility (BizClim) between April 15 and 16 at the Hilton Rose Hall Beach & Spa Resort.

Sacha Cosmetics was started 35 years ago and is currently distributed in 23 countries and sold online in North America. The company started with a vision “to develop a cosmopolitan brand of cosmetics which would look equally exquisite on all skin tones”, according to founder and managing director Kama Maharaj.

In 2013 the company was appointed sole supplier of cosmetics to the largest distribution company in Cuba with 2,179 retail outlets. Its products have been used by numerous make-up artists at major international beauty events and among other achievements, Sacha was the official cosmetics for the 1999 Miss Universe contest, the 2000 Miss USA Pageant, the 2011 Miss Bahamas Pageant and the 2014 Miss Panama Pageant.

Thanking Caribbean Export for recognition, Mr Maharaj said, “Sacha’s philosophy is that a woman’s make up must enhance her natural beauty, not hide it. Over the years we have committed ourselves to building a powerful brand.”

He declared, “We don’t make cosmetics, we make women look more beautiful…In fact, we do not sell cosmetics, we sell hope”, he jokingly told the audience that broke out in fits of laughter and applause.

The award seeks to recognise the firm which has achieved significant exporting success and whose brand epitomises Caribbean Export’s philosophy of “Taking Caribbean Excellence to the World.”

Commendations to Sacha came from the President of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, William Mahfood, the guest speaker at the Awards Ceremony, and from Caribbean Export’s executive director, Pamela Coke-Hamilton.

“We deemed it absolutely necessary to give due respect to our region’s exporters, companies that have played a significant role in strengthening our economies and generating foreign exchange”, said Coke-Hamilton.

She noted that many of the companies had generated employment opportunities and helped to influence a strong favourable perception of the Caribbean brand both regionally and internationally.

Mr Mahfood said manufacturing and exporting in the Caribbean was a daily challenge “so I take my hat off to you and I congratulate you for all that you do.”

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