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JamTeas deepens Publix presence

Published:Wednesday | April 1, 2020 | 12:00 AM
Caribbean Dreams teas made by Jamaican Teas Limited.
Caribbean Dreams teas made by Jamaican Teas Limited.

Jamaican Teas Limited says its products can now be found in 500 Publix stores in the United States, up from 150 locations.

“We have been in a select number of Publix stores for many years now. However, through the efforts of our Florida distributor, First World Imports Inc, we have now been approved for listing in 500 Publix stores,” JamTeas CEO John Mahfood told the Financial Gleaner.

It means greater market penetration for the company in states beyond the seven – Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia – where its products are now sold, he said.

“This will represent about $30 million in the first year, increasing to $60 million in the second year,” Mahfood added.

The company has been on a drive to grow exports. For its financial year ending September 2019, export sales declined from $627 million to $577 million, a performance that tracked with an overall decline in revenue for the company that year, from $177 billion to $1.29 billion.

Still, on a percentage basis, export sales improved from 35 per cent to 45 per cent of total revenues in the period.

Jamaican Teas exports under its own Caribbean Dreams brand. In addition to the full range of ginger, moringa, and soursop teas, the company also distributes non-tea items in select American stores, such as sorrel, coconut milk, and powdered and instant chocolate.

neville.graham@gleanerjm.com