Despite challenges in domestic and export markets, one local manufacturer is remaining highly optimistic.Moreover, the West India Biscuit Company (WIBISCO) is producing new products and placing greater emphasis on exports.General manager Adrian Padmore told the DAILY NATION that “trading conditions locally are still very tight”.Speaking following the relaunch of WIBISCO’s factory tours, he said consumers were watching their spending and this had affected the company.“Our performance this year is behind where we want it to be; it’s behind last year and it’s behind budget, but we are optimistic.“My team is working very hard on different products, different activities [and] various promotions,” Padmore said, adding that WIBISCO was giving back as much as possible to the consumer.In addition to importing some new products from the Trinidadian Bermudez Biscuit Company, Padmore said: “We’ve launched about three products for the year already. We have another new product in the cracker category coming in October.”The general manager noted that utility prices and packaging costs had increased but when asked if consumers would have to pay more, he said: “We’re driven really by raw material commodity pricing, so at this point in time I couldn’t say that we’re looking at price increases, no.”Padmore said the biscuit company had confidence in its export markets. “We’re still exporting to 24 overseas countries and while some markets are going through harder times, particularly the [Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States] and some of the regional markets, we have markets like New York that are doing quite well,” he said.Padmore was also upbeat about the British market. He also placed “tremendous value” on the company’s relationship with Bermudez. (NB)
