With T&T’s foreign exchange shortage nearing a critical low, the Starlite Group is trying to stimulate economic growth while cutting back on the need for US dollars with the opening of Nova Coffee Trinidad.
At the launch of the latest addition to the South Park Mall in San Fernando yesterday, Starlite Group managing director Gerald Aboud said because importation of green coffee beans from the world’s best suppliers is prohibited in T&T, they had to find the middle ground between local and international beans. Bean can be imported if they are roasted, but after they go through that process, are at their best for up to one week.
Together with the Texas-based coffee consulting firm Brewed Behaviour president Tracy Allen, Nova Coffee will be roasting the Brazilian beans themselves so that customers can experience it at its freshest.
“If you import roasted, you pay four times the price and the coffee never tastes as good. This needs to change. We do not have the altitude for Arabica beans here and those are the best quality. This means we must find a middle grown between our local and international coffee bean options,” Aboud said.
“Not only this, but by roasting all the beans ourselves, we can save foreign exchange, invest in the local industry, and we can also export. Coffee is one of the largest traded commodities in the world and we can be a part of this trade.”
Explaining his decision to add coffee to the Starlite Group, Aboud said the industry has always been his dream and the brand is in line with his belief that there must be a greater thrust for local input in businesses.
San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello said it is an exciting time to invest in the city because of the San Fernando Waterfront Redevelopment Project, which is scheduled to start in the coming weeks and promised local government reform.
“Contrary to popular opinion, as Mayor of San Fernando, I am excited by what is ahead from a business perspective. With these two initiatives as mentioned before, the city is taking off, businesses are thriving and exciting times await San Fernando,” Regrello said.