Business View Caribbean - May 2015 55
said Bernard Cornibert, CEO since 1997 of the Win-
fresh Group – which now includes Winfresh Limited,
Winfresh (UK) Limited, Sunfresh Limited, Vincyfresh
Limited, and Grenfresh Limited, all wholly owned by
Winfresh Limited. “Essentially we were just a banana
company, but gradually over the years we have evolved.
Bananas are still at the core of our business, but our
intention is to be a multi-product company. The evolu-
tion has taken place as a result of the need to adapt
to changing circumstances as much as to pursue op-
portunities.”
In contrast to WINBAN, WIBDECO had taken a distinct
commercial role in the Windward Islands banana in-
dustry. For example, WINBAN’s budget was funded
through a “cess” on export volumes from the four ba-
nana associations. It was not involved in competitive
business activity and took no commercial risk.
Upon its formation in 1994, WIBDECO and its United
Kingdom subsidiary, WIBDECO UK, took a decidedly
commercial approach in dealing both with the market
and the local Windward Islands banana industry – be-
cause protection that the Windward Islands banana in-
dustry had enjoyed in the EU market was being eroded
and it would only be a matter of time before it faced
the full force of market competition.
AT A GLANCE
WHO:
Winfresh Ltd.
WHAT:
Agricultural export trader doing business
in the Windward Islands and the United Kingdom
WHERE:
Global headquarters in United King-
dom; Caribbean headquarters in Saint Lucia
WEBSITE
:
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