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Contact:
George Jude
Friday, March 26, 2004 - Agriculture and Tourism, the two main income
earners for St. Lucia have joined forces in a promotion that is expected to
increase international exposure for both sectors. This initiative was made
possible by the Waitrose chain of supermarkets in the UK. The company’s new
television advertising campaign filmed in St Lucia focuses on the supermarket’s
relationship with 105 Windward Island banana growers. The group currently
comprises 101 independent growers in St Lucia and 4 in St Vincent, who are
guaranteed an all-year-round fair price.
The St Lucia Tourist Board has capitalised on this partnership with the
development of an in-store promotion running until 25th April 2004. British
Airways Holidays and Rex Resorts are offering Waitrose customers the opportunity
to win a holiday to the island through leaflets at the banana point of sale
display. The waitrose.com site also offers a competition with the Sandals resort
that is replicated in the Food Illustrated magazine.
Waitrose is unique amongst UK supermarkets in its ethical approach to banana
sourcing. In conjunction with Windward Islands Banana Development Company
(WIBDECO), which manages the transportation and marketing of bananas from the
Windward Islands to the UK, Waitrose has formed a grower group: the Waitrose
Windward Grower Group (WWGG) dedicated to best-practice production techniques,
creating stable and sustainable conditions for growers, and providing Waitrose
with the best quality, fully traceable bananas.
The special relationship between Waitrose and growers was highlighted when
tropical storm Lilli caused a significant amount of damage to the banana crop in
the islands. The supermarket funded the emergency fertiliser supplies required
to restore the farms to full output as quickly as possible.
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