Why Wisynco Group and Trade Winds Citrus to increase Sales and Launch new Products

“I will tell you, we are looking at producing a lot more. Peter McConnell, our new partner and the managing director of Trade Winds, has just committed about US$3.5 million ($376.9 million) and it's actually in spending already. We are hoping to have new products for this team to sell”

Andrew Mahfood, CEO of Wisynco Group at Wisynco’s First Annual Sales Conference with some 200 sales people gathered at the Jamaica Conference Centre on February Wednesday 19^th 2014

Andrew Mahfood, CEO of Wisynco Group and Peter McConnell, Managing Director of Trade Winds Citrus have decided that the competition cannot be fruitier than them. They also realize that they may have to start selling their products directly to their market, sidestepping their Distributors via an increased push by their Sales Representatives.

Also, like GraceKennedy, the prospect of exporting and even manufacturing their drinks products in Africa and South East Asia, where they aim to get most of their profits as noted in  “GraceKennedy Records Growth In Revenues”, Published Thursday March 6, 2014 6:01 pm, The Jamaica Gleaner seem like am mighty good idea right now!

A fact they made plain at their First Annual Sales Conference with some 200 sales people gathered at the Jamaica Conference Centre on February Wednesday 19^th 2014.

This as they’ve (actually mostly the Mahfoods) have decided to invest some US$3.5 million into the development of new Products as they claim the signs that the Jamaican Economy is turning a corner are self-evident as stated in the article “Wisynco and Trade Winds commit US$3.5 million for new products”, published Friday, February 21, 2014 BY SHAMILLE SCOTT Business reporter, The Jamaica Observer.

Trade Winds Citrus, a company in which the Wisynco Group had recently acquired a 50% stake, was to be a part of that thrust, with a focus on growing more Ginger to expand their production of Drinks made from and using Ginger as a Flavouring as noted in “Trade Winds moves to capitalise on Jamaican ginger demand”, published Friday, February 21, 2014, The Jamaica Observer. Trade Winds Citrus is a maker of the following branded products:

1.      Tru Juice

2.      Freshhh

3.      Squeezz

4.      Wakefield

Sales is their Focus - Proven Gain in the Last 5 years not an indication of the Future

Well according to their cheerleader ....er...I mean international business and sales expert, Grant Cardone, Sales persons are the last line of Defence in a Troubled Economy, quote: “Sales are the lifeblood of any economy, any business and any family. Each team member must learn to drive revenues. Quit focusing on the economy, troubled economies are easier to grow in”.

He might have a point. Five years ago in 2009, Wisynco increased their Sales Representatives, those persons who do direct negotiations for the sale of their product. During that stretch of time, Wisynco saw the following positive metrics:

1.      36% increased customer base

2.      34% improved Sales

3.      56% increase in revenues

Aside from the acquisition of Trade Winds Citrus, which basically means that they have access to a steady supply of fruits with which to make more products, they've also spread their wings into other investments to keep the Sales momentum going:

1.      Alternative Sales Channels i.e. Social Media, which is a relatively low cost but effective way of engaging customers as explained in my Geezam blog article entitled “Social Media Marketing – Advertising and Marketing in Ja on a Shoe-String”

2.      Sales forces automation mainly involving the use of e-Commerce platforms

3.      Investments in a Call Centre Services to enhance customer service experience and increase engagement

Now that Wisynco Group owns Trade Winds Citrus, they can take advantage of the fact that they now have their own supply of fresh fruits that they grow on 2,900 acres of farmland that’s subdivided into four large farms, particularly:

1.      Orange

2.      Cherry

3.      Otaheite apple

4.      June plum

5.      Ortanique

6.      Sour sop

7.      Sorrel

Trade Winds Citrus has reaped their first commercial crop of Ginger instead of buying if from farmers, they can make more of their popular flavours more cheaply. This as Ginger is used as a flavor stabilizer in their line of drinks, particularly:

1.      Sorrel

2.      Pineapple

3.      Guava Pineapple

4.      June Plum

5.      Otaheite apple  

Wisynco’s Sales Push to fall Flat – Back to Africa and East Asia where the money is

A push into Africa and exports to China, Europe and the Far East via the acquisition of land in those countries to grow more exotic fruits and produce more flavours would also be a recommended move. This as it’s the same thing being done by Grace Kennedy as noted in my blog article entitled “BOJ to regulate and approve Mobile Money Industry in Jamaica - JCCUL JCUES is the Man of Steel as GraceKennedy joins The Last Stand for a Cashless Society”.

Jamaicans clearly doesn’t have any more money for displosable income. Thus increasing sales will only yield the same result.  Wisynco Group and Trade Winds Citrus would literally have to cut out their suppliers and sell their products directly to consumers in order to achieve any marked increase in sales and profits, putting them in competition with the very same wholesalers and Retailers that their Sales Representatives already market their product.

Only a push into new, untapped markets outside of the Caribbean will yield the kind of money that Wisnyco Group and Trade Winds Citrus seeks to continue growing and satisfy their Need for Speed (2014)!