Carita Jamaica

Business View Magazine 3 told her there was a need for Jamaican-grown prod- ucts in New York, and Hilton quickly immersed herself in behind-the-scenes research to investigate the avail- able possibilities. Ultimately, she used her expertise in geography to study the nuances of the export market, then turned to the charisma and comfort developed from her school days to sway others toward the business. The company name, in fact, blends the company’s home region – Caribbean – with her name. “I felt that I could motivate, stimulate and also train people to do the job I wanted to do,” Hilton said. “I asked a lot of questions and I did a lot of footwork. Money at that time was a big challenge because fi- nancing was not available to women on their own mer- its, they had to have a male figure co-signing loans and co-signing financial arrangements. But I managed to persuade my way and get myself on my feet. It was not easy and I did a lot of the tasks myself.” Today’s operation features 30 employees working out of a warehouse facility in Kingston that’s owned by the Jamaican government. The government had been di- rectly involved in buying and ultimately exporting fresh produce from small farmers on the island, but that business incurred large debts and was eventually halt- ed, which made the warehouse available for rentals to private produce traders. Carita Jamaica now works out of 4,500 square feet, Hilton said, though expansion is imminent and neces- sary thanks to the burgeoning nature of the business. In fact, she said, a lot of interest comes in without so- licitation, simply because it has been around so long