Healthy food a click away

Seeing an opportunity to capitalise on this demand, the young duo began taking orders at their office for fresh fish and seasonings, drawn mostly from Thomas’ home town in Las Cuevas and Renie’s family greenhouse in Piarco.

As a plus, both also shared a love for food and cooking with fresh ingredients - a passion which won the approval of their customers.

So favourable was the response, Thomas and Renie eventually left their promising careers to begin d’Market Movers Ltd, a Barataria- based company which combined health and convenience The focus on health and convenience underpinned the company’s philosophy during its embryonic stage, but Thomas and Renie quickly realised that sourcing the freshest ingredients proved somewhat of a challenge: they needed to create an online platform that customers could access readily, anywhere, anytime.

They dismissed the idea of opening “a traditional brick and mortar business,” saying that apart from being terribly expensive, the arrangement also would have limited their customers to commuting to a fixed location.

Thomas and Renie also understood that establishing the business would have been a challenge given the limited number of online businesses within TT , as well as the complete non-existence of online agri-businesses at the time of inception.

But they were determined to make a go of it and are pleased with the success they have enjoyed thus far.

Today, after just seven years in operation, d’Market Movers has been short-listed for the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s 2016 Champions of Business Award in the category of Emerging Entrepreneur.

The event is being held on Saturday at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Wrightson Road, Portof- Spain.

“We feel humbled and appreciative but along with that we feel re-ignited in a sort of way,” the duo said of their selection for the prestigious award.

“We have always been driven individuals, motivated by the tremendous feedback from customers, local suppliers and farmers.

This recognition has some how given us a new fire to continue to blaze the trail towards an ever promising future.” With the slogan, Bringing The Market Home To You, d’Market Movers is an online health food store delivering fresh meats and dairy products to clients in homes, offices, restaurants and other facilities.

However, the company also produces a line of fruits under the brand, Farm & Function, and hosts a monthly farm dining food event called Moving Table.

Essentially, the Moving Table is a farm to table dining event which showcases fresh ingredients from Market Movers through an all-local menu.

This monthly event was designed as a marketing tool to engage customers and potential clients on how eating local, fresh ingredients can empower them to support and buy more local goods.

Since then, the Moving Table has become a recognised brand and continues to show innovations through food and experiences.

Renie told Newsday that developing an agri-oriented business has been a major challenge.

“On a scale of zero to difficult we would say very difficult,” she said.

“Developing an agri-business in Trinidad and Tobago already has its challenges, managing one that utilises ICT even more so. “These two pillars of our business often bump heads as traditional practices within the agriculture sector doesn’t absorb new technologies very quickly.

“With any relatively new business, there have been challenges both internally as well as within the agriculture sector which impacts on business significantly.” However, Renie, who holds a degree in International Studies, observed that things have improved over the years with farmers utilising new technologies in the field to improve overall efficiency.

“We are excited and motivated to be a part of this landscape,” she said.

Thomas, who also dabbled in farming over ten years, said the company has enjoyed steady and continuous growth since its inception - a situation which he feels highlights the fact that there is a burgeoning agri-tech sector in TT .

Renie and Thomas marvel at the strides they have made in business since taking that bold step to establish d’Market Movers in 2009.

They recalled the initial scepticism to their decision, even among those closest to them.

“Having a partnership lent to a sort of balance that allowed us to spend less time convincing friends and family, who were not angry but rather unenthused with the idea of chasing entrepreneurial dreams,” Thomas and Renie said on their company’s website.

“Calling oneself an entrepreneur seven years ago was almost taboo and often perceived as you were unemployed and living off your parents. Despite these obstacles, we knew that we had to prove our concept and bring health and convenience to the masses.” The project also enabled them to realise their full potential.

“This partnership gave us a real sense of validation, acting at times like a compass at sea when all seemed lost,” they said.

They said having the insight of each-other’s views also helped balance “this force” even further.

Thomas described himself as a free spirit with an imaginative persona, while Renie said she was more technical and diligent.

“It helped us strike a balance to navigate the core values of Market Movers which, to date, have positively impacted the lives of over 700 online retail users, over 1,000 corporate staff and wholesale customers throughout the country,” the business partners said on their website. Having consistently received meagre allocations in national budgets over the years, agriculture is often perceived as one of the country’s sidelined sectors.

But with talk of economic diversification in the face of growing austerity, Thomas said the sector required a lot more development, beginning with the consumer.

He said: “The agriculture is one that certainly requires a lot more development and I believe it begins with the consumer.

There needs to be a change in the direction of developing or reinstating a taste for locally produced food.

“If people are buying it, farmers are going to plant it. In order for it to have any impact on the economy, the money needs to be spent here. The Government can also play a part by having a role in crop selection which would help regulate gluts in the market aside from seasonal fruits,” Thomas added.

Asked what he felt can be done to significantly reduce the country’s food import bill, which currently stands at about $5 billion, Thomas said simply: “Buy more locally- produced foods.” Renie had some wise words for up and coming entrepreneurs.

“Share, share, and share some more,” she advised.

“When we first began our business, the entrepreneurial culture was somewhat closed off, everyone had the next big idea and as such, kept it to themselves. However, we found that partnering with others, sharing ideas, creating networks, actually strengthened our business and helped us access resources faster and avoid costly mistakes.” Renie also urged young entrepreneurs to “love your business but don’t fall in love with it.” “Being in love can make you blind to major flaws that exist and even causes you to make up excuses and blame everything else but the problem.” She further advised that they be confident about their ideas and ensure that it is tried and tested.

The duo is hoping to see their brand as the leader in health and convenience with online distribution hubs throughout the region.

“We also hope to continue to be the voice for agricultural sustainability and a major part of the eat local movement in Through our Moving Table, farm to table events,” they said.