Getting Ready for Christmas with Chamber’s Expo
The fifth edition of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Christmas Expo Extravaganza took place over the weekend in Belize City. Thousands of Belizeans made their way to the Ramada Belize City Princess to take advantage of the great deals available in time for the Christmas. From phones to groceries and even the ham and turkey were all on promotion. A News Five team was there and Duane Moody picked up his goodies for the Christmas.
Duane Moody, Reporting
The annual Christmas Expo organized by the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry saw persons from across the country converge on the Ramada Belize City Princess for the two-day extravaganza. A wide range of businesses occupied the many booths offering great deals on products and services. According to Viannie Reyes, the expo provides a venue for entrepreneurs and new businesses to market themselves.
Viannie Reyes
Viannie Reyes, Marketing/PR Officer, BCCI
“The room is packed; we sold out all of our booths this year compared to last year’s expo that we had. This year is so far successful with selling the booths. What I know most of all is that we will get the different, amount of costumers that we need here today. We’ve been marketing this from the beginning of time and so far, it has been successful just for the morning. It’s not just beneficial to the company, but to the customers. I mean it is the time of the year where you want to come out and purchase your Christmas hams, your turkey, your wines and any other small gifts for your loved ones. We all want the best gifts at the best prices. So it is the time of the year to start and you can start the smart way with the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry Christmas Expo Extravaganza.”
There was no shortage of food, drinks and clothing. Music was provided by the National Institute of Culture and History’s Brukdown Project. Among the best-selling items were hams at turkeys by Smiling Meats’.
Fern Marage
Fern Marage, Smiling Meats
“We have our Smiling Meat packages where you can get three items for ten dollars; four items for fifteen dollars and five items for twenty dollars. That is what we are doing today at the expo. We also have our ham special for only today and tomorrow where you can purchase a leg ham for seven-ninety-0five a pound. And then we have the shoulder part, which is the picnic, which is five seventy-five a pound.”
Grace Kennedy Belize Limited offered all the seasonings and food products to compliment the ham and turkey, for the perfect Christmas dinner. Brand Manager Yolani Cocom says that the Beverage Center was included to provide a complete package for Belizeans.
Yolani Cocom
Yolani Cocom, Brand Manager, Grace Kennedy (Belize) Ltd.
“Every year around this time, we try to give back at Grace Kennedy: through prices, through products, through sampling of course. And so this year, we came at the expo and we are not doing unit by unit sales; we are doing baskets. As you can see, we have some gorgeous baskets here and of course we have sampling using our Benjamin products, Grace products and of course other products that we carry, like the icing sugar as well. One of the great things about Grace Kennedy is that we are very diverse with the products that we carry and of course we have to have a beverage line. How can you eat and not drink right? And so we have a non-alcoholic and an alcoholic line. Today we are showcasing our alcoholic line which is the El Dorado and the Vino Mipro Wine.”
A new featured booth this year was UNIQUE Belize. Coordinated by NICH, it offers distinctive Belizean art pieces; Zericote carvings, bamboo art pieces, woven baskets, hats and other trinkets by Belizean artisans.
Ilona Smiling
Ilona Smiling, Curator, Museum of Belize
“It’s the first time we are here; UNIQUE Belize is actually a certification and branding program for Belizean artists and we help them to market in local and international markets. Some of the products we have are handmade bracelets, necklaces, earrings; we have handmade bags. We also have placemats made from Jippy Jappa and we have some little turtles made out of it too. We have picture frames; these are just some of the products that we have for sale today. On display we also have some of the products that you can order through our catalogue; you can find them online or you can call us right at the NICH office.”
But what is an expo without an opportunity to buy high-end, android and apple phones at reduced prices? Smart Belize also came out at the Christmas expo and offered great deals.
Fiona Gillett
Fiona Gillett, Sales Manager, Smart Belize
“We have phones as low as thirty-five dollars, Duane. 4G/LTE phones ninety dollars. Guys come on out; the sale is really good and the phones are going very fast, come on out.”
Duane Moody
“I understand that people can get double up; they can also get data and they have different plans that are available for them.”
Fiona Gillett
“Yes, we have double up out here as well; we are offering our broadband out here. We have the payment plan going on and the phones are really, really nice guys; good Christmas gifts at Smart here.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
