Sugar has been a key part of Barbados’s society, culture and economy for over 300 years. The international appetite for sugar evolved rapidly during the 1600s. Barbados marked the start of British involvement in the Caribbean and the island’s geography and climate were quickly identified as offering perfect conditions for sugar production. The development of sugar plantations across the island was rapid and sugar remained the mainstay of the Barbadian economy until the later part of the 20th Century. With the advent of mechanization, however, the rugged terrain and relatively small, disconnected areas of cultivation meant that the possibility for economies of scale was limited – unlike Brazil, for example, which has many plantations that are bigger than the whole of Barbados. Although not as important as it once was, the Barbados sugar industry still employs more than 2,000 people and brings in over BD$40m in foreign exchange earnings. It also indirectly supports tourism by maintaining Barbados’ unique environment. 

Tomorrow

To ensure the survival of its sugar industry the Barbadian government has committed itself to exploring new and sustainable opportunities for development. Developing a premium sugar for direct consumption has been one of the key strands of this activity and West Indies Sugar & Trading Co. was formed in 2004 to develop a response to this objective.

The highly selective quality processes that we follow means that Plantation Reserve will only ever be produced in relatively small quantities. However, its launch is designed to regenerate the industry by providing innovation and investment to a declining market and will send a powerful signal to both consumers and the global market about the enduring nature of a sustainable sugar industry within the Barbadian economy.