C&C Super Foods Ltd. launches Online Shopping Service
-SKNVibes demonstrates shopping experience with Skit

By Stanford Conway
Editor-in-Chief, SKNVibes.com

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – RESIDENTS of St. Kitts and Nevis can now purchase their groceries on one day and receive them 24 hours after without having to leave the comfort their homes.

This information was made public when C&C Super Foods Ltd. launched its Online Shopping Service with a display at a press conference held at the Frigate Bay Beach Hotel today, Tuesday, June 3.

Scott Caines, Managing Director of C&C Super Foods, told media representatives and other invitees to the launch that the venture is another effort in teamwork, which shows the commitment of the people with whom he has the pleasure to work.

The Online Shopping Service was facilitated by the locally-owned SKNVibes, the leading Web Development Company in the Caribbean Region specialising in Ecommerce and Web Applications.

Scott Caines, Managing Director of C&C Super Foods

Caines gave credit to US-based Roden ‘Hashimoto’ Daniel of Keys Village, who he met two Christmases ago. He said Daniel advised him to create an online supermarket shopping experience but he had some reservations, because of being in the business for only four years.

“My immediate thinking was that I should creep before I run but he insisted even upon his return to the USA, contacting me almost on a weekly basis and even forwarding me the website for a similar venture recently undertaken in another Caribbean island.”

Caines noted that Daniel was very persistent and strengthen his proposal by informing him that he had nothing to lose. The Managing Director said Daniel informed that many nationals in the US would prefer to shop groceries online for their loved ones in the Federation than to face the hassle of packing and shipping barrels to them.

Caines said it seemed a good rationale but was most impressed when Daniel indicated that many persons in the US would prefer to send food than remittance back home, because they were certain the food would be put to better use than the money.

“And so it was that the initial conversation, followed by the persistence of the young man whom I believe saw an opportunity and sold a business idea, had led us to the launch of C&C Online Supermarket today,” he added.

He told the gathering that encouragement was also given by a member of staff, who consistently insisted that the company must not remain in the shadows of competition because it was still young in the business, “but we must assert ourselves and lead the competition”.  ~~Adz:Left~~

Caines said that Daniel’s idea, the staff member’s words of encouragement and the executives of the company who provided the online facility are likened to the verse of Scripture – “…a little child shall lead them”.

“Essentially then the combined encouragement of Mr. Roden Daniel…, the confidence exuded by my staff when the idea was first tabled, together with the technological expertise of our own young and local entrepreneurs at SKNVibes have brought us today to the unfolding of www.candcsuperfoods.com,” he said

The Managing Director declared that after researching and testing multiple scenarios, they recognised that an online supermarket is a huge paradigm shift in the way business is conducted in this part of the world.

“Not many persons would have envisioned 20 years ago that they would be able to stay at home and purchase their groceries on a Friday evening and have them delivered within 24 hours on Saturday,” he said.

Culturally, he noted that going to the supermarket had almost become a social pastime, as it was where people ran into many acquaintances and would have engaged in meaningful conversations. “But today, with all of the constraints on time taken up with longer hours at work, dropping the children to school, extra-curricular activities, attending meetings and doing online courses, it seems there is not enough hours in a day anymore to do the regular chores like shopping.”

He also explained that apart from overseas-based nationals finding convenience in online shopping for their family, friends and loved ones at home, an online supermarket in the Federation would provide more opportunities to a number of other segments.

“The villa and condominium owners wishing to holiday on the island can pre-purchase their groceries to arrive in time for their visit on the island; the busy university students can select their items and have them delivered to their apartments; the yachters can replenish their supplies when they berth at our shores without leaving their cabin; and, of course, anyone for that matter can take advantage of having someone do the shopping for them.”

Caines boasted of a well-trained staff that is eager to fill online customers’ orders and declared that the site is secured and had been rigorously-tested, adding customers could use their credit or debit cards to purchase their groceries.
 
Stachio Williams, Chief Financial Officer SKNVibes, Chief Executive Officer Gregory Gilbert and Editor Suelika Creque participated in a skit that demonstrated how an overseas-based individual could purchase online and have the items delivered to the home of the recipient residing on St. Kitts.

This act was complemented by power point demonstrations and explanations from Williams, as to the simplicity of the purchasing and payment processes of the online supermarket.

It was noted that deliveries to Nevis would be done by means of the ferry system, where customers would have to collect their groceries from the vessel that the company would have paid to deliver them. However, Caines promised that home delivery would also be introduced in Nevis in the not too distant future.

It was also explained that the minimum purchase from the local Online Supermarket, which can be found at www.candcsuperfoods.com,  is EC$300 and charges are at a fixed rate of 10 percent.