KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent and the Grenadines – July 15, 2025 – Ferique Shortte, founder of Union Food Processing, has secured the top prize in the Business Pitch Competition hosted under the Technical Assistance for Men’s Employment and Entrepreneurship Development (TAMEED) Project.
The competition, held today at the Centre for Enterprise Development Inc. (CED) Conference Room, featured five finalists vying for funding to expand their entrepreneurial ventures. Shortte’s winning pitch showcased his startup’s production of locally processed hams and sausages — a business that impressed judges with its innovation, scalability, and market readiness.
As the first-place winner, Shortte will receive a cash grant of XCD $15,000. Placing second was Eric Clarke of Teric’s Poultry and Meats, which specializes in fresh whole chicken and beef. Clarke will be awarded XCD $10,000 to boost his business operations.
The three other finalists were:
- Hartiem Farrell – Hartiem Farrell Couture
- Jessie DaSouza – Vibie’s Concrete Products and Services
- Rayshorn Richardson – Eknotec Services Ltd.
The pitch competition formed a central part of the TAMEED Project, which launched in January 2025. The initiative, funded by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and executed by CED, aims to empower male entrepreneurs across SVG through mentorship, business training, and financial support.
The project will officially conclude on Friday, July 18, with a Closing and Grant Awards Ceremony at 9:00 a.m. at the UWI Global Campus Lecture Hall. At that event, 36 participants who successfully completed the six-month program will receive financial grants to enhance and expand their businesses.