Guadeloupe/Natural and local link: these initiatives that promote sustainable development in Guadeloupe

The development of a sustainable economy, local and enhancing the territory is an aspiration that the European Union advocates through its regional policy. In the Guadeloupe archipelago, three companies have benefited from this support. With the objective of making the planet more virtuous.

100% vegetable containers in Lamentin

Innovation and sustainable development are the key words of the company "Bio With You". Established in the commune of Lamantin in the west of the Guadeloupean archipelago, the company develops 100% plant-based containers for consumers, but also for companies. It is the first plastics manufacturer to offer biodegradable and compostable containers and bottles in the Caribbean, and particularly in the region.

The innovation lies in the use of new and unique materials, including bagasse. This fibrous residue collected after the crushing of sugar cane actually has multiple advantages: resistant to high temperatures and fats, compostable, waterproof but also suitable for food use... Enough to make it the perfect raw material. All the more so as sugar cane is the second most important agricultural activity in the region. Hundreds of thousands of tons of sugarcane are crushed every year, leaving behind tons of unused bagasse. Originally developed by French engineer Nicolas Moufflet, the process consists of transforming the bagasse into granules, which in turn are used to make bottles.

The project is part of a complete sustainable approach. The bottles do not contain any oil that can be harmful to ecosystems, fauna and flora when the waste decomposes into plastic microparticles. Here, the bottle will decompose in a healthy way when it reaches the end of its life (90% in 6 months). With this process, "we can conceive an agricultural development and at the same time a preversion of our natural environments", summarizes Maire-Luce Penchard, vice-president of the Guadeloupe Region present at the inauguration on March 3rd.

It also allows other Guadeloupean producers to package their products in an eco-responsible manner. Thus, the project has set up a modern and functional industrial building for the manufacture of bottles. With an area of 750 m², it is composed of a storage and production unit and an automated production line. The total cost of the investment is 2.4 million euros, 50% of which is being covered by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Getting back to basics and changing the codes of the local cosmetics industry

Turning a personal asset into an eco-responsible company that respects our health? This is the bet that Sandra Albertolli has taken by creating her own brand of cosmetics "La Source Cosmetics" in 2019, while she produced until then only for her relatives.

A strong desire surrounds the project: that of changing the codes of the current cosmetics industry, centered around chemicals. Thus, the brand returns "to the source, to the essential", we can read on its website, with products designed entirely in Guadeloupe and centered around a key ingredient: the island's vanilla. Goodbye sulfate, synthetic perfume, silicone and other artificial components!

Solid shampoo, make-up remover, moisturizing cream... the range currently contains 9 "high-end" 100% natural products. Vanilla, an essential element, is purchased from Vanigwa, a producer who won a gold medal at the SIA agricultural competition in 2020. For the past two years, the company has also been producing its own local and certified organic raw material with the opening of a 5-hectare vanilla farm in the state forest of Sainte-Rose.

In addition to the composition of the products, the creator of the artisanal brand pays particular attention to the entire production chain, from processing to storage, but also to the containers, suppliers or labels. All these steps are placed under the sign of the reusable, the 100% recyclable and the local. With this in mind, the company decided to set up an eco-responsible manufacturing laboratory by applying for financial assistance from the European Union. In line with the brand's values, the manufacturing site is completely self-sufficient in solar energy, but also in water.

Of the 37,000 euros needed to build the laboratory, "La Source Cosmetics" received 26,500 euros in aid from the LEADER program, which finances actions in favor of rural development. A real success, the brand was also rewarded by receiving the "LEADER Prize for innovation and experimentation in rural areas" on November 14. This award was given among 150 other initiatives.
Enhancing the value of local restaurants in Saint-François

Established in the southeast of the archipelago since 2012, the success of the Pêcherie des îles in Saint-François is undeniable. Fish burgers with no added products, fresh, local products and entirely processed on site have notably made its success. After ten years of activity, the company of fish trade and processing of local fishery products wished to expand, to be able to meet a significant demand which it could not face any more, for lack of storage.

Two processing and storage workshops have therefore been added to the company, as well as the creation of a restaurant and a snack bar to put fishing at the heart of the plates. Another investment was made in cold rooms, a kitchen workshop and a sales area.

This expansion responds to three objectives, namely the valorization of products that are not widely consumed, the increase in the added value of these species, but also the guarantee for producers to have a structure that contributes to ensuring the sustainability of their activity.

The European funds distributed by the Guadeloupe Region cover more than 30% of the project, that is to say nearly 260,000 euros on a total of 770,000 euros.

Source: www.touteleurope.eu