Appropriate food packaging has the potential to stimulate the demand for speciality food items and can drive trade and innovation in the tourism sector. This is especially relevant in the case of the Caribbean where tourism is a major foreign exchange earner and increasingly, the cornerstone of economic growth. However, tourism's potential to diversify other linked sectors such as agriculture is often unexplored. With the rise of eco-tourism, visitors now seek out souvenir food products that are unique to the location, attractively priced and speak to the authenticity and heritage of a country.

Given the surge of interest in souvenir food products in the tourism sector, and the sector’s potential to diversify incomes and drive demand in the agriculture sector, FAO recently published a guide entitled ‘Souvenir Food Packaging: A training resource for small food processors and artisans’. Targeted to small business owners in the Caribbean, the training guide provides valuable information on the preparation of appropriate and attractively designed packaging for souvenir food items. It also contains comprehensive information on the food product attributes that are relevant for tourists, the role and function of packaging in marketing food as a tourist merchandise, and product positioning. The guide details issues related to post-harvest production and marketing and is reader-friendly with easy to follow instructions for beginners.

Greater knowledge of the post-harvest marketing of high demand souvenir food items will enable local agro-industries, especially small business owners, to better profit from tourism markets, believes Dr. Rosa Rolle, Senior Enterprise Development Officer at FAO. “Tourism and agro-processing industries are inextricably linked, but the potential for both to strengthen each other through appropriate post-harvest management is poorly tapped. We believe that this guide will assist small-scale processors and artisans to capture a greater market share, ultimately improving their incomes,” said Rolle.

You can download your copy of Souvenir food packaging: A training resource for small food processors and artisans here.