International Market Research Consultant on Non-Traditional Flours in the Caribbean

Output 1 (by 17 July 2026) Inception report, including detailed methodology, stakeholder mapping, workplan, analytical framework, list of target products and proposed structure of the final report. Output 2 (by 31 July) Desk review and evidence synthesis report, including key findings from existing market and technical documents, commercialization implications and identification of gaps requiring further validation. Output 3 (by 14 August) Draft market study and product opportunity assessment report covering: - product assessment for cassava, sweet potato, breadfruit, dasheen and arrowroot - market analysis and buyer intelligence - competitor and substitute product analysis - supply, volume and sourcing assessment - processing, compliance, packaging and logistics considerations - preliminary product prioritization and commercialization recommendations. Output 4 (by 27 August) Dedicated non-traditional/gluten free markets such as arrowroot, dasheen, breadfruit and Cassava assessment note, including quantified opportunities where feasible, buyer segments, product specifications, distribution logistics, potential commercial applications and recommendations for market entry and scale-up. Output 5 (by 11 September) Product prioritization matrix and phased commercialization roadmap for 12, 24 and 36 months, including quick wins, medium-term growth opportunities and longer-term strategic product lines. Output 6 (by 25 September) Market development input note, including: - shortlist of target markets and indicative buyer categories - recommendations for commodity supply catalogue structure and content - product specification and supply forecast guidance - route-to-market recommendations - practical market intelligence inputs to support future marketing plans and commercial outreach. Output 7 (by 30 September) Final revised report package and presentation, including the final market study, final arrowroot market assessment, final product prioritization matrix, final commercialization roadmap and presentation of findings and recommendations to ITC and key stakeholders.

Home-based (Caribbean region)

3 months from ASAP

The International Trade Centre (ITC) is a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization for trade-related technical cooperation in developing countries. The Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (OLAC), as geographical section of the Division of Country Programmes (DCP), is responsible for defining the ITC strategy and coordinating interventions in the region. The Green & Inclusive Value Chains section within the Division for Sustainable and Inclusive Trade supports sector-wide transformation, improved market linkages and private sector competitiveness linked to responsible production and consumption, climate resilience, food security, sustainable standards and market systems. The section utilizes the Alliances for Action methodology to implement projects in inclusive and sustainable agribusiness value chains. Under the European Union-funded project “Strengthening nutritious and sustainable value chains in the Caribbean through Alliances”, ITC supports agri-MSMEs, cooperatives and producers to become more competitive and resilient through value addition, diversification and new market development at the regional level. The project contributes to regional priorities related to food and nutrition security, import substitution, agribusiness development and increased resilience of local agri-food systems. In the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and in Barbados, Jamaica and Guyana there is growing interest in expanding agro-processing and market development for locally available crops, including cassava, sweet potato, breadfruit, dasheen and arrowroot. The proposed assignment will support the identification of commercially viable value-added product opportunities and practical commercialization pathways for these crops, including flour, starch, composite blends, baking and cooking ingredients, ready-to-cook items, minimally processed products and selected ready-to-eat or convenience products. The assignment is expected to generate commercially relevant evidence on product opportunities, buyer requirements, price expectations, supply volumes, distribution logistics and market entry requirements for domestic, regional and selected export markets. Special attention is required for arrowroot, dasheen, breadfruit and Cassava given the interest in strengthening product development and market readiness for these crops starch, flour and other commercially viable value-added products. The consultancy is therefore expected to identify and quantify market opportunities where feasible, assess buyer segments, determine product specifications and packaging requirements, and analyze distribution logistics and commercialization pathways for arrowroot products. The assignment is also expected to provide practical market intelligence to support wider agri-food marketing and commercialization efforts in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana and the OECS countries. This includes recommendations relevant to produce aggregation and coordination, marketing through existing and proposed distribution channels, product specification requirements for large buyers, supply forecast needs, route-to-market options and a structured approach for preparing a national commodity supply catalogue covering fresh commodities, processed fresh produce and value-added products. The study is expected to identify the most viable products, validate market demand, assess supply feasibility, define processing and compliance requirements and outline a phased pathway for commercialization and investment. DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES Under the direct supervision of the Associate Programme Officer and the overall guidance of the Head of Section, and in close collaboration with ECGC, the Ministry of Agriculture and relevant stakeholders in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Consultant will: I. – Desk Review and Evidence Synthesis 1. Review and synthesize existing studies, technical reports, market analyses, policy notes and other relevant documents concerning cassava, sweet potato, breadfruit, dasheen and arrowroot, with particular attention to product development, processing opportunities, known supply constraints, buyer trends and previous market intelligence work. 2. Review available information on recent buyer inquiries, historical market demand, identified opportunities across regional markets, and previous assessments relating to priority fresh and processed produce, value-added products, non-traditional flour products and other priority commodities. 3. Extract and summarize key findings on product categories, product specifications, price ranges, target buyers, logistics constraints, quality requirements, processing considerations and known commercialization bottlenecks. 4. Identify the main information gaps still requiring primary validation through interviews, consultations and commercial analysis. 5. Prepare a concise evidence synthesis note outlining the implications for ECGC and related commercialization initiatives in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as the other OECS countries and Barbados, Jamaica and Guyana. II. – Product Opportunity Assessment 1. Assess the commercial potential of value-added product categories derived from cassava, sweet potato, breadfruit, dasheen and arrowroot, including: - flour and starch products - composite flour and starch blends - specialized baking and cooking ingredients - ready-to-cook and minimally processed products - frozen and chilled convenience products - selected ready-to-eat items and finished consumer products such as snack products, biscuits, waffles, cookies and similar products, where commercially viable. 2. Determine which product opportunities offer the strongest commercial potential in the short, medium and longer term, taking into account demand, supply feasibility, processing complexity, storage and handling considerations, market competition and likely return on investment. 3. Undertake a dedicated assessment of non-traditional flours, including: - potential markets for roots and tuber starch - potential markets for roots and tuber flour - feasible derivative and specialty products - likely customer segments and end uses - product specifications and quality expectations - packaging and logistics considerations - likely barriers to market entry and growth. III. – Market Analysis and Buyer Intelligence 1. Analyze the size, structure and growth trends of domestic (SVG), CARICOM, USA, Canada, EU and UK export markets for the shortlisted products. 2. Identify and analyze target customer segments including wholesalers, distributors, supermarkets, food retailers, bakeries, food manufacturers, hospitality operators, food service companies, institutional buyers and other large purchasers. 3. Identify potential high-value markets and buyer categories for shortlisted fresh, processed and value-added products. 4. Assess buyer requirements including: - product specifications - preferred formats and packaging - quality and consistency standards - price expectations - volume requirements - delivery arrangements - payment and trading terms, where information is available. 5. Analyze competing products from domestic, regional and imported sources, including substitute products in flour, starch, convenience and specialty categories. 6. Recommend the most promising markets and buyer channels for immediate and medium-term market development. 7. Prepare a shortlist of priority markets and indicative buyer categories that can inform future commercial outreach and trade engagement. IV. – Supply Chain and Raw Material Assessment 1. Assess the availability, reliability, consistency and quality of supply for cassava, sweet potato, breadfruit, dasheen and arrowroot. 2. Estimate indicative supply volumes for the target crops and identify key seasonal patterns, supply gaps and production bottlenecks that may affect processing and market fulfillment. 3. Assess crop suitability for different product uses, including varietal suitability and processing characteristics where relevant. 4. Examine sourcing and coordination options including direct procurement, contract supply, farmer coordination, aggregation arrangements and linkages with marketing depots or aggregation centres. 5. Identify supply-side risks that may affect business viability, including inconsistent volumes, seasonal shortfalls, post-harvest losses, variable quality and logistical inefficiencies. 6. Recommend practical approaches to strengthen supply coordination, improve consistency and better align production with buyer and processor requirements. V. – Processing, Compliance, Packaging and Logistics Assessment 1. Identify the principal processing requirements for the shortlisted products, including core equipment categories, handling requirements, storage needs and workflow considerations. 2. Assess processing implications for flour, starch and convenience product lines, including implications for ECGC and for arrowroot-based processing, in addition to dasheen, breadfruit and Cassava in other OECS countries, and Barbados, Jamaica and Guyana. 3. Identify applicable food safety, hygiene, traceability, labelling and packaging requirements relevant to target markets. 4. Assess relevant quality assurance and certification considerations, including requirements associated with gluten-free positioning where applicable. 5. Review logistics considerations relevant to commercialization, including transportation, storage, packaging integrity, cold chain needs where relevant, distribution arrangements and shipment considerations for target markets. 6. Recommend practical measures to support operational readiness and improve the likelihood of successful market entry. VI. – Commercialization Roadmap and Market Development Inputs 1. Develop a product prioritization matrix ranking shortlisted opportunities according to: - market demand - supply readiness - technical feasibility - processing complexity - storage and logistics requirements - investment needs - profitability and growth potential - alignment with local supply conditions. 2. Recommend a phased commercialization pathway indicating: - quick-win products that can be pursued in the short term - medium-term products requiring additional preparation or investment - longer-term strategic products with higher market or processing potential. 3. Develop a commercialization roadmap for 12, 24 and 36 months, including: - priority product lines - indicative sequencing of activities - critical enabling actions - required partnerships - indicative market development steps - supply coordination measures - major business risks and mitigation considerations. 4. Prepare market development inputs that can support wider agrifood marketing efforts, including: - a recommended structure and content outline for a Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Commodity Supply Catalogue covering fresh commodities, processed fresh produce, value-added products, arrowroot products and other priority goods - indicative product availability information needs - indicative price information needs - indicative supply volume information needs - recommendations on how product specifications and supply forecasts should be presented for large buyers - route-to-market considerations for domestic, regional and diaspora-oriented channels - practical recommendations to support future marketing plans linked to negotiated contracts or large buyer engagement. VII. – Consultation, Validation and Reporting 1. Conduct consultations with producers, aggregators, processors, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, exporters, food service operators, hospitality buyers, public agencies and other relevant value chain actors to validate findings and recommendations. 2. Present preliminary findings to ITC, ECGC and relevant stakeholders for feedback. 3. Revise and finalize all outputs based on comments received. 4. Ensure that all recommendations are practical, commercially grounded and aligned with realistic implementation conditions in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Copyright Clause: The consultant must secure all necessary intellectual property rights and permissions required to perform their services and enable ITC's unrestricted dissemination of the work. Documented proof of these rights must be submitted to ITC, and the consultant must obtain prior written approval before incurring any third-party copyright or licensing fees. ITC champions workforce diversity, inclusion, and gender parity, ensuring equal consideration for all qualified individuals. All candidates, including persons with disabilities, are evaluated fairly without discrimination or prejudice of any kind.

Postgraduate degree in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, Marketing, Food Science, Agro-processing, International Trade, Rural Development or another relevant field. Extensive relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the university degree. • At least 5 to 7 years of relevant experience in market research, agribusiness development, agro-processing, value chain analysis, product development or commercialization strategy; • Demonstrated experience in conducting market studies, commercial feasibility assessments or similar analytical assignments for agri-food products; • Experience working on roots and tubers, breadfruit, arrowroot, starches, alternative flours, convenience food products or Caribbean agribusiness will be an asset; • Experience working with ITC or international organizations will be an asset. Skills: • Excellent understanding of agribusiness markets, market research, commercialization strategy and value-added product development; • Strong knowledge of agro-processing, product positioning, route-to-market analysis and buyer requirements for agri-food products; • Knowledge of supply chain analysis, commodity aggregation, post-harvest and logistics considerations in small island contexts; • Familiarity with food safety, traceability, packaging, labelling and market compliance requirements; • Strong analytical, report writing and presentation skills; • Ability to work with minimum supervision, efficiency, competence and integrity and in harmony with people from different backgrounds.

Not available.

Not available.

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.