A Haitian company committed to food security
Rooted in Port-au-Prince, built for the world
It's in Port-au-Prince that the story of Caribbean Import Distribution S.A. (CIDSA) took root, born from the meeting of three seasoned professionals united by one conviction: making food import-export a trusted profession between Haiti and the world. Germain Emmanuely, a trained economist with a Bachelor's degree in International Business and a minor in Business Management, partnered with Louis Marie Thérèse, an experienced entrepreneur, and Michel Germain, an accountant with more than ten years of experience in import-export. Together, the three founders bring well over a decade of combined expertise in international trade — a solid foundation, built in the field, on which CIDSA's credibility rests today.
Duly authorized to operate by Haiti's Ministry of Commerce and Industry, CIDSA was founded at a time when the country was facing one of the most severe food crises in its recent history — with nearly half the population living below the poverty line and food insecurity affecting close to half of Haitians. Faced with the chronic shortfall of national agricultural production, CIDSA's founders saw responsible food importation not merely as a business opportunity, but as a genuine response to an urgent national need.
This foundation rests notably on the company's first strategic partnership: a collaboration with WestStar, a Texas-based American company, with which a relationship of trust had already existed since 2011 — more than ten years of shared experience in international sourcing. This long-standing alliance allowed CIDSA to position itself as a recognized distributor of essential food staples, starting with Pinto Beans, later joined by vegetable oil — two staples central to the Haitian diet. Year after year, CIDSA's reputation has been built on simple but demanding foundations: consistent product quality, dependable supply, and a price-to-quality ratio designed to remain accessible to families and businesses alike.
Building on this solid experience rooted in Port-au-Prince, the company has steadily expanded its reach. Its distribution network now extends beyond the capital — shops, wholesalers, supermarkets, hotels, restaurants, institutions, and religious communities — supported by a diversified payment system (MonCash, NatCash, Zelle, bank transfer) designed to secure every transaction. With more than ten years of combined expertise in the sector, CIDSA continues its growth today as the exclusive distributor of the Manolo brand — a new milestone that reflects its ability to earn the trust of demanding international partners and sustainably diversify its offering.
Our Mission
- Build a durable, viable company that stays true to its commitments
- Facilitate consumer access to quality food at fair prices
- Deliver service through rigorous logistics and a dependable supply chain
- Promote responsible consumption grounded in trust and transparency
- Grow into other regions through a network of partner distributors
- Offer products and services that improve everyday life for Haitians
Our Vision
To become one of the leading companies in Haiti's food import-export sector, recognized for building profitable, durable businesses while generating tangible economic development for the country.
- Promote consumption of quality, locally-respectful food products
- Make products available in sufficient quantity nationwide
- Reach the most remote provincial towns, not just the capital
- Build a genuine channel of trust with consumers
Our core values
Quality
Only products meeting the strictest standards, to earn and keep a demanding clientele's trust.
Fair pricing
Rates set from real import costs, while staying accessible to Haitian households.
Operational excellence
Logistics built to guarantee stock availability year-round, in every season.
Client proximity
A lasting relationship built with every partner, like an artisan who knows their client's needs.
Social impact
Part of our profits support community projects — health, education, and access to information.
Our objectives
- Create durable jobs across the logistics and distribution chain
- Increase income for workers and partner distributors
- Offer local distributors a structured, competitive platform
- Improve communities' quality of life with reliable food products
- Train partner distributors to strengthen their businesses
- Promote Haiti's culinary diversity through community events
- Build a tradeswomen network in provincial towns
- Prioritize food grown without pesticides or chemicals where possible
- Raise awareness of healthier, more sustainable eating habits
From Brazil to your pantry
A vision driven by its founder
“Our ambition isn't just to import goods — it's to build a bridge of trust between the world's best producers and the households that deserve quality food, wherever they are.”
A trained economist holding a Bachelor's degree in International Business with a minor in Business Management, Germain Emmanuely built strong experience in international project management before founding CIDSA. Under his leadership, the company has grown a dependable distribution network and a reputation for excellence among its partners.
From Port-au-Prince to the rest of the country, CIDSA moves forward with an unwavering conviction: that a well-run Haitian company, driven by a genuine sense of service, can be both profitable and useful to its country. Every bag of Pinto Beans delivered, every liter of oil distributed, every new partnership formed — like the one with the Manolo brand — is part of the same journey: feeding, with consistency, the trust of a people who deserve better than precarity.