WTDC Talks Cuba

While in Havana to witness the raising of the US flag over the US Embassy, WTDC President & CEO Ralph L. Gazitua had an opportunity to meet a number of Cuban entrepreneurs. Over dinner at Atelier restaurant in Havana, Mr. Gazitua learned much about their opportunities as business owners but also the challenges they face in Cuba. Continue reading →

Sep 16, 2015 /prREACH/ -- While in Havana to witness the raising of the US flag over the US Embassy, WTDC President & CEO Ralph L. Gazitua had an opportunity to meet a number of Cuban entrepreneurs. Over dinner at Atelier restaurant in Havana, Mr. Gazitua learned much about their opportunities as business owners but also the challenges they face in Cuba.

Ralph L. Gazitua knows how hard it is to survive in the restaurant industry; his nephew is Carlos Gazitua the successful CEO of Sergio’s Restaurants, a Cuban restaurant chain with over forty years in business in South Florida. Sergio’s is the first national Cuban restaurant franchise in the U.S. with plans to expand nationally.

Sergio’s founder Blanca Cabrera is the first Hispanic woman on the National Restaurant Association Board. Like Blanca, Niuris Higueras is a passionate entrepreneur with big goals of growing her small business in Cuba. Niuris runs Atelier, a small restaurant in Havana.

This week Carlos Gazitua and Nuiris Higueras had lunch at Sergio's restaurant in Doral to exchange ideas and best practices of running a small business. Carlos shared Sergio’s organization of product sourcing, employment, labor, and technology which helps maintain each location. They even discussed how to maintain a clean restaurant, synergy opportunities and of course, Cuban food.

Carlos Gazitua enjoyed his conversation with Niuris. “The private small restaurant business in Cuba is in an early stage and has many challenges,” Gazitua said. “Sharing best practices with industry leaders can have a significant impact on the sector in Cuba. Hopefully meetings like today urge Cuba's entrepreneurs to demand more access to information, goods, services and products from the Cuban government; and in turn grow local economies for the Cuban people"

WTDC is a Foreign Trade Zone in Miami, Florida, USA, family owned and operated by the Gazitua family since its founding in 1977. WTDC is a full service logistics company specializing in international distribution and global transportation management. WTDC provides transportation services via Road, Rail, Air or Ocean. WTDC specializes in servicing the Duty Free and Travel Retail industries.

Phone: 305-594-7484 Web: www.wtdc.com Email: [email protected]