What Hadco does

HADCO Limited is a privately held Trinidad and Tobago-based conglomerate founded in 1992, operating through four divisions: Distribution, Manufacturing, Recycling, and Experiences. The Distribution Division encompasses Food & Beverage (exclusive distributor of Häagen-Dazs, Yoplait, McCain, Yellow Tail), Electrical & Lighting (Square D, Bradford White, Bticino, Philips), and Logistics & Services (customs brokerage, freight forwarding, own trucking fleet), supported by 107,540 sq ft of warehouse space including 45,646 sq ft of cold storage with 11 freezers and 5 chillers at its San Juan headquarters, plus a Point Lisas branch and a 2022-opened cold storage facility in Tobago. The Manufacturing Division produces Happy Time ice cream cones (acquired 2003) and Creamery Novelties premium ice cream (established 2018), exporting to 10+ Caribbean nations. The Recycling Division, formed through the 2017 acquisition of Ecoimpact Co. Limited, processes approximately 40,000 gallons of waste oil per month for ISCC-certified export to biofuel producers, alongside wastepaper, cardboard, TetraPak, and aluminium can recycling. The Experiences Division, launched in 2023, operates sustainable ecotourism properties including the 29-room Asa Wright Nature Centre and Mt. Plaisir Estate Hotel.

The company employs 501–1,000 people and is family-controlled, with John, Robert, and Joseph Hadad serving as co-CEOs. HADCO generates revenue through wholesale distribution (transaction fees on premium imported and locally manufactured products to restaurants, supermarkets, and industrial buyers), product sales from its own manufacturing brands (Happy Time cones, Creamery Novelties ice cream), processing and export fees from Ecoimpact recycling operations, retail sales through HD Café, Peppercorns, Nova Lighting, and Lighthouse storefronts, ecotourism bookings via hadcoexperiences.com, and fees from third-party cold storage rentals and customs brokerage services. Channel mix spans direct B2B sales, regional export through authorised Caribbean distributors (coordinated by Export Manager Vashish Sieurajsingh and General Manager Shazaad Mohammed), and Hexcorp LLC's electrical equipment exports across Central and South America. The company holds HACCP certification for cone manufacturing, ISCC certification for waste oil processing, and has received repeated awards from General Mills, Unilever, GraceKennedy, and the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, including 2024 Breakthrough Exporter of the Year (Creamery Novelties) and 2020 BHP Least Non-Conformance Winner.

Name

Hadco

Legal name

HADCO Limited

Website

https://hadcoltd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

HADCO Limited is a Trinidad and Tobago-based conglomerate operating Distribution, Manufacturing, Recycling, and Experiences divisions, serving food service, retail, industrial, and tourism customers domestically and across 10+ Caribbean export markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diversified Distribution and Manufacturing Conglomerate

NAICS

Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520), Food Service Contractors (722310)

SIC

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024), Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Soft-Serve & Custard Stands (THAFAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

F&B Experiences & Group Dining (Restaurant Buyouts, Tastings, Catering Coordination) (THAHADAI)

Keywords

• Food and beverage distribution
• Electrical products distribution
• Cold chain logistics
• Ice cream manufacturing
• Waste oil recycling

Headquarters

HQ city

San Juan

HQ country

Trinidad & Tobago

HQ region

Latin America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Distribution (Food & Beverage): Distribution of premium food brands, frozen goods, chilled products, wine & spirits to food service and retail sectors across Trinidad and Tobago. Revenues are generated through the sale of imported and locally manufactured products via a network of restaurants, supermarkets, and wholesale customers. Cold storage and dry warehousing services support the distribution operations.
2. Distribution (Electrical & Lighting): Distribution of electrical and lighting products (Square D, Bradford White, Bticino, Philips and other brands) to wholesale, industrial, and commercial markets in Trinidad and Tobago. Products are sold through sub-companies Nova Lighting and Lighthouse (retail) as well as direct B2B sales.
3. Manufacturing (Ice Cream Cones): Manufacture and sale of Happy Time ice cream cones (wafer, sugar, waffle) to local supermarkets and regional Caribbean distributors, generating revenue through product sales.
4. Manufacturing (Ice Cream & Novelties): Manufacture and sale of Creamery Novelties ice cream tubs and novelty items to local and regional Caribbean markets. Exports to more than 10 Caribbean nations.
5. Recycling Services: Collection, processing and recycling of waste vegetable oil (exported for biofuel production), wastepaper, cardboard, TetraPak and aluminium cans. Revenue derived from processing fees and export of recycled materials. Ecoimpact offers free collection for residents and businesses, generating revenue from downstream buyers (biofuel producers).
6. Ecotourism & Experiences: Bespoke vacation packages and ecolodge accommodations at Asa Wright Nature Centre (29-room birding lodge in Arima Valley) and Mt. Plaisir Estate Hotel (beachside lodge in Grande Riviere, leatherback turtle nesting site). Revenue from bookings and tourism experiences.
7. Logistics & Services: Customs brokerage, freight forwarding, container haulage, cargo management services through One Ocean Cargo, Sampson's Transport, Land Ice & Fish, and Hexcorp. Land Ice & Fish facilitates export of Tuna to the USA. Hexcorp distributes and exports electrical equipment across Central and South America and the Caribbean.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HADCO Group is a Trinidad and Tobago-based conglomerate that distributes premium imported and locally manufactured food, beverage, wine and spirits, and electrical and lighting products to restaurants, supermarkets, and industrial buyers across the Caribbean. The company manufactures ice cream cones (Happy Time) and ice cream novelties (Creamery Novelties), operates waste oil and battery recycling services through Ecoimpact and Caribbean Battery Recycling, provides cold-chain logistics, customs brokerage, and freight forwarding, and runs ecotourism experiences at Asa Wright Nature Centre and Mt. Plaisir Estate Hotel.

Product overview

HADCO Group is a diversified conglomerate operating across four main divisions: Distribution, Manufacturing, Recycling, and Experiences. The Distribution Division encompasses Food & Beverage (distributing brands like Häagen-Dazs, McCain, Yoplait), Electrical & Lighting (Square D, Philips), and Logistics & Services (One Ocean Cargo, Sampson's Transport). The Manufacturing Division includes Happy Time ice cream cones (acquired 2003) and Creamery Novelties premium ice cream (established 2018). The Recycling Division features Ecoimpact (waste oil recycling) and Caribbean Battery Recycling, acquired in 2017. The Experiences Division operates eco-tourism lodges including Asa Wright Nature Centre and Mt. Plaisir Estate Hotel. HADCO serves retail, wholesale, industrial, and commercial markets across Trinidad and Tobago and exports to Caribbean nations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Happy Time: Ice cream cones brand (wafer, sugar, and waffle cones) manufactured by Imanex Limited
• Creamery Novelties
• Ecoimpact
• Caribbean Battery Recycling
• HD Café
• Peppercorns
• One Ocean Cargo
• Sampson's Transport
• Land Ice & Fish
• Hexcorp
• Nova Lighting
• Lighthouse
• HADCO Experiences
• Kelec

Products and services

• Food & Beverage Distribution Wholesale distribution of premium imported and local food, beverage, wine and spirits, frozen goods, and chilled products to restaurants, food service operators, and supermarket chains throughout Trinidad and Tobago. Exclusive distributor for brands including Häagen-Dazs, Yoplait, McCain, and Yellow Tail. Backed by 107,540 sq ft of warehousing with dry, chilled, and frozen storage capabilities.
• Electrical & Lighting Distribution B2B distribution of electrical and lighting products including Square D, Bradford White, Bticino, and Philips to wholesale, industrial, and commercial buyers in Trinidad and Tobago, with strategically located warehouses in San Juan (18,480 sq ft) and Point Lisas (12,000+ sq ft). Also retailed through Nova Lighting Limited and Lighthouse Limited storefronts.
• Logistics & Services Integrated logistics services including customs brokerage, freight forwarding, container haulage, and cargo management delivered through subsidiaries One Ocean Cargo, Sampson's Transport Company Limited, Land Ice & Fish Ltd (longline fishing support and tuna export to the USA), and Hexcorp LLC (electrical equipment distribution across Central and South America and the Caribbean).
• Happy Time Ice Cream Cones (Imanex Limited) Manufacture and sale of HACCP-certified wafer, sugar, and waffle ice cream cones under the Happy Time brand, produced at a 10,000 sq ft facility in Diego Martin. Sold to local supermarkets and exported via authorised distributors to Caribbean markets including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, and Suriname.
• Creamery Novelties Ice Cream Manufacture of premium take-home ice cream tubs in various flavours and frozen novelty items for local and regional Caribbean markets. Exports to more than 10 Caribbean nations including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Jamaica, Curaçao, Suriname, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Awarded TTCIC Breakthrough Exporter of the Year (2024) and TTMA Most Successful Market Entrant Medium 2023.
• Ecoimpact Waste Oil and Recyclables Collection ISCC-certified collection, processing, and recycling of waste vegetable oil, wastepaper, cardboard, TetraPak, and aluminium cans across Trinidad and Tobago. Free collection service for residents and businesses; approximately 40,000 gallons of waste oil collected per month and roughly 90 metric tonnes exported monthly to biofuel producers via a multi-stage purification process (filter mesh, settling tank, heating, centrifuge extraction).
• Caribbean Battery Recycling Responsible disposal and recycling of batteries across the Caribbean region, offered as part of HADCO's Recycling Division.
• HADCO Experiences Ecotourism Sustainable ecotourism experiences including accommodation and bespoke vacation packages at Asa Wright Nature Centre (29-room birding lodge on 1,500 acres of protected rainforest in the Arima Valley with 170 bird species) and Mt. Plaisir Estate Hotel (beachside ecolodge in Grande Riviere at the world's highest-density leatherback turtle nesting site). Direct bookings via hadcoexperiences.com. Awarded Trinidad Business Excellence Tourism Supporting Services (2015).
• HD Café (Häagen-Dazs Shops) Retail Häagen-Dazs branded ice cream shops operated by HD Café Limited in Trinidad and Tobago.
• Peppercorns Specialty Food Stores Specialty food retail stores operated by HADCO in Trinidad and Tobago.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~40,000 gallons of waste oil collected per month; ~90 metric tonnes exported monthly to biofuel producers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce (TTCIC)coreOthers · 1 January 2024HADCO subsidiary Creamery Novelties Limited received the Breakthrough Exporter of The Year award at the TTCIC Champions of Business Awards 2024 for significant strides in the export market. HADCO has a history of engagement with TTCIC awards programmes.
• Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers' Association (TTMA)coreOthers · 1 January 2024Creamery Novelties Limited won the Most Successful Market Entrant Medium 2023 award at the TTMA President's Awards for outstanding growth, product development and innovation. HADCO participates actively in TTMA events and export programmes.
• Musical Instruments of Trinidad & Tobago Company Limited (MITTCO)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 August 2022MITTCO officially launched its steelpan manufacturing facility at the e TecK Diamond Vale Business Park in Diego Martin on August 11, 2022. HADCO participated in the MITTCO launch event. HADCO's own Happy Time manufacturing facility is also located in the same e TecK Diamond Vale Business Park, Diego Martin.
• Trinbago Knight RidersminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 May 2020HADCO Group partnered with the Trinbago Knight Riders cricket franchise to distribute 1,000 hampers during the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020.
• BHPminorOthers · 1 January 2020HADCO received the BHP Supply Vendor Awards – Least Non-Conformance Winner in 2020, awarded for being the supplier who delivered most orders within specifications and scope of supply.
• Ecoimpact Co. Limited (acquired)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017HADCO Group acquired Ecoimpact Co. Limited in 2017 to form its Recycling Division. Ecoimpact was founded in 2009 by Troy Hadeed and is the first waste oil collection company in Trinidad and Tobago, holding ISCC certification. The acquisition enabled HADCO to expand its fleet of collection trucks and staff, and add wastepaper, cardboard, TetraPak and aluminium can recycling to its services.
• The Supermarket Association of Trinidad and TobagominorOthers · 1 January 2017HADCO received Distributor of the Year award from The Supermarket Association of Trinidad and Tobago in 2017.
• HADCO Group FoundationcoreOthers · 1 January 2017HADCO Group Foundation was established in August 2017 in memory of Maria Hadad (sister of Group co-CEOs John, Robert, and Joseph Hadad). The Foundation is funded by monthly employee payroll contributions and assists employees facing natural disasters, chronic disease, major illness, and poverty relief. Managed by a six-member committee.
• GraceKennedy LimitedcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2017HADCO holds distribution rights for GraceKennedy Limited products. Received Outstanding Performance award from GraceKennedy in 2011.
• General Mills (Häagen-Dazs Franchise)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2009HADCO is the exclusive distributor of Häagen-Dazs ice cream and Yoplait products in Trinidad and Tobago. The company has received multiple awards from General Mills including Championship Brand Award (2007, 2009), Championship People Award (2007), Circle of Excellence (2009), Play to Win Award (2018), and Outstanding Execution recognition (2005). Also distributes General Mills Yoplait for the annual 5K Walk Against Breast Cancer in collaboration with Scotiabank.
• Unilever Caribbean LimitedcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2009HADCO holds distribution rights for Unilever products in Trinidad and Tobago. HAS received multiple Unilever awards including Achieving Targets for 2009 and Achieving Turnover Target for 2009-2011.
• ScotiabankminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2005Since 2005, General Mills/Yoplait has been donating funds in collaboration with Scotiabank for their annual 5K Walk Against Breast Cancer. HADCO joins the fight against cancer by donating to various cancer foundations. The programme is called 'Friends in The Fight'.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ANSA McAL: One of the largest Caribbean conglomerates headquartered in Trinidad, with Manufacturing, Distribution, Retail, and Services arms. Direct comparable for a diversified conglomerate with T&T roots and regional scope.
• Massy Holdings: Trinidad and Tobago-headquartered conglomerate operating across Distribution, Industrial, Consumer, and Energy segments. Most analogous Caribbean comparable to HADCO's diversified distribution-led model with regional reach and multiple operating subsidiaries.
• AS Bryden & Sons: Caribbean consumer goods distribution company distributing branded food, beverage, and household products across the region. Comparable to HADCO's F&B distribution segment in terms of customer base and channel structure.
• GraceKennedy Limited: Jamaican food company with Caribbean-wide branded food distribution plus financial services. Most direct comparable for HADCO's premium-brand food distribution business (Häagen-Dazs, Yoplait, McCain, Yellow Tail) across the Caribbean.
• Agostini's Limited: Trinidad and Tobago conglomerate with distribution, manufacturing, and retail operations across the Caribbean. Comparable family-owned conglomerate with similar diversified structure and T&T base.
• Goddard Enterprises Limited: Barbados-based Caribbean conglomerate with food manufacturing, distribution, and consumer brands across the region. Comparable in scale, geographic footprint, and the mix of branded food manufacturing plus distribution operations.

Broad incumbents

• Nestlé Caribbean: Multinational F&B manufacturer with substantial Caribbean ice cream and frozen dessert operations. Direct competitor to Creamery Novelties and broader HD Café / Häagen-Dazs distribution in the region, though operating at vastly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCmmwUrvzn2DUsDYrhy31igQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/HADCOGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hadco-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/hadco_group

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hadco