By Dennise Williams, Staff ReporterAIR JAMAICA has started serving WATA, one of Jamaica's indigenous bottled waters.
WATA is a product of the Jamaica Drink Company (JDC), producers of the Bigga line of soft drinks. The JDC is a member of the Wisynco Group of Companies, owned by the Mahfood family.
The alliance, already in existence for six weeks, is considered an achievement for WATA, which has only been in existence for one year.
"We have formed a strategic partnership with Air Jamaica," says company director, Andrew Mahfood. "It is our hope to increase the image of WATA and give more credence to a Jamaican brand."
Christine Steele, manager of product design and implementation at Air Jamaica said, "WATA is an excellent product and one of the best tasting purified waters around. The range of sizes offered is well suited to Air Jamaica's requirements."
Ms. Steele added that the marketing and product branding done by the company had been excellent.
THE NEED FOR EXPANSION
"We approached Air Jamaica. We saw the need to expand our market reach," Wisynco marketing manager Halcott Holness told Wednesday Business. "Air Jamaica was very receptive to our product because their travellers wanted Jamaican products. And it is the 'Buy Jamaica' campaign that gave us the impetuous to go ahead with this."
Mr. Holness said, "While many persons have been calling for us to export the product, our capacity at this time can only fully support local demand."
Francois Chalifour, managing director of JDC, said "This partnership means that the best water in Jamaica is being served to all Jamaicans and visitors travelling on Air Jamaica."
In 2003, the company invested $200 million into the expansion of their Twickenham Park, St. Catherine plant to facilitate the WATA product. Holness states that WATA is the local bottled water market leader with 60-65 per cent market share. He said there are plans to eventually export WATA as the Bigga soft drinks are currently exported to the Caribbean, Miami, New York and the United Kingdom.
