PEPSI-COLA Jamaica has signed an agreement with the operators of the fast food chain, Island Grill, to make Ting grapefruit drink the lead beverage in their restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, according to an official of the local beverage company.
In making the announcement last Thursday, director of manufacturing at Pepsi-Cola Jamaica, Alfred Campbell, did not elaborate on the agreement, but said it was part of the thrust to increasing the sale of Ting, which he said has seen the most outstanding period of growth in the 16 months since acquiring the soft drinks business from Desnoes & Geddes (D&G) in December 1999.
Speaking at a media briefing attended also by Pepsi-Cola Jamaica president Larry Flood and representatives of the Jamaica Citrus Growers at Le Meridien Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston, Mr. Campbell pointed out that when they acquired the business, Ting was being manufactured and sold in a 10-ounce glass bottle.
However, a major expansion programme at the Hunts Bay, Kingston manufacturing plant resulted in increased frequency of supplying customers and added packaging for its premier product. Hence, Ting is now also being packaged and sold in 20-ounce and two-litre polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers, as well as in the form of "bag in the box". The "bag in the box" package is used in fast food outlets, hotels and high volume nightclubs and entertainment facilities.
Mr. Campbell, noting that the agreement with Island Grill "augurs well for the future growth in the fast food business", said the local market for Ting continued to experience significant growth patterns and the export market was showing an ongoing increase in consumer acceptance of the brand. About 85 to 90 per cent of Ting was consumed in Jamaica, with Canada and the United States their major export markets, he said.
Pepsi-Cola was currently shipping the manufactured product from its Kingston plant to the United States, Canada, the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas and the British Virgin Islands, while concentrate is shipped to the United Kingdom, Antigua, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and Barbados, with a number of other markets expecting to come on stream later this year.
"What is extremely gratifying to us is that Ting is made with Jamaican produced raw materials, the most significant being the excellent quality Jamaican grapefruit concentrate," said Mr. Campbell, paying tribute to the work of the team at Jamaica Citrus Growers in Bog Walk, St. Catherine, "for being a most reliable supplier."
He pointed out that "as a manufacturer and distributor, it is extremely difficult for you to plan your operations and sales schedules if you do not have a reliable supplier of raw materials."
Last year, he said, the use of grapefruit in the manufacturing of Ting increased by more than 300 per cent when compared with the previous year, and already there were signs that this year the company would continue to increase its use, showing a 100 per cent increase for the first three months when compared with the same period last year.
