By Monique Hepburn, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
The COOL Runnings spring water company is in the final phase of a major expansion programme. Located in the hills of Montpelier, St. James, Cool Runnings carries out its bottling at a pristine spring nestled in a rain forest. The company was started over a decade ago with eight staff members and it has since grown to over 30 members.
The brainchild of Horace Peterkin, its chairman, the business has become a household name in the local hospitality and tourism industry.
Moses Kerr, operations manager, says the company is currently doing well and is a serious contender in the local beverage market. However, in a bid to streamline its operations, the plant is being modernised at a cost of US$120,000. This process will see to the implementation of an automated bottling system and aligning its current purification system in line with modern standards.
" We have approximately 60 per cent of the market in north western Jamaica," Mr. Kerr said. "We plan to increase our production by modernising the facility in order to meet these demands and then target overseas markets."
OPTIMISTIC ABOUT PROSPECTS
Horace Peterkin told The Gleaner yesterday that he is optimistic about the prospects of penetrating the United States and Cayman markets. He said the plant currently processes two to three million bottles of spring water annually and that this figure stands to increase massively with the improvements he is making to the facility.
"Full automation of the plant is near completion," Mr. Peterkin said. "Crossing over into mainstream markets will not be difficult and we expect to start distribution to the United States within the next four to six weeks."
Mr. Peterkin said Cool Runnings also engages in private labelling for the Half Moon Club, Round Hill and the world famous Rick's Café in Negril, Westmoreland. He is currently in dialogue with Captain Horace Burrell of the Captain's Bakery with an intention to market the product in that Cayman Islands. "Cool Runnings stands in good stead with Jamaicans living abroad who seek to buy Jamaican products, thereby maintaining their connection with Jamaica," Mr. Peterkin said.
