Wisynco's Revenues Grow by 30 per cent in the First Half of 2007

Dennise Williams

Revenues at non-alcoholic beverage manufacturer and distributor Wisynco have grown by 30 per cent since January.

Leading this growth are the Ocean Spray and Wata brands, which have actually grown more than 30 per cent individually.

"This year, Wata has grown significantly more than 30 per cent while Ocean Spray has grown even more than that," said William Mahfood, head of Wisynco. He attributes this growth to the health consciousness of Jamaicans. This has been reinforced through a series of health fairs and expos sponsored by the company since the start of the year.
Wisynco has also pushed its brands, especially the Wata product, through partnerships with fast food restaurants, the large hotel chains and tourist destinations.

"When you go to the airport, you see Wata. When you go to SuperClubs, Riu, Iberostar and other large hotels, you are served Wata. Burger King, Wendy's, Dominoes Pizza and KFC also serve Wata. What we are saying is, when you visit the fast food restaurant, a great alternative to sodas is Wata," Mahfood explained.

"That reinforcement adds to the brand positioning and emphasises to the consumer that we are a serious product."
In terms of Ocean Spray, Mahfood explains, "We outpace the United States in consumption of Ocean Spray on a per capita basis by more than 30 per cent. Jamaica is definitely the number one destination for the brand."

Wisynco, known for its Bigga soft drinks, now finds that these two products are an important part of the portfolio of beverage brands.

"Our carbonated brand is the only one that has a flat performance. That is why it is important that we got Coca Cola on board," Mahfood said.

"For the March quarter, Coca-Cola and Coke products grew by 25 to 30 per cent," he added. Mahfood estimates that Coke now has 25 per cent of the market, up from 20 per cent last year, due to strategic alliances with hotels on the North Coast. He did not divulge any actual numbers but said that in the J$20-25 billion per year non-alcoholic beverage market, Wisynco controls about 7 per cent of total sales. That would equate to roughly J$2 billion per year.

"We grow through a combination of new product launch and organic growth," he said. "In the next five years, if we could control 15 per cent of the market, that would be lovely."

Last year, there was talk that the company would be purchasing the Catherine's Peak brand, but negotiations fell through. Mahfood and his team, whom he describes as "the best and most dedicated in Jamaica", are focusing their attentions on growing Wisynco's portfolio of beverages.

Flagship brands such as Ocean Spray and Coca Cola are imported while other valuable brands such as Bigga and Wata are locally manufactured. As the firm gears up to move into its new 260,000 square foot factory, Mahfood said that Wisynco will be introducing three new locally manufactured beverages to the market by year end.

(Observer)