Orson Barnes - Production Manager An Employee at Charlies Bottling Antigua Limited at work
employees who are all trained in blowing
water quality, samples of the water are taken to
competitive, for the quality of product on the
bottles, storing, steaming, filling and packaging
the Dunbar’s Agricultural Station to be tested
market.
the water, as they each multitask. Orson takes
in their lab,” he said. “Some people have told
With a successful start to the water business,
pride in his product, declaring that the source
me it’s the best water they’ve tasted in a long
Orson says that Charlie’s Bottling plans
of the ‘spring’ water is rain. “We don’t use tap
while, or the smoothest water, they’ve tasted in
on launching its Crave line of carbonated
water, we pride ourselves in that. We have
a while,” he adds.
beverages early 2010. He said the company will
several cisterns under the buildings that hold
be starting with at least “ten flavours, including,
That said, Orson disclosed that the general
water,” he said. The water is harvested during
kola, lime and orange”. The machinery needed
response to the water has been good. Before
the rainy months and purified by the plant and
to start production is already on island and
officially launching it on the market, consumer
bottled. Orson said that because of the large
Orson is confident that this too will be a superb
tests and surveys were done to garner the
amount of water these cisterns can hold, it helps
product.
public’s feedback. The information from these
to ensure that water will be in production after
A man of few words, George says the market
surveys was the basis for the successful launch
the rainy season comes to an end or if there was
prospects for the water and the carbonated
of the product.
a shortfall of rain in any particular year.
sodas are pretty good. He said he expects the
Gunthropes Springs Purified water can be
continued patronage of the Antiguan people, as
Water quality Orson said is good, and ensured purchased in most of the supermarkets,
the product is a good product.
by the daily testing of samples. “To ensure including the Bargain Centre and some hotels.
Orson says the price of the water is very
BusinessFocus • Feb/Mar 2010 | 57
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