WISYNCO Group has signed a deal with the Coca-Cola Company to become the international beverage manufacturer’s exclusive franchise holder in Jamaica.

The agreement means that Wisynco will now be the exclusive bottler and distributor of Coca Cola’s wide range of products in Jamaica, cementing a relationship that began four years ago when the St Catherine-based firm started distributing Coke products on a non-exclusive basis on the island.

“We’ve been working with Wisynco since 2006 and, during the last four years, we got to know each other as people and as companies, and we certainly found out that it was the right partnership for both of us,” said Roberto Mercade, Coca-Cola general manager, Venezuela and the Caribbean, at a press conference held at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston on Monday.

“So, we are now officially welcoming Wisynco as part of a very select group of bottling partners… we are very happy, not only for the business opportunity that we both are going to generate but also what we can do for the communities in Jamaica,” added Mercade.

The Coca-Cola brand, although much bigger than its main rival Pepsi in the US market, has always had to settle for the number two slot in Jamaica, where Pepsi, that was produced by Desnoes and Geddes, is the dominant brand. Coca-Cola, regarded as the world’s most recognisable soft drink brand, was distributed in Jamaica by Facey Commodity up until 2004, when that local company gave up the distributorship.

In 2006, when Wisynco began to distribute Coca-Cola, Wisynco managing director William Mahfood told the Business Observer that the firm’s mandate was to increase Coke’s stake in the domestic cola market from around 20 per cent to 50 per cent in two years time. Mercade declined to reveal Coca-Cola’s share of the local market currently, but said that it had made great strategic inroads in Jamaica since Wisynco took control.

“Jamaica has been one of the few challenges in the world for us as far as national market share is concerned, but the opportunity has always been there,” noted Mercade.

“So this time around, we took the time to really get to know our partner and the result has been substantial; our volumes have grown double digits over the last few years… If you go to the Montego Bay area for example and look at the hospitality channel, we’ve made some tremendous strides there and the quick-service restaurant channels as well,” he said.

Mahfood echoed Mercade’s assessment and added that Wisynco was now investing in infrastructure to support deep penetration of Coca-Cola into the national market.

“In the last three, four years, when you look at how many hotels have opened in Jamaica — every single hotel is s erving Coca-Cola products exclusively… If you look at the restaurants, we’ve grown that customer base significantly… All the cinemas in Jamaica today have Coca-Cola customers… We have made significant inroads in schools,” said Mahfood, adding: “It’s a foundation and we are putting in the infrastructure at Wisynco to do more.”

Additionally, Coca-Cola announced that it will be the official sponsors of the Concacaf Under-17 football championship, which will be held in Jamaica next year.

“Coca-Cola remains committed to Jamaica and its people and will continue to make a positive impact in families that enjoy our products everyday,” said Mercade.

Mercade noted that its official sponsorship of the recently held World Cup in South Africa provided a huge boost to its brand recognition in Jamaica and has given the firm momentum as it plans its foray into the local market.

“That’s probably the most relevant platform that the company has that we’re going to leverage in Jamaica going forward,” noted Mercade.

Apart from the Coke brand of soft drinks, Coca-Cola’s wide range of products includes Minute Maid, Vitamin Water, Nestea, and Powerade.