PRIMARILY IN CHARGE OF THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE COUNTRY, NAMELY ST THOMAS, PORTLAND, ST MARY, KINGSTON AND ST ANDREW.

How did you land this job?

I had recently lost my job due to a redundancy exercise, so I decided to apply to Crazy Jim. I was successful in my application and was given the mandate to expand the customer base, supervise merchandisers, salesmen and provide market intel to the department head.

Essentially, things have worked out in my favour as this was nothing new for me, having been in a similar job for 10 years in the sales department. I knew all the major stakeholders, the right strategies to embark on for growth, the pros and cons of handling the cold chain process, the target groups for the varied range of products, and the ideal planogram that is not only appealing to the customers but very practical in terms of excellent merchandising.

How long have you been in this job?

I have been in this job for approximately three years now and I must say it’s the most fulfilling experience of my sales career.

What’s great about your job?

What makes this job exciting is the challenge of competition and the opportunity to guide prospective customers. (Sometimes I am in different parts of the island meeting new prospects for opportunities which can be very interesting.) New strategies are outlined, so they can improve their businesses. It is very heart-warming to know that prospective customers have seen success through the professional guidance offered to them.

Smith & Stewart Distributors is not only the manufacturer for Crazy Jim Ice Cream, they are also the distributor for brands like Richie’s, Blue Bunny, Splash Novelites, and our newest brand, Valentini, and they are available at all major stores islandwide.

During my tenure at Smith & Stewart Distributors, I must say I have been fortunate to realise steady growth over the past three years. Despite the harsh economic times we have seen growth of 22 per cent in volume sales compared to the time of my admittance to the company in 2010.

The thing that is most interesting about this job is the flexibility of the management team to cater to all levels of business in the ice cream industry. Crazy Jim makes special formulated ice cream to suit the need for any taste and occasion such as ice cream parlours, restaurants, hotels and special functions.

The R&D department is constantly improving and reviewing ways to beat the competition by implementing new and exciting flavour mixes to please taste buds. Just last year at the 2012 Expo held at the National Arena, Crazy Jim won the award for ‘Best New Product’, which was the Apple Vodka Ice Cream.

This year Smith and Stewart Distributors also launched their new flavour, Coconut Pine, under the Crazy Jim brand and is currently available in the bulk category. I must add that the feedback has been an overwhelming Wow! experience for consumers.

Tell us something we might not know about your brand.

Crazy Jim is the largest producer of ice cream in Jamaica and is the only brand that produces high-quality ice cream that is trans fat-free and which is heart healthy (Jamaicans are health-conscious). We have nine locations across the island. They are: 3 McArthur Avenue, Kingston 11; 93a Orange St, Downtown Kingston; 12 Caledonia Ave, Kingston 5; 29-31 Spanish Town Road, Kingston ; 18a Wellington St, Spanish Town; 6 Brooks Avenue, May Pen; 105 Main St, Santa Cruz, 18 Church St, Montego Bay; and 15 Milford Rd, Ocho Rios.

Why are your products so attractive to customers?

This is simply because of the diverse range of products we carry at affordable prices which appeal to all demographics of the market, from large chain-stores to fudge men.

Do you have any additional news you wish to share with your customers?

Yes. We are the only supplier that caters to the health-conscious society that wishes to indulge in ice cream, such as low-fat, no-sugar and trans fat-free, and have been in operation for over 30 years.

Where can customers find out more about your brand?

Customers can look us up on Facebook or call customer service at 923-3020 or 923-6237.