GraceKennedy announced its intention to take bigger market share of the wine and spirits sector, with the launch of Harbour Wines & Spirits.

The new wines and spirits division was launched on Tuesday at the Kingston waterfront in downtown Kingston in the company of many wine lovers eager to sip the new wine offerings.

It was a glamorous affair with scores of important invitees, including board members and other executives of the parent company, GraceKennedy Limited, and its affiliates, members of the diplomatic corps, customers and wine aficionados, among others.

“We originally operated with a modest portfolio of wines but were increasingly asked for different wine brands,” explained Sharice Fernander, brand manager for the Harbour Wines and Spirits portfolio.

This led Grace Foods & Services not only to expand the product offerings, but to invest in the repositioning of the division through a new name and image.

Marilyn Bennett, the company’s wine consultant, noted that “the name ‘Harbour Wines & Spirits’ brought forth an immediate connection, based on the past history and continued success of GK at its present iconic Harbour Street location”.

She said that the changes were intended to bring focus to the marketing of the wines and spirits portfolio, as its chief mandate is to bring award-winning products to Jamaica.

There is already a high level of acceptance of many of the division’s wine brands such as Trivento (Argentina); Viña Maipo (Chile); Sutter Home and Menage a Trois (USA – California and Washington State); Indaba (South Africa) and Villa Maria (New Zealand).

Harbour Wines & Spirits expects to make a significant impact on the wines and spirits business in Jamaica.