In the last two years, gas stations, supermarkets and event banners islandwide have been branded with the now ubiquitous green, black and yellow stripes of Pure National Ice. Boasting a cleaner, longer-lasting, “purer” ice product in convenient modern packaging, the company has burst into the local marketplace and captured just over 50 per cent of the market in record time.

“Pure National Ice is the newest, most modern, cutting-edge ice company in the entire Caribbean, supplying the Jamaican market with the best ice for you and your family. If I were to say we had a challenge, it would have been to gain as much market share as quickly as possible whilst gaining brand recognition, which we accomplished and exceeded with hard work, lots of sweat, and dedication to the task at hand.” says David Walton, the sales and marketing manager at Pure National Ice.

A well-loved figure in local entertainment, Walton has 15 years of experience in marketing and sales in the alcoholic beverage and FMCG (fast moving Consumer Goods) industries, and is one of the founding members of the Pure National team, heavily involved with the brand from its conception. Known as much for his work “after hours” as a successful nightlife promoter, Walton is regarded by many of his peers as an influential figure in local entertainment, and his professional journey is as much an account of change and evolution in the local entertainment sector itself.

In an exclusive interview with the Jamaica Observer, Walton shares his story. “I attended Campion College which was a great high school experience, instilling discipline, diligence and commitment in me as a youngster. Then I went to UTECH, completing a diploma in Business Administration, and finished my first degree at York University in Toronto Canada in Business Management. I decided to head into the job pool whilst doing part-time school at Humber College where I did a number of post-graduate certificates including International Business , Asia Pacific Business, Global Marketing, and Business Finance.”

Walton’s solid family background is also well known, as his siblings, Rico Walton, Zulo Walton and Anuscha-Mai Bunting are still close. “…We still have a very solid family unit, as family is everything to us. We grew up in a Christian home, attending Sunday school and church with the entire family, as well as waking up to have Bible worship before heading to prep school and high school, which at the time was quite the arduous task. We are a very musical family as well, as we all had to play an instrument. I played the drums and the piano. We still have jam sessions. And we also love to cook, so we get together at least once a week to throw something on the grill, have a glass of wine, and spend quality family time at my parents’ house in Irish Town.”

Walton notes his encouragement in business and academic pursuits was part and parcel of growing up, as it seems was his penchant for entertainment. ”My Dad and Uncle used to own a nightclub and restaurant in the 80s called ‘Rumours’, and I can vaguely recall being in the kitchen as a boy watching my grandmother and her minions in the kitchen turning out delectable dishes.”

Walton’s start in business was more traditional, as on completing his studies he quickly returned home to work and secured a coveted post in corporate Jamaica;

“After returning from Canada, I was employed by J Wray and Nephew (JWN) as an assistant brand manager for the Appleton Jamaica Rum brand, eventually becoming a brand manager and senior brand manager for the top 10 brands in the company’s portfolio, including Appleton Estate Rums and J Wray and Nephew White Overproof Rum, to name a few. After JWN I went into the family business for two years – Shim’s Wines & Syrups – as business development manager/chairman of the board, at which point the company profits grew by 22 per cent. Having achieved that financial objective in my tenure, I decided to apply to World Brand Services, a subsidiary of Grace Kennedy Ltd, and get back into the FMCG world. I was hired as the brand manager for a number of the company’s top five portfolios, including SC Johnson, MARS Caribbean ( Snickers, M&M’s, Pedigree Dog Food, etc ) and Vitamalt, to name a few. After two years with World Brands Services, I decided to venture into the ice business, rounding out a solid team in operations, ice expertise, marketing and sales and brand building.”

At Pure National Ice Walton’s role is multi-faceted; “My key responsibilities are to oversee the day-to-day sales objectives to ensure brand availability and accessibility on the shelves for our consumers, which means a keen focus on logistics, customer service and on-time delivery. In my marketing role, I am the custodian of the brand, and therefore responsible for the brand awareness, presence, and visibility in the trade, coupled with brand interaction and presence on social media, at events, parties, festivals etc. Marketing is a science, and the task ahead of any marketer is to convince the consumer; action purchase; retain the consumer; and ultimately convert them into a brand lover.”

Pure National’s leap into the marketplace clearly shows that this strategy has borne fruit, as the product boasts innovative manufacturing processes such as smart freezer technology, the first handle-top carrier bags in the region, and a multi-filtration and UV processing of 100 per cent National Water Commission-sourced water, with modern equipment producing a completely clean ice. “No hands touch our ice or our bags and there are no staples on our bags – we use an automatic formfilling and heat seal machine so we produce the safest ice. We also have the longest-lasting ice on the market, as it is cured in our cold room for 48 hrs before being ready for sale.”

The brand has established an innovative broad position in the marketplace by maintaining a platform beyond simple cocktails and coolers.

“Another first to the market is our support for the sporting community – track and field, cricket, football, beach volleyball, netball etc, but in particular track and field, where we provide ice bath therapy free of cost to all athletes and schools participating in the various track meets. This has never been done in the history of track and field in the Caribbean, where a company offers such a facility on a wide scale to aid in muscle recovery and overall performance of our athletes. Giving back to the community is intertwined in the fabric and foundation of Pure National Ice.”

Beyond Pure National, Walton still maintains an active role in the wider entertainment community, where his events still command a faithful following.

”Party promoting has been in my blood for over 20 years, and a group of us youngsters in the late 90s hosted our very first party ‘Biglife’ which was held in 1999 and was a huge success for at least three years after. Currently, I am a director of M7 Events. We host events such as SPF Weekend in Ocho Rios, Marbana in Portland and Soiree Xmas Eve in Kingston. Balancing my roles between [Pure National] and other interests is fairly easy, because we employ and depend on a solid execution team which handles the planning, production and execution of our events.”

While it seems Walton’s journey has been fairly unfettered, he shares that over the years he has learned to keep his sanity and focus by abiding by the tenet ‘everything in moderation’ and also keeping a few other habits close to his heart;

“I’ve always seen myself as a leader, so in turn I’ve automatically positioned my actions, decisions, and execution of any task – big or small – in a manner in which a leader would. I have also learnt a lot from leaders in their respective fields, which gives me a wider perspective on how to approach any situation, negotiation, or solve any problem…Tell yourself you were born to be a leader, surround yourself with leaders, make the right moves to get there, and make the right decisions when you get there!” says Walton.

“Steve Jobs has had a big impact on my approach to life and business… to always ‘dream bigger’ and think outside of the box to create exceptional products and memorable customer experiences. He has also taught me to be uncompromising and unwavering when it relates to your visions or goals, and when you get knocked down, get up, brush off and move on. He was also a bit unconventional in his approach at times, but I take the positives, and as a result push my employees to work harder, smarter, and dig deeper within themselves to unlock hidden potential that is otherwise lost or dormant.”

Steve Jobs aside, Walton also has an inner drive for success that keeps him going: “Success and that ecstatic and exhilarating feeling of accomplishment is what inspires me to get up every day and pound the pavement and make it happen. The feeling of creating a plan, executing a plan, and reaping the benefits or seeing the results is a feeling like no other. It’s a rush for some of us marketers.”

Walton shares that Pure National appears poised for even further growth by maintaining a position as the largest manufacturers of ice in Jamaica;

“We produce 65 tonnes every 24 hours, and we have the largest storage capacity of ice in Jamaica – 220 tonnes in Kingston, and our Montego Bay depot is under way with a projected capacity of 100 tonnes. Pure National Ice is a young, strong, quality brand with many more years to come in its brand life cycle, and what we will always endeavour to do is to be first to the market, constantly introducing groundbreaking innovative ideas and concepts to the ice industry, and continue to provide Jamaica with the best ice. We don’t have any immediate expansion plans, as our primary focus is on the Jamaican market to ensure that we continue to provide the best ice for the Jamaican consumer.”

As for his own future plans, Walton shares that he has further projects in the pipeline, some of which are already under way.

“There are two other business ventures in the pipeline. One is in the tourism sector and is already under way, and to date has far surpassed budgeted profits for the partners. It fuses tourism, entertainment, music, food and culture into one truly Jamaican experience and product, showcasing the best of these! The other will be unveiled closer to the end of the year and we have no doubt that this too will be another successful venture as we continue to build strong brands and products.”

As Walton eyes the future, he remains grounded and maintains a measured approach to the future: “I have learnt to take every day you wake up with a grateful heart. Never take any moment for granted; always make a difference in people’s lives, and empower them along your journey in life. The main habit I’ve cultivated over time is to try and have a positive impact in other people’s lives every step of the way, and helping others along the way.”