Bullish in its support for thousands of female operators in the supplier network, rum manufacturer J Wray & Nephew Ltd (JWN) has for the last two years sought to lead the empowerment of some the island’s most impactful women in the spirits industry.

On the culmination of the company’s second season of its Spirited Women programme, JWN Managing Director Daniel Caron told the
Jamaica Observer that the company, as it moves forward, will continue to highlight and celebrate the work of women whose impact are often overlooked and undervalued in what is often viewed as a male-dominated industry.

“As the managing director, my job is to really drive inclusion in everything we do and having a voice represented for the entire communities we serve is of utmost importance. When we look at what is taking place in the industry, right now 70 per cent of our business is driven by the support of community bars, a majority of which are run by women, so as a company we continue to recognise them as the backbone of our business,” he said to
Sunday Finance, during a closing luncheon event held on Thursday at JWN’s corporate offices located on Dominica Avenue in New Kingston.

Proud of the company’s strong ratio of female leadership, Caron said the aim is always to strike a balance in ensuring that the interest of all is always well represented and having a seat at the table. “For me personally — this is super important. I think in recognising our women in leadership in Jamaica, this really sets the tone to encourage people to move forward. As a company we are proud to have the likes of even our own Dr Joy Spence as the first female master blender in the world — this really sets the tone that anyone from all walks of life can achieve greatness,” he noted.

Lauding the Spirited Women initiative a worthwhile investment, the managing director said the greatest return of the programme is to see the economic transformation of these female business owners and also the communities in which they operate and are also able to lead change.

“This is my first experience and the second staging for the company, but I am so energised and motivated by the passion and drive of all these ladies working in various businesses but still being able to make their own individual marks. At JWN, the initiative for us is not to make money or to drive the sale of our products — it is to recognise the successes of some of our most valued female partners,” the managing director, who joined the company late last year, said.

Spirited Women, an annual series launched by the company in 2023, was conceptualised to highlight the passion, determination and successes of resilient female entrepreneurs operating in the local spirit industry. Following on the successes of the inaugural first season, this year’s showcase celebrated five women considered trailblazers who have been honing their crafts in different businesses across community bars, popular entries and a sound and audiovisual company. The participants included St Elizabeth bar owner and round robin guru Andia Elliot; Lisa Binns of the world-renowned Stush in the Bush in St Ann; Shelly Sterling, co-founder of PepperThyme restaurant; Teisha DuQuesnay, managing director of Supreme Audio and Electronics; and Shelley Provost from the Robin Robin bar in Linstead, St Catherine.

Samara South, public affairs and government relations manager at JWN, commenting on the reach of the initiative, said it has, over the first two stagings, been able to unearth and share powerful stories of female empowerment, providing those integral behind the scene details for the featured players of industry.

“Women are often the engine behind the successes of a lot of our community bars and businesses and so with this annual series, we saw it fit to not only highlight some of the work they do, but to also offer them support and recognition outside of International Women’s Day,” she said.