Karl Menzies_web

KARL H. MENZIES COMPANY LIMITED tend to have the same quality focus that we do and an interest in being a top brand–not because of price, but because the consumer will enjoy the relationship with the brand.” Menzies elaborates on the importance of dealing fairly and openly in all aspects of the business: “One of the things we like to stress is relationships: relationships within the team, relationships with customers, relationships with suppliers. If you’re going to be uninterested in who you’re dealing with, you’re not going to get very far for very long.What we try to do is focus on the long term. It’s worked for us, so far, and we would advise any business starting out: that’s the way to go.” Menzies is also cognizant about the need to be a good corporate citizen in a relatively small marketplace. “Dealing in a small country, we try to find ways not to compete with local produc- ers, but rather to complement what they’re do- ing,” she says. “So, the products that we provide in both divisions tend to be products that are not readily available, locally. Certainly, nobody is producing wine or whiskey here. And paint isn’t produced in Belize. But these are quality products that the local craftsman, the tourism provider, the folks who are trying to make a better life for everybody around them, can use to assist them in what they do.We look at our- selves as part of the productive team, in that respect, and we end up working quite a bit with local service providers.” As for the future, Menzies says that expan- sion plans are on the front burner. “For most of our existence, we operated from one location and we do our wholesale distribution from there. Now, our Beverage Division through its Wine Cellars is branching out into the rest of the country.We’ve opened a Wine Cellar in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, which is the largest resort island in the country, and we are hoping to open at least two other branch locations in other parts of the country over the next year or two. For Surface Solutions, because of the technical aspects of what we do, we distribute only out of our Belize City headquarters, at the moment.”