Business View Caribbean | March 2020

45 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN MARCH 2020 L I FESPAN COMPANY L IMI TED Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Antigua, and the UK, and we’re looking to export to more Caribbean islands and also to the U.S.” “Our business is about five percent export, and that is purposely done,” Davis explains. “We want to ensure that once we enter into these markets, that we can support them the way that we need to. So, the focus has been on capacity building.” Some of the company’s long-term plans include finalizing its route-to-market strategy. “We want to dominate the domestic market; we want to be among the top water bottlers in the hemisphere; we want to grow export sales; and we want to increase leverage with our marketing partners,” Davis shares. To that end, Lifespan has acquired a new major distributor, Caribbean Producers Jamaica Ltd.; it is looking for possible opportunities with sub-distributors; and it has increased the size of its leased truck fleet. Davis says another major objective is to expand production by introducing new lines and retiring older, inefficient ones. “We’re also looking to see if we can have more reach, mainly in the digital space,” he notes. “We want to create a ‘storefront’ in the new ERP system, so that customers have an alternative way of ordering the product. The idea is to modernize as much as possible, not just in terms of equipment, but in terms of processes and how to reach new potential markets. We also intend to be listed on the Jamaica stock exchange, because that will allow us to acquire enough capital to do that rapid buildout we intend to do.” Davis adds that the company has put everything in place for next year’s expected HACCP certification. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points is a system that recognizes that a food business has developed, documented, and implemented systems and procedures in accordance with its guidelines. Williams adds that Lifespan is a member of the IBWA, the International Bottled Water Association, and that it was recently certified by NSF, the international