Community Development Organisation Launches Culturally-Themed Bottled Water

Marijuata, the first item in a line of Jamaican culturally themed beverages, was launched on Tuesday (April 22) by the Agency for Inner-City Renewal (AIR).

Positioned to tap into the lucrative health and wellness industry, the trademarked alkaline water product is naturally flavoured by infusing herbal/medicinal essences extracted from plants grown in Jamaica that are associated with health, wellness and vitality.

It is manufactured in partnership with Spike Industries Limited and is being marketed as a healthy, invigorating, and refreshing authentic alternative to traditional sugary beverages.

Addressing the media launch held at Spike Industries’ Winward Road manufacturing plant in Kingston, Industry, Investment and Commerce Minister, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill, said the product is evidence of Jamaican innovation and will be a strong contender in the beverage industry.

“Spike Industries and AIR are converting culture into commerce, innovation into income and productivity into prosperity,” he pointed out.

Senator Hill noted that the beverage market in Jamaica is growing and is projected to hit US$51.31 million in 2025.

“By 2029 we are heading for US$67.38 million, growing at over seven per cent annually,” he said.

Executive Chairman of AIR Limited, Dr. Henley Morgan, said that Marijuata is non-psychoactive with no hidden drug content and is legally compliant.

“There are proven health benefits,” he said, noting that consumption of the product is “cognitive enhancing, stress relieving” among other advantages.

The formulation, which is based on 16 years of research and development, meets the most stringent standards and will target the local, diaspora and international markets.

“We are going to be in two high-brand locations to begin with and we are also going to have a distribution hub in Trench Town… . The early access programme is all designed and should come online in another two weeks,” Dr. Morgan said.

Chief Executive Officer of Technological Solutions Limited, which developed the formulation with AIR, Dr. André Gordon, said that while no official health claims are being made with respect to the benefits derived from consumption, the formulation is designed to deliver several benefits.

“What we try to do is deliver a product that gives you all the benefits of hydration from the water. Spike water, in particular, is naturally alkaline, which was one of the things that we wanted. It helps to balance the PH within the body, and the other extracts that are used are all natural [to ensure] you get all the hydration benefits,” he noted.

“The herbal essences that are used, there have been a variety of studies that indicate some benefits…What we did in the development of the product was look for those… that [indicate] that they give certain benefits when consumed over time,” Dr. Gordon pointed out.

‘Reggae Water’ is the next product to be released in the line of culturally themed beverages, with other formulations to be unveiled over time.

Both brands are designated ‘herbal water’ to accentuate the potential health benefits and will be marketed under the value proposition of ‘Jamaican culture in a bottle’.

Funding was provided by the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) through its Boosting Innovation, Growth and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem (BIG EE) programme.

AIR is a faith-based community development organisation based in Trench Town, Kingston.

Founded in 2007, AIR’s mission is to transform zones of economic and social exclusion to areas of opportunities, investment and wealth.

Source: JIS