The biggest bottling company in the country, Bowen and Bowen, has added a canning line. 7 News took a tour this afternoon and here's our first look at the machine that just might be Belize's most complex assembly line. Cherisse Halsall has the story:
Bowen and Bowen's Ladyville bottling factory has launched a new operation, a canning line that's begun to put Belizean beers and sodas in cans instead of bottles.
It's an innovation that Manufacturing director Ricardo Nah says started in 2020 but stalled in the face of the pandemic. But today it's in full swing alternating canning multiple beverages including 501 Lager.
And this afternoon Nah gave us a tour of this ultra-modern line.
Ricardo Nah, Manufacturing Operations Director, Bowen & Bowen Beverages
"This is a German bottling line. It's a KHS line which is state of the art as you can see so it gives us great pride in having something like this and being able to introduce it to the public. So, if you'd like a bottle, we have bottles for you, if you like cans now we have cans for you. From our perspective our beers are always the right quality however you have it whether you have it in a bottle or you have it in a can."
According to the company, this drive to innovation was prompted by customer demand.
Ricardo Nah, Manufacturing Operations Director, Bowen & Bowen Beverages
"We have been listening to our customers and in that process what we have to offer is a new canning line. What that brings about is a different option for our customers for them to have more refreshing beverages."
Reporter
"So, this is really a reaction to customer habit?"
Ricardo Nah, Manufacturing Operations Director, Bowen & Bowen Beverages
"Our customers will always come first so we have to have a process of continuous improvement. That is what Bowen and Bowen's beverages is all about. So, what we looked at is we looked at our customers, what their expectations are, in that process we knew that there is an opportunity to be able to introduce a canning line that provides more diversification in our processes and gives our customers more options for beverages."
Reporter
"How much did this have to do with competing with Mine beer in the North?"
Ricardo Nah, Manufacturing Operations Director, Bowen & Bowen Beverages
"Us at Bowen and Bowen will always think of continuous improvement. Our mantra, our vision is pursuing excellence for a stronger Belize. What that means is we have a process of continuous improvements within the Bowen and Bowen group; every single day we want to do better. So, our strongest competitions in our minds are ourselves."
And that competition has led to what's clearly a significant investment both in machinery and in the training of staff.
Still what the consumers want to know is does it taste the same?
Ricardo Nah, Manufacturing Operations Director, Bowen & Bowen Beverages
"What happens with a can obviously a can comes with aluminum in it, a bottle is glass. It's just a different option. The option is that it does have a similar best before date to a bottle, for example, a 501 lager in a bottle has a best before the date of 6 months and one in a can is exactly the same thing so it's a different option. Now, from a customer point of view if I was to take a bottle of glass and put it to cold it would take longer than a can so that's us giving our customers more options."
And this canning line far from being just an upgrade for Belizean customers is expected to expand the company's export business, making it better able to ship products throughout the Central American and Caribbean region.
We saw as many as 7 Bowen and Bowen products, both soft drinks and beers, being canned.
