DDL continues to diversify
Kaieteur News
June 15, 2004
SOME 1,200 persons are employed by the beverage giant, Demerara Distillers Ltd (DDL) and it is still pursuing the course of expansion and diversification.
Over the past years, the company has been diversifying its activities.
It is a leading producer of carbonated beverages including Pepsi, Seven-Up, Slice and Mountain Dew, in addition to its own range of Soca flavours. It also produces Diamond Mineral Water.
The core business of DDL is Demerara Rum.
The company’s alcoholic products, especially its rums - El Dorado 15 Years Old Special Reserve, El Dorado 12 Years Old and El Dorado 5 Years Old - are well known in the Caribbean and international markets.
The company is also a leading supplier of bulk rum to bottlers in Europe and North America.
DDL produces its own carbon dioxide and dry ice.
It has been producing high grade fruit jams and jellies, fruit juices and fruit mix.
The fruit juice operations have recently been expanded to include a state-of-the-art packaging plant and wider distribution under the brand names Topco and Wave.
It is also involved in the fish and shrimp processing business with local and Barbadian partners.
The company has expanded into the distribution business, where it is now the distributor in Guyana for products ranges from Johnson & Johnson, Nestle and Colgate Palmolive.
Distribution Services Ltd, as this part of the group is known, also represents several leading local companies.
The company has also invested in the information technology sector with the establishment of Solutions 2000 and Decipher International Inc.
DDL has subsidiary companies in Europe, North America and the Caribbean.
In keeping with its drive for increased productivity and reduced costs for international competitiveness, the company signed a groundbreaking agreement with its three recognised trade unions, effectively replacing the system of uniform across-the-board increases with variable performance-based increases.
DDL has a programme of continuous training and development to ensure it maintains a team capable of facing present and future challenges.