SM Jaleel confirms bid for CAL bottled water supply

SM Jaleel & Company Limited has confirmed that it made a bid to supply bottled water to State-owned Caribbean Airlines (CAL), but says discussions are still underway with the airline, although CAL has already confirmed the award of the $405,600 contract to the company.

In a release on Tuesday, the beverage manufacturer said it submitted a quotation to CAL on July 2, following an invitation to bid for the supply of bottled water, and that the procurement process is continuing in accordance with regulatory requirements.

The company said the proposed arrangement involves the supply of its Oasis Water brand for a one-year period.

The confirmation comes days after the Sunday Guardian reported that CAL had discontinued the use of Blue Waters, which had been served on its flights for more than 15 years.

According to CAL’s online procurement platform, the airline awarded the bottled water contract to SM Jaleel on July 8.

For a brief period following the discontinuation of Blue Waters, CAL served Dasani, a brand produced by a subsidiary of the Coca-Cola Company, before moving to implement the arrangement with SM Jaleel.

SM Jaleel said in the media release that its relationship with CAL spans more than two decades.

“We are proud of our more than twenty-year relationship with Caribbean Airlines and appreciate the opportunity to continue supporting the airline,” the company said.

“As discussions progress regarding the formal supply arrangements for Oasis Water, we remain committed to delivering the highest standards of quality, reliability and service that have characterised our partnership over the years.”

The company said Oasis Water is manufactured at its facilities in Trinidad and Tobago and that it maintains internationally recognised certifications, including those associated with the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), NSF International, the Safe Quality Food (SQF) Programme, and registration with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“These internationally recognised standards reflect SMJ’s unwavering commitment to producing safe, high-quality beverages that consistently meet and exceed the expectations of consumers and commercial partners throughout Trinidad and Tobago, the wider Caribbean and international markets,” the company said.

The change in supplier followed CAL’s decision on July 1 to discontinue its arrangement with Blue Waters.

Blue Waters was founded 27 years ago by local businessman Dominic Hadeed, who, along with his wife, was detained by police on June 24. Following their initial arrest, the couple was served with Preventive Detention Orders under the Emergency Powers Regulations, extending their detention without immediate formal charges being laid.

CAL is majority-owned by the Trinidad and Tobago Government, which held 88.06 per cent of the airline as of January 2024, while the Jamaican Government owned the remaining 11.94 per cent.