DAVID GILMOUR FOUNDER , WAKAYA PERFECTION
TO SAY THAT DAVID GILMOUR HAS TAKEN a circuitous route to arrive at his current place in the spa industry would be an understatement . But given his penchant for travel ( and for doing things in uncommon ways ), David has enjoyed every step of the long journey .
In the mid-1990s , following the sale of his company Fiji Water ( yes , that Fiji Water ) and spurred by his own family history of heart disease , David turned his attention to what he saw as the rapid decline of American health . After two years of research , David and his team reached a simple yet profound conclusion : one key to battling the sort of inflammation that can wreak havoc on immune systems and lead to other maladies was turmeric and ginger .“ I said ,‘ Hold on , it ’ s in every drugstore , every food store — several brands of both ,’” says David . But his team also found that the growing and cultivation process most food brands use , though economical , dilutes the inherent power of the spices .
So David and his team utilized the climate and growing conditions on the small island of Wakaya , in Fiji , where they could grow and
process the spices more carefully , preserving the strength of their anti-inflammatory properties . The result was a new brand : Wakaya Perfection . Insistent that his new products only be sold by those passionate about the well-being of those who use them , David found the perfect partner in the spa industry .“ Spas have been part of my life , and I said , ‘ These are the people who are educated , who care ,’” he says , adding that his first spa visit occurred on a trip to Switzerland with his parents in 1937 .
David credits his extensive travels and observation of people with his eye for spotting trends .“ Traveling alone , listening carefully and observing , I became a pretty good judge of character , and of what people really want ,” he says . Despite having had a double knee replacement , David remains active , walking and playing golf often . But other people ’ s well-being is never far from his mind . “ Health really is our wealth ,” he says , noting that this philosophy bleeds into everything he does , including Wakaya Perfection .“ That ’ s the bottom line ,” says David . “ That ’ s what we ’ re all about .”
60 PULSE ■ MAY 2021