The World of Hospitality Issue 46 2022 | Page 8

FOOD & BEVERAGES

Caribbean Beverages 100 % Organic Premium Drinks Brand , Bringing Real Flavor to the Table .

- OTC BEVERAGES -
An amazing business idea passed through Shirley ’ s mind during her father ’ s 80th birthday party in 2017 .
As she gazed around the room full of guests her thoughts turned to the homemade drinks they were consuming - ginger beer and sorrel - and how these are often sold in understated plastic reusable bottles on the shelves of many Caribbean restaurants and takeaways . Shirley says , “ I thought , surely there ’ s a better way of presenting this ? My and my children ’ s generation , are not going to do what my father ’ s generation and the generation before did , which is making the drinks at home .”
Shirley ’ s background was miles away from the drinks industry . After spending time working for local government , she spied an ad in the Evening
Standard that caught her eye and went along to a wine and cheese evening – which landed her a customer services role in the world of Market Data and investment banking . After 30 years working in the City for companies Telerate , Deutsche Bank and HSBC , she was ready for her next challenge – the birth of OTC Beverages . OTC offers those same drinks served at her father ’ s 80th birthday party ; sorrel and non-alcoholic ginger beer in bottles and cans ( a third flavor coming soon !). These drinks are now stocked in take-aways and corner shops across London .
Although beverages are a new industry for her , Shirley says there have been plenty of transferable skills from her former life in finance . “ It ’ s the skills I acquired from project management and juggling a number of programs within large organizations ,” she
- 8 -