Grenada is a very special place, a healing place with many medicinal plants, spices and fruits that grow abundantly.
Remedies from nature have been a long standing tradition in most families and households. The country is also experiencing unprecedented growth – It’s booming; bringing with its success, the plagues of the first world, the seduction of processed foods and the destruction associated with plastic packaging.
One name resonates the dangers associated with this boom: Rolanda McQueen; who reminds us that we are the stewards of this gift of nature. If we save it, it will continue to save us for generations to come.
Rolanda McQueen MD/CEO
Rolanda McQueen, owner of Mount Pure Natural Mineral Water, likes to tell you she’s a Queen from a Castle and she appears to have a charmed life since she was born a McQueen in Mount Castle. It was here, in the lush agricultural parish of St. Andrew’s, where she learned about water from her ancestors.
In her own words, she says, “I remember we would have to walk for miles to collect water. My parents would say, ‘don’t collect water where people are washing, be sure that you’re upstream’. I didn’t understand why we had to walk so far for water, and my parents could tell if the water was heavy or light; river, ravine or spring water. So I got to know a lot about water from a young age.”
Like many Grenadians, following the migration patterns of the diaspora, her parents made their way to London, England during the Windrush generation. Growing up, McQueen entered the fast paced world of fashion. Her entrepreneurial spirit and passion for fashion led her to open a chain of high-end retail boutiques called “Rolanda”. She had a very distinguished customer base of young royals, fashion models and television personalities. In the year 2002, she was voted Black Business Woman of the Year by the European Federation of Black Business Women.
As a daughter of the Grenadian soil, she remained passionate to her homeland and as she became more successful, she invested in Real Estate on the island. In her heart, she knew that she would return to her island home.
McQueen had the opportunity of opening a fashion boutique at the prestigious Port Louis Marina, but she never expected to buy a water company, now rebranded as Mount Pure Mineral Water – previously Claboney Mineral Water – which was known for its healing minerals, was discovered by their ancestors but later brought to market by David Rainey, and McQueen claims “I give the credit to him, he knew of the goodness and benefits of the water.”
Rolanda used to drink Claboney Mineral Water every time she visited Grenada and she stated that; “when I was living in England I had high cholesterol and I went to the Doctor. They said I had an autoimmune disease. They did all kinds of tests, and put me on “statins”, to help control my cholesterol levels, which I wasn’t happy with so I stopped taking it.”
McQueen continues “I decided to come home to Grenada for a vacation, and I drank the water daily. When I returned to the UK and took the same tests, the medics informed me that I had no problems with cholesterol anymore – the only thing I changed was the Water I was drinking while back in Grenada. This made me soon realize the therapeutic benefits of this wonderful natural mineral product”.
We are taught from an early age that we need three things to sustain life: food, water and shelter: for which water tops the list.
In 2016, McQueen heard that The Claboney Mineral Water factory was for sale.
“I was told that there were foreigners interested in the water, but I think that maybe God wanted us to have the water.”
When she finally bought the company, she had the water tested and also sent samples to “Grenada’s Bureau of Standards”. “We’re not scientist, so we sent the water to be re-analyzed, I didn’t go into this blindly.” The results amazed her husband, who was in Grenada with her at the time. He said, “Why is this company (Claboney) out of business? This could help all the sickness in Grenada.”
Upon further due diligence and discussions with Mr. St. Bernard of
“The Grenada Bureau of Standards”, it was discovered that even though the previous founder, David Rainey, had a great vision for the mineral water company, it was felt that the product was not marketed appropriately. He said, “the Grenadian public had no idea of the amazing health benefits of the water. It is now McQueen’s intention to rectify this situation with her newly re-branded product that has a name that speaks of what’s inside – “Mount Pure”.
Shortly after buying the company, foreign buyers approached Rolanda to export all the water (Mount Pure Natural Mineral Water) to the Middle East, which she defiantly refused stating, “I want it to be available to Grenadians, I want it to be affordable to the people of the country, I want our people to gain the health benefits”. She continues, “Some other foreign mineral water on our shelves are usually not available to citizens of that country”.
A customer recently appraised, “I can’t have enough of Mount Pure, I always feel highly rejuvenated and nourished anytime I drink the water. The taste is exceptional!”
The business operates in two locations. The factory, at source, operates a pump less well that naturally pushes the water to the surface, into an artesian well, up in the virgin St. Andrew mountain. It comes out of the ground with a natural amount of CO2 in it, so we are able to offer both Sparkling and Still Mineral Water. The naturally sparkling mineral water is the premium brand while their still mineral water is available nationwide.
McQueen says when it comes to this business she does it all; “I do everything I have to – drive the truck, answer phones, get involved, I believe in being hands on.” It is hard work but she appears to enjoy every bit of it.
“More and more people are beginning to see the health benefits of it. We’re not in competition with any of the other brands because they are Spring and we are Mineral water. The pH of our Mount Pure is 7.6 which helps rid the body of acid, rejuvenates and improves health.” Ms. McQueen has even seen the health benefits of her water up close with her own employees. “One my first employees, was so much overweight but since she’s been drinking the water she’s gone down two sizes. Another one had problem with kidney stones but it seems to have fixed that too as he’s now fine.”
Initially, McQueen wanted to package Mount Pure using only glass bottles, however she was quickly given a dose of modern economic reality. Although Silversands Hotel appreciates the efforts of Mount Pure in using glass bottles since they are conscious of the environmental effects of plastic products and recycling.
It would seem that brand “Pure Grenada” is starting to live up to its name as brand “Mount Pure” tries to share its benefits with the world.
McQueen remains adamant about her product and her sense of national pride is evident stating; “I always tell people, in Grenada we have good water and good traditions and we have to preserve it. Oil Down is Grenada’s National Dish not all those foreign fast food joints we have in every corner of the Island. Let’s stop thinking that everything foreign is better.”
CHALLENGES
McQueen is not the only water bottler on the island and a dream of hers is to collaborate with other water producers especially in the area of blowing bottles. She feels this initiative could benefit everyone in the industry by making use of economies of scale, and have one central bottle blowing facility that supplies all producers, rather than each little manufacturer doing their own thing. This she believes could lead to an industry by itself and support more jobs for Grenadians.
CONCLUSION
Giving back to the community is central to McQueen and Mount Pure. The company continues to work with the nation’s students offering internships onsite at the source. Budding young scientists and hydrogeologists conduct field studies to test the soil and rocks and try to learn the secrets of Mother Earth’s purest of Elixir’s.
Here, enquiring minds, learn about the magic of an artesian well, how the water travels down from the mountain, as it descends and collects a colloidal mixture of minerals on its journey, settles and gathers in an underground aquifer. Natural pressure brings the water up to the surface, and with its inherent CO2, gives Mount Pure its natural sparkling bubbles.
McQueen would like to appreciate the enormous support she has received from her husband on this journey and his determination to stand by her irrespective of the challenges. Also not forgetting her dedicated staff members and employees whose devotion, dedication and service to the company continues to be the main reason why this natural gift of nature is preserved for the entire Grenadian market, clients and beyond.
Nothing added and nothing taken away – Just the Pure Magic of “Mount Pure”
“You know when you have good water”, states McQueen “you can just drink it and drink it… and it makes you feel positively nourished.”
We suggest you give it a try …Now that you know what is good for you!
Mount Pure Natural Mineral Water – taste the difference, enjoy the benefits!
“MOUNT PURE MINERAL WATER RECENTLY (MARCH 2019) RECEIVED A BRONZE MEDAL AT THE 29TH ANNUAL “BERKELEY SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL WATER TASTING COMPETITION”. WIDELY CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS WATER TASTING EVENT IN THE WORLD, MOUNT PURE WAS CONSIDERED THE 3RD BEST IN THE WORLD IN THE “BEST BOTTLED WATER CATEGORY” UP AGAINST OTHER BOTTLED WATERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, OWNER ROLANDA MCQUEEN, SPOKE TO THE PRESS OF HOW PROUD SHE WAS TO RECEIVE SUCH AN HONOR AS A FIRST TIME ENTRANT, AND HOW WINNING THE AWARD FURTHER REINFORCES HER BELIEVE IN THE QUALITY OF GRENADIAN PRODUCTS.”
McQueen Enterprises Ltd T/A Mount Pure • The Carenage, St George’s, Grenada – W.I • +1 473 435 8800
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