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D & G and Red Stripe

Their meeting was simple enough. One morning, two youngsters came upon each other in the offices of West Indies Mineral and Table Water Company in Kingston Jamaica. "My name is Thomas Hargreaves Geddes," said the newcomer. The other smiled. "Glad to make your acquaintance! I've been here a bit. I'm Eugene Desnoes."

And so, for the first time, Desnoes and Geddes shook hands. Neither of them could have imagined that this would mark the beginning of an extraordinary partnership.

A partnership that has lasted 82 years, and has given the world Red Stripe, The Great Jamaican Beer.

Years later they each began their own soda companies and in 1918, they joined forces to form Desnoes and Geddes Company Limited. The company became well-established in making popular sodas and distributed the best imported liquors. But Desnoes and Geddes also shared what seemed then to be an impossible dream: to build a brewery to produce a Jamaican beer of international quality. It would be more than a decade before that dream would be a reality.  

In 1927 Desnoes and Geddes announced the opening of the Surrey Brewery on Pechon Street in the heart of downtown Kingston. The first Red Stripe Beer-more like an ale, heavy and dark-was brewed a year later. The birth of Red Stripe would later be considered a milestone in Jamaican history. When the island gained independence from Britain in 1962, a columnist for The Daily Gleaner wrote "the real date of independence should have been 1928, when we established our self respect and self confidence through the production of a beer far beyond the capacity of mere Colonial dependants."

The light, golden Red Stripe we enjoy today was first brewed in 1934, the creation of Paul Geddes (later Jamaica's first brewmaster) and Bill Martindale. So successful was the new Red Stripe that by 1935 Jamaica's Governor, in alarm, sent a dispatch to London warning: "this local industry turns out a beer so excellent and at so cheap a price that the English beers are unable to compete." The answer was prompt: "Tax local beer, but not British imports." A public outcry followed and the order was quietly withdrawn. It was only in 1940 that the British were able to levy an excise tax on the local beer and other goods since "Jamaica would have to pay its share of the cost of World War II." But fate has a sense of humour. The same World War II brought large contingents of Canadian and American troops to Jamaica. Red Stripe sales soared.

Over the years the business remained a family affair and the baton was passed on to Peter Desnoes and Paul Geddes. Like their fathers before them, Peter and Paul had big dreams. They envisioned a new, ultra-modern plant and they decided to gamble everything-selling some property and using deeds of others as loan securities-to buy land and begin construction of a plant which was to be the marvel of Jamaica. The old Surrey Brewery on Pechon Street was phased out in 1958 when the ultra-modern plant at Hunt's Bay went into operation. This was the most modern brewery in the Caribbean and with its capacity the horizons of Desnoes & Geddes widened considerably.

The next 30 years constituted an era of significant expansion for the company. Along with Red Stripe, the company had a remarkable portfolio of products including international favourites like Pepsi-Cola and 7-Up, as well as D&G Sof Drinks, Jamaica's best-loved sodas. Other major brands include: Heineken, Dragon Stout, Guinness Stout, McEwans.

Desnoes & Geddes became a public company in 1970, and the company remained under the control of the Desnoes and Geddes families until 1993 when controlling interests were acquired by Guinness Brewing Worldwide (GBW).Guinness assumed management of the company and later sold the soft drinks division to Pepsi Americas. Today, the company's exclusive focus is on beer , and in addition to Red Stripe, produces Heineken, Dragon Stout, Guinness Stout and Malta.

Red Stripe has been brewed in the UK by Bedford based Charles Wells since 1976, during which time it has attained cult status. Red Stripe is seen as being synonymous with the relaxed Jamaican approach to life as well as being seen as the coolest beer brand around, partly as a result of its long standing association with music and events like The Notting Hill Carnival.