BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – MEDIA reports which claimed that the St. Kitts Bottling Company has officially been sold and the establishment is in the process of terminating over 30 employees, has been deemed partly untrue.
This is according Nick Menon, a member of the Board of Directors of the Bottling Company, who explained to SKNVibes that the “company hasn’t been sold” but rather they are “in negotiations and discussions with a potential purchaser”.
“We have had some agreements to sell but, as at this moment, it has not been sold as yet,” Menon said.
Addressing concerns over the termination of employees, Menon explained that when any business is preparing to sell or is sold, the former owners have a level of responsibility towards the employees, including payment in notice and vacation pay.
“So that would have to be settled before the employees are then re-employed by the new employer.
“If the sale goes through, the employees will all be rehired by the new employer. Our commitment as the existing employer will come to an end, so we are preparing for that eventuality.”
He also explained that rehiring of all the employees forms part of the negotiation process, assuring that there would be no “casualties whatsoever”.
Menon informed that should the concerned parties agree on the terms of sale, the new company -Koscab St. Kitts Limited - would take over beginning on Thursday (Dec. 1), adding that they are still looking at several transition requirements from the existing St. Kitts Bottling Company to the new company.
He disclosed that Koscab is a regional brand that has taken over the Coca-Cola franchise in several other islands including Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago and Puerto Rico.
Menon also informed that Coca-Cola has sought to streamline its production and distribution line.
“We saw it as an excellent opportunity for Bottling Company to go into a new life and to be part of this regional brand,” he said.
