YOUR AD HERE »

Fiji Water sold to L.A. company

Janet Urquhart

Fiji Water, headquartered in Basalt, has been purchased by Roll International Corp., headed up by part-time Aspen resident Stewart Resnick.The sale was announced Friday. Both entities are privately held companies; no financial details were disclosed.Although its offices are located in Basalt, Fiji water comes from the South Pacific islands where it is bottled. Founded in 1996, it began distribution in 1997. It is now sold in eight countries and is the second largest-selling imported water brand in the United States, according to Killeen Brettmann, the company’s director of marketing.”Fiji Water has been by far my most satisfying business venture, both personally and professionally,” said David Gilmour, company founder, in a prepared statement. Neither Gilmour nor company President Doug Carlson were available for further comment.Fji Water will continue to operate as an independent company under its current leadership and management team.Roll International is based in Los Angeles. Among its holdings are Paramont Citrus and Paramount Farms, the world’s largest growers and processors of citrus, almonds and pistachios; POM Wonderful, the largest grower of pomegranates and makers of pomegranate juice; Teleflora, a floral wire service; and the Franklin Mint, a maker of collectibles.”They have tremendous resources and contacts in the retail grocery business,” Brettmann said. “A company like that will really take Fiji Water to the next level.”Fiji was recently awarded the 2004 Award for Corporate Excellence from U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell for its support of economic development, education and enhancement of the quality of life in the Fiji Islands.Janet Urquhart’s e-mail address is janet@aspentimes.com