Barry Bowen
Sir Barry Manfield Bowen | |
|---|---|
| Born | 19 September 1945 Belize City, British Honduras |
| Died | 26 February 2010 (aged 64) |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, bottling industry leader, politician |
| Known for | Bowen and Bowen Ltd., Belize Brewing Company, Belikin Beer, People's United Party supporter |
Sir Barry Manfield Bowen KCMG (September 19, 1945 – February 26, 2010) was a prominent Belizean entrepreneur and leader in the bottling industry. His portfolio included Bowen and Bowen, Ltd., a company established by his father that held exclusive rights to bottle Coca-Cola products in Belize, as well as the Belize Brewing Company, known for producing Belikin Beer. Bowen also played a role in politics as a former senator and was a financial supporter of the People's United Party. In December 2007, he received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II, being named a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George.
Biography
A seventh-generation native of Belize, Bowen was born in Belize City, British Honduras, to Eric William Manfield Bowen and Emilie Josephine Bowen. His father founded a lemonade bottling business in the 1930s called Bowen and Bowen (also referred to as Crystal Bottling Co.), which under Barry’s guidance grew to become the largest bottling company in Belize.
Barry Bowen studied at Cornell University before returning home to join his father in managing Bowen and Bowen. Together, they expanded distribution of Coca-Cola products throughout British Honduras. In 1968, Barry took over as company manager. The family further broadened their business by acquiring the Belize Brewing Company, producer of Belikin beer, in 1971.
Business career
In 1977, Bowen acquired ownership of Bowen and Bowen, Ltd. from his father and transformed it into Belize’s exclusive bottler and distributor of Coca-Cola beverages. He also propelled Belikin beer to dominate the local market. Before Belikin’s rise, imported beers such as Guinness stout and Heineken were preferred by many consumers. The People's United Party subsequently increased taxes on imported beers, which encouraged greater consumption of Belikin.
By 2010, the family-owned brewery held near-total control over Belize’s beer market; imports from Mexico and Guatemala were banned. Belikin remained the sole locally produced beer after competitor Charger beer ceased operations. The brewery offered multiple labels including Belikin lager, Lighthouse lager, Belikin Supreme lager, Belikin stout, along with Guinness stout brewed under license.
Beyond his bottling and brewing enterprises, Bowen owned Gallon Jug Estate—a private nature reserve spanning 130,000 acres in Orange Walk District. This property featured Chan Chich Lodge, a well-known rainforest hotel, and Gallon Jug Agro-Industries, an organic farm covering 3,000 acres that cultivated cacao and raised cattle. The farm was also notable for being Belize’s only commercial coffee producer. Additional holdings included Belize Aquaculture Ltd., a shrimp farming operation near Placencia, and a Ford dealership located in Belize City. He also held a directorship at Belize Airways, the country’s inaugural national airline founded in 1976.
Bowen tragically died on February 26, 2010, when the Cessna 206 aircraft he was piloting crashed close to San Pedro Town; four others perished in the accident as well. He left behind his wife Lady Bowen, four children, two stepchildren, and numerous grandchildren.
A state funeral was held on March 2, 2010, at St. John's Cathedral in Belize City with Prime Minister Dean Barrow and other officials present to pay their respects. Sir Barry Bowen’s final resting place is alongside his parents in San Ignacio Town within the Cayo District.
Personal life
In May 1965, Bowen wed Carol Anne Caughey, and the couple had three children: Shelley Anne, Kevin Manfield, and Michael Harwell Bowen. Their marriage concluded in 2004. Later that same year, he married Dixie Walker Summerscales, who had two sons from a previous relationship—Alexander George and Dustin David Westerhold—and together they had a daughter named Courtney Walker Bowen. The family resided in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, Belize.
Although Alexander and Dustin were never officially adopted, they chose to legally adopt the Bowen surname after reaching the age of eighteen.