Sir Barry Manfield Bowen KCMG (September 19, 1945 – February 26, 2010) was a Belizean bottling magnate and entrepreneur.
[1] Bowen focused on developing his business into Belize's only maker and distributor of Coca-Cola products in the country.
[1] Once Bowen began producing the locally brewed Belikin in larger quantities, the People's United Party (PUP) raised taxes on imported beers, which had the effect of switching most local drinkers to the less costly Belikin.
[1] As of 2010, the Bowen family-owned brewing company controls virtually the entire beer market in Belize,[1] as imports of brands from Mexico and Guatemala are prohibited.
He owned the Gallon Jug Estate, a 130,000-acre (530 km2) private nature reserve in Orange Walk District.
[2] Within Bowen's Gallon Jug Estate is the Chan Chich Lodge, a world famous Belizean rainforest hotel, and Gallon Jug Agro-Industries, a 3,000-acre (12 km2) organic experimental farm which Bowen established to produce cacao and cattle.
[1] Bowen was killed around 5:30 p.m. on February 26, 2010, when the Cessna 206 he was piloting crashed on approach to the airstrip at San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye.