London, Feb 12 (ANI): Jamaican musician Bob Marley has long been dead but his family is keeping his spirit alive by signing up for a merchandise deal.

Bob Marley-themed drinks, luggage, stationery, hotels and video games too are being named after the late reggae star.

“We’re open to licensing just about anything,” the BBC quoted the late reggae icon’s daughter Cedella, as saying.

“If it is not right, we will not do it,” she said.

The family has teamed up with private equity firm Hilco to capitalise on his name and songs and to stop bootleggers, and have started with a Bob Marley lager and coffee, which will be among the first items on the market.

Headphones, snowboards, shoes, musical instruments and electronics are on a list of other products that will be developed in a major expansion of Marley’s official merchandise range.

Another plan is to open a global chain of One Love cafes where people can ‘come, eat good Jamaican food, talk about the music, listen to the music, live bands’.

“That’s something that we’ve always wanted to explore,” Cedella said.

“We’re talking [about] all over the world – one in London, one in Asia, one in Amsterdam,” she added.

This is a big business for bootleggers and Cedella wants to stop some of the nonsense, and make sure the great stuff upholds standards.

“Sometimes when you put on his records it’s like he’s talking about today, right now,” she said.

Adding: “The message is still about hope and peace and all of us coming together. That’s what makes him special. All of us can relate to him.” (ANI)