Workers sit outside a brewery in the southern Sudanese capital of Juba

Although SSBL is said not to pose a challenge to the existing soft drinks mainly from Northern Sudan and East Africa, the company is clawing its way upward into the territory occupied by a bit expensive soft drinks. 

SSBL, an associate of SABMiller plc, a South African company, started producing the first locally produced beer in May after launching two different brands, White Bull and Nile special lager, a brand commonly enjoyed in neighbouring Uganda .

Extra strong beer is due for production early next year. Ian Alsworth-Elvey, company’s managing director, told the press Wednesday that SSBL is an integrated drinks company and the expansion to the soda range is part of their development program. “We have launched a range of sodas, carbonated soft drinks which are non alcoholic with four flavours,” he said.

Alsworth-Elvey added that the pineapple, berry, apple and muscatels flavoured drinks are produced according to international standards and sold at local prices.
“The raw materials to produce Club Minerals flavours are imported from South Africa and Europe.”

The production of the soft drinks is a good example of how the beer company is paying more attention to lighting from the an affordable soft drinks from neighbouring East Africa to affordable drinks.

The producers are trying out different flavours, unusual berry and muscatels and other effects. Alsworth-Elvey acknowledged that white bull and Nile special brands are well accepted in the market.

White bull is known for its natural taste that lives you with no horrors of hangover, said Kenneth Madut Madut, a southern Sudanese and white bull fan. “It is arguably one of the most bought beer in bars all over the south,” he said,“due to its cost.”

The White Bull is an easily recognised cultural symbol for the people of Southern Sudan , and is synonymous with promoting the positive feelings of celebration, success and peace.The company employs almost 200 people at the production plant.

About 1000 people are involved in the distribution and sales of their products. The plant is almost at full capacity, producing 350 thousand litters of drinks per day.

SSBL plans to expand to the bottled drinking water soon.

SSBL's new beverage plant is the first local manufacturing facility in Southern Sudan's capital city, Juba and has the capacity to brew 180,000hl of clear beer and 60,000hl of carbonated soft drinks annually. This brings the total number of African countries in which SABMiller plc now has interests to 35.

The local Juba community also has a pioneering land lease agreement with US$37m investment company that will ensure their receipt of  royalties from the development. Communities around Juba also stand to benefit significantly from creation of employment and through indirect commercial and related activities and  support services.

In addition, the brewery will also be providing the local communities with purified, clean drinking water that it extracts from the Nile.
  
 

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Show/hide comments

Show/hide comment form