KENYA – Kevian Kenya Ltd (KKL), renowned for its Pick N Peel juice brand, has officially expanded its product offering with the launch of Klub 101, a new carbonated soft drink targeting lower and middle-class consumer groups.
According to the company, Klub 101 lemonade aims to fill a gap in the market and enhance the company’s revenue streams.
“Kevian Kenya Ltd is pleased to announce that we have expanded our product line with Klub 101 lemonade carbonated soft drink after identifying market gaps in the sector.
The new product also seeks to respond to consumer consumption tastes and preferences, and we are happy with the feedback we have received from the market so far,” said Kimani Rugendo, Kevian’s proprietor and managing director.
The launch is expected to create an additional 600 jobs in both production and distribution lines, further boosting the local economy.
KKL had previously announced plans to invest KES 3 billion (USS$23.35M) in brand and plant expansion, eyeing regional markets and airlines, and deepening its investment in non-alcoholic malt drinks.
The launch of Klub 101 comes at a challenging time for soft drink makers in Kenya, as they are calling on Parliament to block a proposal in the Finance Bill 2024 that seeks to impose a 10 percent tax on locally manufactured plastics.
The producers argue that the proposed change to the Excise Duty Act would increase production costs, which would then raise the cost of goods requiring plastic packaging.
“By imposing Excise Duty on locally produced plastics, this will increase the cost of production and thus increase the cost of goods that require the use of plastic packaging,” said John Mwendwa, Coca-Cola Director for Public Affairs.
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