NIGERIA – SONA Group of industries, a Nigerian and diversified conglomerate has inaugurated effluent treatment plants to serve its food and beverage divisions, reports Beverage Industry News.
The treatment plants were inaugurated in four of its subsidiary units including: Euro Global Foods and Distilleries Limited, SONA Agro Allied Foods Limited, Food, Agro and Allied Industries Limited and Shongai Packaging Industries Limited.
Arjan Mirchandani, the Chairman, SONA Group said that investment is expected to reduce and eliminate discharge of untreated waste water and by products from the food and beverage industries in a move to promote a sustainable environment.
“We believe environment is very important and when water is contaminated, it carries bacteria unless purified.
We put up this plant to ensure that the water that is discharged is processed according to global best practices,” he added.
Speaking during the inauguration, the Commissioner for Environment, Ogun state, Bolaji Oyeleye, lauded the efforts and investment of the group and promised to create a more enabling environment for the businesses to thrive.
“When we started up with them, we noticed they could do better and we started engaging with them. The result is what we are witnessing today.
We want to implore them to put up this plant in any of their factories where they do not have it,” he said.
Arjan Mirchandani additionally said that the group remains committed to boost local food production in the country and called for more investments into the sector.
“…the commitment, by the company was the surest way to save Nigeria’s foreign exchange spent on food products the country had competitive and comparative advantage of producing locally.
Nigeria has over 50% arable land that is underutilized, we are here to cultivate more agricultural produce while also producing cheap and affordable food so that everybody can get something to eat,” he noted.
SONA Group’s Euro Global Foods and Distilleries Limited, is an alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage manufacturer with a rich product portfolio including Maltonic, Czar Vodka, Amphora wines, Seaking Premium Schnapps, Brave Heart Rum, Blue Lagoon Dry Gin and Power Bitters.
Its non-alcoholic products include Savana range of carbonated soft drinks in five variants: Orange, Lemon, Mango, Pineapple, Apple and Soda water.
The group’s Sona Agro Allied Foods Limited, manufactures biscuits, tea and confectioneries under different brands.
