UGANDA – Crown Beverages Limited (CBL), the bottler of Pepsi, Mirinda, Mountain Dew, Sting, and Nivana Water in Uganda, has been awarded PepsiCo Europe and Sub-Saharan African (Europe and SSA) Bottler of the Year 2018.
Pepsico’s Bottler of the Year Award is an annual regional recognition awarded to the beverage firm’s best bottling partner from PepsiCo Europe and Africa.
The recognition is awarded on the basis of quality standards, volume and sales growth, proven commitment to performance with purpose, community support and customer service.
Speaking during the award ceremony, Silviu Popovici, president of Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa (ESSA) region, noted that the recognition continues to support Pepsico’s growth strategy.
“Crown Beverages has made a mark in the history of PepsiCo group because of its consistency in innovation, delivering high quality brands to the market, as well as advancing the group’s agenda,” he said.
Crown Beverages Limited Chairman Board of Directors, Amos Nzeyi said: “We are honored to receive this award for the first time since we started operations in 1993, it is a pure delight and a testament of our continued growth and dedication over the years.”
The prestigious award comes on the back of several business initiatives that have seen the company improve its performance.
This include; a review of human and financial capital which the firm has associated with elimination of rigidities and driving efficiency thereby allowing quick decision making.
In addition, the company’ local ownership, solid financial practice and internal control mechanisms and introduction new brands supported by new innovations have also bolstered its commendable performance amidst high competition in the market.
According to a report by Soft Power, Crown Beverages Limited is Uganda’s oldest soft drinks company and 100% Ugandan owned.
The company has continually demonstrated growth and continued contribution to the country’s economy as it was also recognized as a top tax payer for the financial year 2017/18 following its remittance of US$75.85 million between 2018 and 2013.
Apart from Uganda, Pepsico also runs its soft beverage bottling and distribution operations in other African countries and a total of 200 countries worldwide through local bottlers.
In Southern Africa, PepsiCo has appointed SoftBev as its sole licensed bottler in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland and with distribution rights in Botswana and Namibia.
Others include the Seven-Up Bottling (SBC) Company in Kenya and Nigeria as well as Varun Beverages Zimbabwe.
