Vice President Jessica Alupo has commissioned the new production plant of Crown Beverages Ltd (CBL) at Kakungulu in Bwebajja, Wakiso district.

Alupo, who was representing President Yoweri Museveni at the event, commissioned the plant on Wednesday.

Per the company hierarchy, the sh339.9 billion ($90m) plant is in response to the broadening demand for their products across the region.

The event was attended by cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament, diplomats and business leaders, among others. (Photo by Moses Nsubuga)

“The new plant is expanding our production capacity by 116,000 bottles per hour. It has the ability to produce 80,000 bottles of carbonated soft drinks and 36,000 bottles of water per hour,” Amos Nzeyi, the company board chairperson, said.

The flagship products of the company, include Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Mirinda Fruity, Mirinda Orange, Mirinda Pineapple and Mirinda Apple.

The mother plant at Nakawa, according to Nzeyi, maintains full-capacity production.

“We are investing seriously to meet the increasing market demands and dynamics with the help of our distribution network,” he said.

The new plant, Nzeyi said, was unquestionably a demonstration of the company’s unhindered growth in the last 30 years.

“By the time we took over the Lake Victoria Bottling Company from the Government three decades ago (in 1993), we could sell 1.8 million crates annually, but as of last year (2022), our sales hit the 60 million crates mark. Which shows an appreciating demand for our products by the market,” he said.

He indicated that Pepsi International comes in to aid with the marketing interventions by among others providing refrigerators for free to retailers and distributors.

Pepsi, he added, on top of supporting crown bottlers’ expansion project. It supplies glass bottles on top of being highly involved in corporate social interventions under the Pepsi International Foundation.

The new plant, according to Nzeyi, will create about 500 other jobs for skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled manpower. The Nakawa plant, he said already employs about 500 people.

30-year anniversary

At the event attended by cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament, diplomats and business leaders, among others, was also used to commemorate the 30 years of the company.

“I want to congratulate our board, staff and customers who have made us soft drinks market leaders in Uganda,” he said.

An insecure environment remains an outstanding bottleneck to investment in many parts of Africa. However, Nzeyi is grateful to the Government for ensuring a favourable and serene environment for investment.

“We can transport our products at all times minus any form of insecurity interruptions,” he said.

Per the trade ministry, Uganda’s quest for strong industrial growth and development is curving upwards due to the right policies to favour local and foreign investments.

According to Geraldine Ssali, the permanent secretary at the trade and industry ministry, through the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), there are several investment applications they have received and, in a few years, the number of industries is expected to double from 5,000 to approximately 10,000.

However, Nzeyi said as investors, they continue to urge the Government to reduce excise duty and utility tariffs which are currently high.

Maggie Kigozi, a member of the CBL board, said the plant at Kakungulu has the state-of-the-art equipment.