UGANDA, Kakungulu | Real Muloodi News | Amos Nzeyi, chairperson of Crown Beverages Ltd (CBL), has unveiled his new state-of-the-art Crown Beverages production plant at Kakungulu in Bwebajja, Wakiso district.
Vice President Jessica Alupo represented President Museveni at the official opening of the factory on Wednesday, April 5.
CBL invested USh339.9 billion ($90m) in the plant, which was commissioned in response to the growing demand for their products in the region.
“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,” said Mr Nzeyi.
Mr Nzeyi says that the mother plant at Nakawa is currently operating at full capacity.
“We are investing seriously to meet the increasing market demands and dynamics with the help of our distribution network,” he said.
CBL’s flagship products include Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Mirinda Fruity, Mirinda Orange, Mirinda Pineapple, and Mirinda Apple.
According to Amos Nzeyi, the commissioning of the new plant is a testament to the company’s unhindered growth over 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 has of last year [2022], our sales hit the 60 million creates mark, which shows an appreciating demand for our products by the market,” he said.
Pepsi International has been supporting the company’s expansion by providing marketing interventions such as free refrigerators to retailers and distributors.
The new plant is expected to create 500 new jobs for skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled manpower, in addition to the 500 people already employed at the Nakawa plant.
The event, attended by cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament, diplomats, and business leaders, was also used to commemorate the company’s 30th anniversary.
Mr Nzeyi expressed gratitude to the government for providing a favorable and secure environment for investment in the country. However, he urged the government to reduce excise duty and utility tariffs to encourage more investment.
Geraldine Ssali, the permanent secretary at the trade and industry ministry, reports that Uganda’s industrial growth and development are on the rise due to the government’s policies that favor local and foreign investments.
According to Ssali, through the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), the ministry has received several investment applications, and in a few years, the number of industries is expected to double from 5,000 to approximately 10,000.
Maggie Kigozi, a member of the CBL board, confirmed that the plant at Kakungulu is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment.
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