The Director, Corporate Relations, Guinness Nigeria, Mr. Sesan Sobowale, on Friday, 13th November, denied that the company ever used raw materials considered to be expired by NAFDAC.
He said that Guinness had already being granted extension on the ‘best before date’ from the supplier of the malt extract in question.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that NAFDAC imposed one billion naira fine on Guinness over alleged usage of expired raw materials in the company’s production lines.
There has been more fallout from the Guinness Nigeria saga with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Earlier in the week, we reported that NAFDAC had ordered Guinness Nigeria to pay N1bn as administrative charges for various clandestine violations of NAFDAC rules, regulations and enactments over a long period of time.
Guinness was also accused of re-validating expired products without authorization and supervision by NAFDAC, among others.
We are in for interesting times in the Nigerian soft drinks market. Seven-Up Bottling Company, the bottlers of the famed Pepsi-Cola brand in Nigeria has just launched a 60cl bottle for Pepsi and other brands in its stable, including Mirinda, 7-Up and Teem, in what may seem like the opening salvo to a possible cola war.
Pepsi’s new 60cl bottle is a direct challenge to the new entrant in the Nigerian soft drinks market, BIG Cola from AJEAST Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of AJE Group of Peru.
