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Tag: Coca-Cola

  • Fire destroys Coca-Cola depot in Uyo

    Fire on Wednesday night gutted the depot of the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), manufacturers of Coca-Cola, on Abak Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

    Eyewitnesses told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday that goods worth millions of Naira were lost.

    One of the eyewitnesses, Mr. Charles Ekong, said the fire started from where the pallets were packed and engulfed the packing zone.

    He said firefighters’ intervention prevented the inferno from spreading to the office complex.

    “The fire started from where the pallets are packed and the fire service officials were alerted to control its spread to other buildings.

    “In fact, it was so serious. But for the firefighters’ intervention, the inferno would have destroyed the depot.

    “Five firefighting vehicles were brought to put out the fire,” Ekong said.

    Chief Fire Officer Mr. Ndarake Ukpe told NAN that he mobilised firemen from Ikot Ekpene, Abak and Akpan Andem to extinguish the fire.

    He said its cause was unknown and appealed to residents to be careful in handling inflammable materials during the harmattan.

    Ukpe said nobody died, as the place was cordoned off by security personnel.

    “Fire does not just happen. It is caused by carelessness and fake electrical installation.

    “We have organised seminars for people in the markets and advised them to stop storing petrol in their homes.

    “We will ensure our department responds to fire calls in time, to avoid loss of life and property,” he said.

    The chief fire officer urged the public to report fire outbreaks promptly, instead of waiting until the damage was done.

    The Uyo depot manager, Mr. Benjamin Uche, told NAN that the cause of the fire was unknown.

    He said he was yet to quantify what the company lost.

    “I have to take stock to know what we have lost,” Uche said.

    On Christmas Day, the home of Works Commissioner Mr. Ephraim Inyang-eyen was gutted by fire.

  • Project sues Coca-Cola of downplaying risk of sugary drinks

    Project sues Coca-Cola of downplaying risk of sugary drinks

    Coca-Cola Co and the American Beverage Association trade group were sued on Wednesday for allegedly misleading consumers about the health risk of consuming sugary beverages.

    The case was filed in federal court in Oakland, California, U.S.

    The nonprofit Praxis Project accused the defendants of downplaying the risks to boost sales, despite scientific evidence linking sugary beverages to obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

    Praxis accused both defendants of using euphemisms such as “balance” and “calories in, calories out” to mislead consumers, and Coca- Cola, the world’s largest beverage company, of trying to mislead the public into thinking the lack of exercise was the real cause of obesity.

    “The notion that Coke’s products can be part of a healthy-diet is imprinted in the minds of millions of people and requires corrective-action,” Maia Kats, the Litigation Director Of the Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) which helped file the lawsuit, said.

    However, Coca-Cola Spokesman, Kent Landers, described the lawsuit as “legally and factually meritless.

    “We take our consumers and their health very seriously and have been on a journey to become a more credible and helpful partner in helping consumers to manage their sugar consumption.”

    The American Beverage Association also described the accusations as “baseless”, noting that “together with members, we are working with health groups to reduce consumers’ caloric and sugar intake from beverages.”

    Wednesday’s lawsuit seeks to stop misleading marketing and requires more consumer warnings, among other remedies.

    filed in the federal court in Oakland, California. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo Inc pledged to bolster efforts to reduce added sugar in beverages.

    In October, Coca-Cola’s Chief Operating Officer, James Quincey, slated to succeed Muhtar Kent as chief executive in May, said the Atlanta-based company had more than 200 “reformulation initiatives” toward that end.

    But according to the complaint, a 16-ounce bottle of Coke has 12 teaspoons of added sugar, a 15.2- ounce bottle of Minute Maid Cranberry Grape Juice drink has 13 teaspoons, and a 20-ounce bottle of Vitaminwater has eight teaspoons of sugar.

    The American Heart Association recommends not more than nine teaspoons of sugar per day for men, and six teaspoons for women.

    A teaspoon of sugar has about 16 calories.

    Warren Buffett, whose Berkshire Hathaway Inc is Coca-Cola’s largest shareholder says he drinks at least five bottles of Coke a day.

    The CSPI sued PepsiCo in October over health claims for its Naked juices, but did not target that company in Wednesday’s lawsuit.

    Kats said PepsiCo “is not promoting itself as a voice of science, or misrepresenting the harms of sugary beverages the way Coca-Cola is.”

    The case is Praxis Project v Coca-Cola Co et al, U.S. District Court, Northern DIstrict of California, No. 17-00016. (Reuters/NAN)

  • Coca cola announces Coke Studio 4

    Coca-Cola Nigeria ‘has its premier music show, Coke Studio Africa, for the fourth season.

    Coke Studio Season 4, themed “Discover”, has a line-up of 45 of Africa’s finest music acts, who will be performing over 90 songs on 11 thrilling episodes that will capture exciting musical moments of culture, passion, and arts. The show has been airing, since the second week of this month, on AIT and continues on the same station every Sunday at 6pm for 10 weeks.

    This season will feature nine Nigerian artistes including Tuface aka 2Baba, Flavour, Waje and Yemi Alade who had featured in some of the previous episodes, as well as Patoranking, Falz, Cynthia Morgan, Kiss Daniel and Simi who are all making their first appearances on the show. The season also promises a bigger diversity, as there are six additional participating countries – Ethiopia, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, DRC, Togo and Ghana – joining the initial five countries.

    Other top African acts on the show are Kenyan Afro-pop band, Sauti Sol, Congolese singer and songwriter, FallyIpupa, Kenyan gospel singer, Bahati, Bongo’s Pop Princess VeeMoney, multitalented Ivorian artiste, Serge Beynaud, Ugandan R&B singer, Rema Namakula and Angolan Yuri da Cunha.

    “We’re glad to be creating refreshingly new sounds in the music industry across Africa through Coke Studio Africa. Each new season continues to offer something revitalising to the fans, and we are promising that Coke Studio Season 4 will be even more awesome,” Patricia Jemibewon, Marketing Director of Coca-Cola Nigeria, stated.

    Promising that this season will be intense and exciting, Tim Horwood, the Creative Director of Coke Studio Africa Season 4, explained that “This season we will dig deep into each of the artists’ psyche. The audience will discover who they really are by finding out the motivation behind their biggest songs and behind the scene videos of a day in their lives.”

  • Coca-Cola HBC is sustainability leader

    The Coca-Cola HBC, a leading bottler of  Coca-Cola, has been named sustainability leader of the beverage industry by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices assessment.

    The company achieved a total  score of 90, which is 40 points higher than the industry average and three points  higher than last year.

    According to a report, this is the ninth year  Coca-Cola  HBC has been included in the global assessment, as a result of its leading sustaina-bility performance  in  2015.

    During the year, Coca-Cola HBC continued to reduce its environmental footprint, posting a double digit decrease of its carbon emissions.

    The company further reduced the amount of water  used for  producing a litre of beverage, as well as the amount of packaging materials, despite higher production and sales.

    Coca-Cola HBC was one of the first 12 companies in the world last year, to establish science-based carbon reduction targets for both direct and indirect operations.

    Putting an internal price on water and carbon in  2015  and committing to accounting for sustainability are practical ways how Coca-Cola HBC supports the global action to reach the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations.

     

  • Nigeria to head Coca-Cola West Africa 

    Nigeria to head Coca-Cola West Africa 

    The Coca-Cola bottling Company has announced a new streamlined international structure to better align its operating units against its global bottling footprint and to promote and develop key Coca-Cola leaders.

    According to Muhtar Kent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in a statement issued on Tuesday, “Today’s announcement outlines important changes to our international operating structure that better support our evolving bottler footprint and demonstrate the deep bench of management experience we are fortunate to have in the Coca-Cola system.

    “These moves will continue to lay the foundation for strong leadership and management continuity.”

    Similarly, the President and Chief Operating Officer James Quincey added: “As we continue to implement our five strategic actions for growth, it is critical that our organizational structure enables the speed, agility and inspirational leadership that are necessary to win today and in the future. The changes we are announcing today streamline our international structure, and reflect strong talent succession and a commitment to developing the next generation of leaders in our company.”

    The statement further stated that under the new international structure, Nigeria will now host the newly formed West Africa Business Unit, which will be based in Lagos and oversee Coca-Cola’s operations across 31 countries with Peter Njonjo as President.

    The announcement also includes the reassignment of Kelvin Balogun, currently President for Coca-Cola Central, East and West Africa, as the President of the newly formed South and East Africa Business Unit.

    International operating structure and leadership changes, effective Aug. 1

  • WAJE, FALZ, OTHERS GRACE COCA-COLA’S ‘TASTE THE FEELING’

    SONGBIRD, Aituaje Iruobe, aka Waje, humour merchant, Folarin Falana, aka Falz, Pamela Peter-Vigboro Leesi, Miss Nigeria 2015 were among those who shared their most memorable Coca-Cola moment on the red carpet on the Coke Island, where Coca-Cola launched its new campaign, Taste the Feeling.

    The event brought together over 100 excited celebrities who had none stop fun at the Coke Island.

    “The best and fondest Coca-Cola memory was when I was in Secondary School. I was at home for a while and just before leaving home every day, my mother would leave 50 naira for me to buy my favourite combination of Coca-Cola and bread. I was the ‘Coke and Bread Girl’ for a very long time,” says Waje.

    Falz, who aside the massive strides has made in his musical, comedy and legal career, was also the official host of the recently concluded Share a Coke II campaign. He also shared his fondest and most memorable Coca-Cola moment which brought a smile to his face.

    For him, his most memorable Coca-Cola moment was at 10 birthday and how every child was excited to stand in front of a birthday cake surrounded by Coca-Cola bottles for that epic and forever classic birthday picture. According to him, “That memory remains a prominent memory in my head.”

    22-year-old Pamela too had some memories to share. “While I was in the University, my friends and I had a long-standing tradition where after class, we would all go share a bottle of Coke. It was lovely sharing Coke with friends,” she let on.

    The fun day in the sun at the Launch on Coke Island hosted several other celebrities, including Yemi Alade, 2Baba, Annie Idibia, Stephanie Coker, Denrele Edun, fast rising model Olajumoke, Kayla Oniwo, OloriSuperGal, Gideon Okeke, Gbenro Ajibade, Cynthia Morgan, YCEE, and Black Magic.

    Coke Island is a simulated island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

  • Pomp as artists share fond memories at Coca-Cola’s ‘Taste The Feeling’ launch

    A feeling of excitements resonated at the Coke Island in Lagos over the weekend as celebrities shared fond memories of Coca-Cola.

    Aituaje Iruobe, popularly known with stage name, W.A.J.E which is an acronym for (Words Aren’t Just Enough) was one of many artists who shared their most memorable Coca-Cola moments on the red carpet on the Coke Island, where Coca-Cola launched its new campaign ‘Taste the Feeling’.

    According to W.A.J.E, “The best and fondest Coca-Cola memory was when I was in Secondary School. I was at home for a while and just before leaving home every day, my mother would leave 50 naira for me to buy my favourite combination of Coca-Cola and bread. I was the ‘Coke and Bread Girl’ for a very long time.”

    Not missing in the memory lane journey was the 25-year-old Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, said his most memorable Coca-Cola moment was at 10 year old birthdays and how every child was excited to stand in front of a birthday cake surrounded by Coca-Cola bottles for that epic and forever classic birthday picture.

    Other celebs on the occasion include: Yemi Alade, 2Baba, Annie Idibia, Stephanie Coker, Denrele Edun, fast rising model Olajumoke, Kayla Oniwo, OloriSuperGal, Gideon Okeke, Gbenro Ajibade, Cynthia Morgan, YCEE, and Black Magic.

  • Coca-Cola unveils new global campaign

    Coca-Cola unveils new global campaign

    Coca-Cola’s new ‘Taste the Feeling’ campaign was unveiled in Nigeria recently, at a well-attended event which held at Oriental Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The launch party which has set a new benchmark for the audaciously innovative world of event activation, was attended by the crème de la crème of social influencers from the media, as well as Coca-Cola consumers, customers and employees.

    Coca-Cola’s new ‘Taste the Feeling’ campaign explores storytelling and everyday moments to connect with consumers and celebrate the simple pleasure and experience that makes every moment   of drinking Coca-Cola , any Coca-Cola,  special.

    Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Patricia Jemibewon explained that ‘Taste the Feeling’ campaignwill bring to life the idea that drinking a Coca-Cola, whether classic or Coke Zero  is a simple pleasure that makes everyday moments more special.

    According to Jemibewon,  while Coke’s award-winning “Open Happiness” campaign which ran from 2009 until now leaned heavily on the emotional values of ‘happiness’ and ‘optimism’ which the brand stands for, the new “Taste the Feeling” campaign will feature universal storytelling with the product at the heart to reflect both the functional and emotional aspects of the Coca-Cola brand experience.

    On the anthem for the campaign, Jemibewon said it highlights those emotional and functional moments that come with the taste of Coca-Cola. “Music has always played a key role in Coca-Cola communications and “Taste the Feeling” is not an exception. The Taste the feeling anthem includes a new audio signature inspired by the sounds of enjoying a Coca-Cola – the pop of the cap, the fizz and, ultimately, refreshment.”

    Speaking on the campaign theme, Public Affairs and Communications Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Clem Ugorji explained that the ‘Taste the Feeling’ campaign is an offshoot of Coca-Cola’s new ‘One Brand Strategy’ which marks a significant shift in its marketing approach and for the first time unites all Coke Trademark brands in one global creative campaign.

     

  • Coca-Cola unveils new global campaign

    Coca-Cola’s new ‘Taste the Feeling’ campaign was unveiled in Nigeria recently, at a well-attended event which held at Oriental Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The launch party which has set a new benchmark for the audaciously innovative world of event activation, was attended by the crème de la crème of social influencers from the media, as well as Coca-Cola consumers, customers and employees.

     Coca-Cola’s new ‘Taste the Feeling’ campaign explores storytelling and everyday moments to connect with consumers and celebrate the simple pleasure and experience that makes every moment   of drinking Coca-Cola , any Coca-Cola,  special.

    Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Patricia Jemibewon explained that ‘Taste the Feeling’ campaignwill bring to life the idea that drinking a Coca-Cola, whether classic or Coke Zero  is a simple pleasure that makes everyday moments more special.

    According to Jemibewon,  while Coke’s award-winning “Open Happiness” campaign which ran from 2009 until now leaned heavily on the emotional values of ‘happiness’ and ‘optimism’ which the brand stands for, the new “Taste the Feeling” campaign will feature universal storytelling with the product at the heart to reflect both the functional and emotional aspects of the Coca-Cola brand experience.

     On the anthem for the campaign, Jemibewon said it highlights those emotional and functional moments that come with the taste of Coca-Cola. “Music has always played a key role in Coca-Cola communications and “Taste the Feeling” is not an exception. The Taste the feeling anthem includes a new audio signature inspired by the sounds of enjoying a Coca-Cola – the pop of the cap, the fizz and, ultimately, refreshment.”

    Speaking on the campaign theme, Public Affairs and Communications Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Clem Ugorji explained that the ‘Taste the Feeling’ campaign is an offshoot of Coca-Cola’s new ‘One Brand Strategy’ which marks a significant shift in its marketing approach and for the first time unites all Coke Trademark brands in one global creative campaign.

  • Coca-cola, nutritionists collaborate on healthy lifestyle

    Committed to the promotion of a culture of healthy lifestyle and preventive health care among its customers, Coca-Cola Nigeria has sponsored the 2015 Annual Health Symposium/World Food Day. It was organised by the Association of Nutrition Science Students (ANSS), University of Ibadan. Over 300 students of nutrition and experts attended the symposium.

    While welcoming participants to the symposium tagged, “Breaking the Cycle of Rural Poverty: The Role of Nutrition”, the President, Association of Nutrition Science Students (ANSS) University of Ibadan, Vincent Okafor, called on organisations and institutions involved in food and nutrition programmes to collaborate with other stakeholders in order to address the food security challenges in the country.

    Okafor noted that rural communities had significant roles to play in the economic and social development of nations, especially developing ones, since over 70 per cent of the world’s poor people live in rural areas.

    On his part, Community Affairs Manager, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Emeka Mba expressed the commitment of the beverage giant towards promoting the long-term wellness of the community in which they operate.

    Mba said: “Our business is only as prosperous as the communities in which we operate. We support dialogue forums with stakeholders from the academia, industry groups and research and development institutes to foster a shared understanding and balanced communication on health and nutritional issues.

    “In addition, we also support over 280 nutritional education programmes and physical activities across the world, as part of our commitments to promote consumers’ well-being.

    In her keynote presentation on “Physical Activity and Health”, the Consultant Public Health Physician and Senior Lecturer, Department of Community Health and Primary Care, College of Medicine, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Dr. Oluwakemi Odukoya explained that “physical activity includes exercise as well as other activities which involve bodily movement and are done as part of playing, working, active transportation, house chores and recreational activities.”

    Dr. Odukoya advised the participants to ensure they get, “at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week to strengthen and keep their hearts healthy.”

    The members of the ANSS commended Coca-Cola Nigeria for its relentless support towards promoting health and wellness. An Award for Excellence was presented to the beverage giant by the student body.

    The symposium also offered nutrition experts an avenue to discuss different issues relating to general healthy living and wellness.