Keroche drinks not in Nacada list

A leading brewer is headed for turbulent times with the regulator after its products were omitted from a list of alcoholic beverages allowed in the market.

The National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) on Thursday published what it termed the “full” list of alcoholic products authorised for sale in Kenya.

But Keroche Breweries Limited and its brands were missing.

On Thursday, Nacada chairman John Mututho said the company did not submit documents and alcohol samples as demanded.

“If the company’s products are in the market, it is magendo (illicit) and we shall deal with it like any other. After the deadline, any company that is not in the published list should not sell. The police, chiefs and the other law enforcement officers are expected to confiscate the products and have the owners prosecuted,” Mr Mututho said.

Nacada acting chief executive Enock Ochwari said the authority and the police would confiscate any products not authorised to be in the market. The companies had until May 11th to comply.

But Keroche Breweries managing director Tabitha Karanja said her firm had always submitted samples of its products to the relevant government bodies, including the Kenya Bureau of Standards, and was shocked at the current move that is likely to affect the flow of its products in the market.

“We will wait to see if they will publish our products in subsequent advertisements because we have provided the required samples and we do not know why our products were not published,” Ms Karanja said.

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Keroche is currently upgrading its factory in Naivasha at a cost of Sh5 billion to increase production ten-fold and push its market share to 20 per cent.

She said this was the latest war waged against her company, adding that rival firms have been trying to curtail its growth. The firm has in the past fought against an unfair taxation regime with the Kenya Revenue Authority and won.

The companies that were published in the Press on Thursday were, however, cautioned that their products would be withdrawn if further studies found their products were not fit for human consumption.

“The companies are allowed to continue doing business in the verified brands. However, if any of the products and manufacturing plants fail further mandatory qualitative and quantitative tests, the products will be withdrawn and appropriate action taken by the relevant government agencies,” Nacada said.

Mr Mututho, while displaying some of the samples presented for analysis on Wednesday, told a TV station that Keroche had not provided samples of their products and could be having problems in meeting some of the requirements.

“We have not cleared with Keroche. They have not provided some documents. Traders should only sell products that are published in the papers,” said a customer service officer at Nacada.

Mr Onchwari said they had given all the companies an opportunity to comply and the law would be applied to all equally.

Ms Karanja, however, said the company’s products were on sale and there was no cause for alarm as they had met all the requirements.