Before you take the next bottle of EABL's "White Cup" or "Tusker" please read this

http://www.cofek.co.ke/images/tusker%202.jpg
We write to you formally to notify you (Cofek) about defective products supplied to us by East African Breweries Limited through their appointed distributors known as Bia Tosha Distributors to address you as follows;

On Saturday 29th November 2014, we purchased beer two (2) crates of Tusker Lager, we made payment and took possession of the same for retailing to our customers.

However, upon serving the said Tusker Lager to our customers, it was revealed that the beer bottles contained foreign products that were not Tusker Lager which had a distinct scent and taste associated with general cleaning detergent and a milky grey look (see attached video). From opening a few more bottles from that batch, we noticed the same and put them aside because we believed that product was defective and therefore not fit for human consumption.

We wrote to East African Breweries Limited through our lawyer, Daniel Mabera, after which we got a request for the defective products for testing at their laboratories and we in turn requested for testing to be done by an independent institution.

Subsequent to that, we were paid an informal visit by an employee of East African Breweries Limited, Joseph Kiniti, trying to confirm if we really had gotten any defective product from his employers to which we confirmed that we did and upon asking for what we wanted to be done, our reply was simple, “We want reassurance that the problem of defective products shall cease and a visible sign of quality control improvement in their processes as because it was affecting our business and clientele”. He requested for some time and he would get back to us, but still has not.

Subsequent to that, on 7th February 2015 we made another purchase of beer from Bia Tosha and established that two (2) crates of White Cap Lager were similarly defective and unfit for human consumption.

Due to the lack of response and insistence in testing to be done at their laboratories, we forwarded samples of the defective products to the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) and they are conducting tests on the defective product and now feel that we need to also inform you because the manufacturer of the products do seem to take this matter seriously to the extent of our complaint being totally ignored.

We hereby wish to notify you of this issue as we await test results to come back from NACADA. (Bushel’s Ltd)


Speaking to Cofek on phone, however, a senior manager who did not wish to be named confirmed that NACADA doesn’t receive and or test any samples of alcohol.

“That is a preserve of KEBS, Public Health and Government chemist”, he added. This brings confusion on this crucial consumer issue.

The official also mentioned that an irregular procurement of media advertisements worthy Sh67,339,189 is at the centre of incessant wars between sections of the board and the management.

hii story sio complete

I stopped taking Tusker after someone confided in me that when all those flat beers(keg, pilsiner, tusker, balozi malt, etc) are returned to the brewery, they are poured back into the ‘brewing drums’(or whatever), and sold back to unsuspecting wananchi as Tusker.

Who wrote to this Cofek? Why would anyone who has bought only 2 crates (maybe 4 if you count the ones that came later and were also defective) bother writing to Cofek or whoever? Wouldnt you just get replacements for those crates an move on?
Like @junkie said, hi story sio complete.

Alafu cofek watakua wanalipwa kufanya nini? kukunya tu chai na kusoma gatheti kwa offe

Pombe siachi

Kuna watu naona hapa wako kwa payroll ya Tabitha.

1 Like

:smiley: :smiley:

You missed dagetare’s memo akisema watu waache pombe.

Was my favorite Pilsner tested?

je mwenye amewacha lakini fombe imekataa kumuacha?

Not to worry… In this village, we are like Nakumatt… Now, that’s where resident psychologist @Ka-Buda comes in to offer his services.

okey, let me wait for help from the soon to be octagenarian

tabitha karanja anafanya mambo… check this
http://twendekazi.com

This conversation between EABL PR and a group of journalists was forwarded to me by a journo friend some times back. They had gone to cover a demo by Keg traders in Karatina and subsequently raised issues with said brewers for comment. Its a long read though but you will find the Brewers just waffle and prevaricate when issues of quality are raised. (the bold parts are their replies to the issues raised by the journalists)-

That during that period there has been inconsistencies in the quality of your brew. as a result, they have returned more than 60 barrels of the drink with a promise that they would be taken to your quality control department and compensation done. those barrels have been lying at your Karatina depot with no word from the company while your retailers’ money lies idle.

Our system has no record of the 60 barrels of Senator Keg product which you allude to as having been returned to ourselves, for quality check but are lying at the Karatina depot(Rurige Distributors). It is worth noting that between July 2011 and now, Rurige Distributors who are familiar with our customer quality complaint procedures have returned only 14 barrels, on account of their appearing not to be of standard weight. The distributor was credited accordingly, in line with our policies, for the returned seemingly underweight barrels and the same were promptly subjected to the quality control processes and therefore that matter was fully addressed.

[B]It is worth noting that our brewing and packaging processes adhere to stringent quality parameters. We also have a comprehensive customer/consumer quality complaint process in which any non-conforming product or packaging is returned and tested for conformity after which corrective action is taken.

[/B]

We are informed that there is a bar in Karatina that is in possession of a barrel with purported non-conforming product. The outlet owner is aware of our quality complaint procedures but has declined to release the barrel to our trade quality team. As such it is not possible to verify whether the barrel is ours and indeed the nature and quality of its contents.

-That the inconsistent brew has been injurious to consumers. The pale “keg” that is not the usual golden colour was said to cause stomachaches and nasty “unusual” hungovers.

As intimated above, we have a rigorous quality control system that constantly monitors our product consistency in quality throughout our supply chain with the ability to immediately detect any deviations. We are not aware of any ‘inconsistent brew’ in our supply and as such, we cannot comment on the ‘pale keg’ referred to here.
-We actually witnessed one such barrel being held by one of your customers that produces a distinctly different frothy brew.

[B]

We would be happy to see and verify the source and the authenticity of the same. [/B]

  • That your market may have been infiltrated by counterfeiters who are using your barrels to supply another “keg”, including a “stout”, that someone said is nothing but molasses. During our investigations yesterday, we were actually shown the depot where “the other” keg is being supplied from although the owners hastily closed down when they were tipped that we were at your depot asking questions. We actually found “Senior Keg” stickers on the doors to the premises. Has EABL taken steps to warn their customers of the counterfeit.

Please note that our quality control measures make it impossible to use our Senator Keg barrels to dispense a different product due to the technology behind the dispensing mechanism. We are not aware of Senator Keg beer being counterfeited and would be happy to receive evidence of this if indeed it does happen. Counterfeit has to do with a replication of a genuine product which is then passed off as the original product. We are not able to comment on product from other players in the market.

-We also learned that the “fake” keg was being supplied from somewhere in Ruiru although no contacts were given.

We would be interested to receive evidence of the ‘fake’ keg that you refer to. You may want to check whether the supplier is authorized to manufacture and supply the product you mention. Again, we are not able to comment on product from other players in the market.

-That you have only been supplying a third of the market demand in the town and its environs. whats happening?

Senator Keg beer is a very popular alcoholic beverage among our consumers due to its high quality and affordability and as is with any popular product, this may sometimes witness increased demand. We are however constantly monitoring demand variations in the market in order to meet optimal supply levels.

As usual with most PR people the policy is deny, deny, deny…

Denying only happens the first question, which “EABL” denies any knowledge of the 60 barrels. And rightly so. Dont give the journalists anything incriminating that they can run with. Everything follow from there is about some “keg” that in all likelihood could be fake. So the PR officer is right in not addressing questions about that “keg” until it can be established that it did originate from breweries.

that is a truly shitty webpage

jameson so you work at beer tosha

I refute your belief sir…all flat beers end up on the drain.actually there are personnels on payslip just to decant flat beer

I wonder where that drain, ‘drains’ intoo_Oo_O

1 Like