Planet Bottling Company has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering top-quality beverages at affordable prices as it celebrated its distributors for driving growth in three years of operations in Nigeria.

The company celebrated its distributors on Thursday at its business forum held in Lagos during a gathering of stakeholders. The company’s leaders hailed the stakeholders’ contributions for expanding its market presence.

The Marketing Manager of Planet Bottling Company, Naji Awada, said affordability remains a core part of the firm’s strategy, stressing that the company places strong emphasis on quality while helping consumers reduce costs.

Awada said, “PBC is very keen on top-quality products while also being an affordable product. So, the main idea was to provide Nigeria with a top-quality product and help them save some money by making it affordable.”

The forum recognised partners and assured them of continued support as the company scales up. Awada added that distributors played a critical role in the company’s rapid expansion since commencing operations, describing them as indispensable to its success.

He stated, “We want them to know that all of their support doesn’t go unnoticed and that they are a major part of our success in this country, and without them, we wouldn’t be in the place that we are today, especially after only three years of officially operating and having our market share grow so fast. We cannot deny the fact that they were the people who engaged in this and made it happen.”

Addressing concerns around sugary drinks and product safety, Awada assured consumers that the company adheres to the highest production standards.

He said, “Our products come from the most advanced factory in Nigeria when it comes to soft drinks, and we ensure, especially with our Monarch Beverages team, which is an international company that supports us, that we use the best concentrate and the best quality of product for consumers.”

PBC currently produces four brands in its line: American Cola, Reaktor Energy Drink, Planet and Bubble Up.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Managing Director for Planet Bottling Company, Lokman Jouni, said the forum coincided with the third anniversary of American Cola’s launch in Nigeria, describing affordability as a key pillar of the brand’s global legacy.

Jouni said, “Today, we celebrate the third year since our iconic brand, American Cola, launched in 2023. Our legacy is global, not only in Nigeria. Our objective is to provide high-end quality at an affordable price to the less privileged people. We are here to provide you with an excellent product with an affordable price for everybody.”

On product safety, Jouni said the company subjected its beverages to rigorous testing and regulatory oversight.

He said, “Our product is extremely safe, well tested, and well controlled by two of our laboratories, one in Atlanta and one in Paris. They are fully operational. We maintain a high standard of compliance with all the Nigerian and multinational agencies.”

Jouni described Nigeria as a market with vast growth potential, driven by consumers’ openness to quality products.

He said, “I’ve been in Nigeria for a long time, and Nigeria is a land of opportunities. We have fantastic people who are adventurous, looking for new products and appreciating their qualities. As far as we have good quality, the limit is the sky.”

In his remarks, Communications Manager for Planet Bottling Company, Franklyn Eluagu, said the company’s brands were built around community and inclusiveness.

Eluagu said, “We are a company that is driven by community. So, the idea for us is that each of our brands would build a community in Nigeria that welcomes every Nigerian, no matter what role they are playing, where they are or what age.”

He explained that American Cola targeted young people, Planet focused on families, Reaktor Energy Drink encouraged resilience, while Bubble Up catered to fun and social gatherings.

Eluagu said, “So for each of these brands, we are building communities to ensure that Nigerians have a brand that can play a good part in whatever activities they are engaged in and whoever they want to be at any point.”

Reviewing the company’s journey, he said Planet Bottling Company entered the Nigerian market in 2022 with the Reaktor energy drink before American Cola emerged as its leading product.

Eluagu said, “So we have been giving our best to the Nigerian market in terms of quality, in terms of price, and in terms of size. So, these are what also make us stand out against the competition because we have maintained these from the very beginning until now.”

He added that although the market remained competitive, the company planned nationwide expansion beyond Lagos and the South-West.

“Nigeria is big. We started in Lagos and the southwest, but we are a pan-Nigerian company, which means that we’ll continue to expand. And there is a long road ahead of us, but we’re ready for it,” Eluagu concluded.