Bigi Cola, King of Soft Drinks in Nigeria?

A fairly newly introduced soft drink in the market, Bigi Cola, has become the most consumed drink in Nigeria due to its quality, availability and price. Ada Dike reports.
============================

There is a popular saying that, ‘a good product sells itself’.  This can be referred to a new indigenous product, Bigi Cola, which has consumed the soft drink market like a wild fire in dry season.

Manufactured by Rite Foods Limited, maker of Rite Sausages and Fearless Energy drinks, its producer announced its birth many months before its introduction, using the Rite sausages. The suspense that announcement created in the minds of soft drinks consumers before it was unveiled also added a plus to its successful story today.

The product was launched in Nigeria in 2016, a year after another accepted cola drink, Big Cola, by AJE Group entered into Nigerian markets. Its factory is along Shagamu-Benin Express Road, Ososa, Ogun State.
Bigi has various flavours namely: Bigi Cola, Apple, Bitter Lemon, Orange, Soda, Tropical and so on. Bigi Cola is made with water, sugar, carbon dioxide, colour sulphite Ammonia, caramel E150d, Phosphoric Acid E338, Preservative, Sodium Benzoate E211, Flavouring, Caffeine, Natural Flavouring and so on.
It is pertinent to note that a lot of marketing strategies lead to market dominance, that is why there are many soft drinks in the world market. But a few of them such as, Coca Cola and Pepsi using their years of existence, taste and advertising hypes have become increasingly popular globally, despite the fierce competitions they are encountering.
According to its website, Coca Cola, produced by Nigerian Bottling Company, was introduced into Nigeria in 1951. History has it that Coca Cola was established in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States of America by Dr. John S. Pemberton. It was first offered as a fountain beverage by mixing Coca‑Cola syrup with carbonated water, introduced in 1886, patented in 1887, registered as a trademark in 1893 and by 1895 it was being sold in every state and territory in the United States. In 1899, The Coca‑Cola Company began franchised bottling operations in and outside the United States expanding its frontiers to consumers in North America and Europe and in subsequent years to other parts of the world.
In 1951, Coca‑Cola, made with carbonated water, sugar, carbon-dioxide, caffeine, Phosphoric acid, caramel colour and flavouring, came to Nigeria and it is available in 35cl and 50cl classic glass contour bottle; 33cl on-the-go Can, 50cl and 1.5L PET bottle. Coca Cola Company produces other products like Fanta, Sprite, Limca, Eva water and so on.
In the same vein, Seven-Up bottling company Limited, which has nine bottling plants located across the country, produces and sells soft drinks brands namely: Pepsi, Mirinda, Seven Up, H2oh!, Teem bitter lemon, Mountain Dew and Aquafina bottled water.
One can hardly attend any sporting event, sponsored outdoor activity or visit any shop without seeing Coca Cola adverts. For many years now, Coca Cola Nigeria Plc has continued to produce signboards painted red with Coca Cola and the names of each shop owner written on it. Its market dominance was tested after it increased the prices of its products a couple years ago, then, Seven-Up bottling went to the drawing board and came up with the idea of increasing the volume of Pepsi plastic bottle with extra 20 Cl and sold the 60 Cl at the same price. today, 60CL Pepsi popularly known as 'Orobo' in Lagos is now being sold at N70.00 from N80.00.
Presently, the retail price of 60Cl Zero coke some other Cocacola drinks are being sold at N100. Pepsi didn’t shift ground, but still sells its 60Cl platics bottle at N100, same with Bigi. This, an observer said, can be linked to the stiff completion they are encountering in the market.
A shop owner at Ajao Estate, Lagos, Mrs. Kehinde Adetayo, said people buy more Bigi than other drinks from her shop. “You know, when there is an increase in price of a commodity, people tend to boycott it and go for an alternative. This is what happened to a popular soft drink brand after Bigi entered into the market and they lost a lot of consumers,” she divulged.
A key retailer of Bigi drinks, whose shop is located in Alimosho area of Lagos spoke on the condition of anonymity by saying that consumers embraced Bigi whole heartedly due to its taste, size and price which indirectly affected the patronage and prices of other soft drinks in the market.

Meanwhile, large quantity of soft drinks are sold during the dry season due to hot weather which comes with heat, dryness of throat and thirst for water. Most Nigerians resort to drinking soft drinks while quite a few of them drink water in the sachet (pure water) and bottled ones. These drinks come handy as hawkers put them in a bowl, carry the bowl on the heads and move around strategic places including bus stops. In fact, selling soft drinks business is one the most lucrative one in Nigeria these days, that why as early as 10 am, many hawkers make much sales which is evident in the amount of money they clutch in their hands as they move about hawking their wares. Some of them sell sausages alongside the drinks. That is why most Nigerians have their breakfast at bus stops and inside vehicles because, if one eats two sausages and drinks a bottle of soft drink, he or she will be filled.

A businessman, Mr. Ndubuisi Nwafor, who deals in electrical appliances along Aiyetoro Road, Ayobo, Lagos, said  it is difficult for a day to pass by without him drinking Bigi Cola.

According to the 34-year-old bachelor, he hardly cooks food at home but patronises a restaurant near his shop in the morning and takes Bigi Cola with biscuit or sausage for lunch.

“I like Bigi Cola, and I don’t think I can stop drinking it. I buy it at a mini mart in the petrol station beside my shop every afternoon. I like the taste, it is not too sugary like others and I love the feeling I get after drinking it,” Nwafor said.

He further said that he took interest in the drink when he noticed the mini mart has many cartons of Bigi drinks displayed for sale more than other soft drinks. “I became curious and decided to taste it,” says the Anambra State born trader.

“There are two soft drinks mini depots opposite my shop, one of them distributes Bigi drinks, while the other depot distributes another brand of soft drinks. Any time trucks supply Bigi drinks to one of the depots, within 30 minutes, retailers buy up almost everything. It is colourful to see the tropical flavoured Bigi, Apple and so packed in front of the depot as the company’s salesmen are bringing them down from the truck.

“In a twinkling of an eye, the depot will be empty, while the other depot has fewer retailers coming to patronise them. This made me to love Bigi drinks the more”

The Economist put a call across to Rite Foods Limited to find out their unique selling proposition, but didn’t get through.

With the reduction in prices of Zero Coca Cola drink, Bigi manufacturers and other soft drink soft drink may strategise so as not lose many consumers. Mrs. Adetayo suggested that Rite Foods Limited should do more promotions that will be beneficial to consumers, retailers and the general public.

I am addicted to Bigi cola and I don’t think that I can stop drinking it. I buy it at a mini mart in the petrol station beside my shop every afternoon. I like the taste, it is not too sugary like others and I love the feeling I get after drinking it.