GGBL introduces Africa’s first spirits packaging and bottling line

Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL) has introduced the first-ever portable spirits packaging and bottling line in Africa.

The ultra-modern packaging line, which is christened the CUBE, blends and bottles GGBL’s first mainstream spirit Gilbey’s Dry Gin -- a brand with a strong heritage, a high quality liquid, and distinctive packaging.

Key stakeholders and industry regulators including Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Trade and Industry; James Asare Agyei and Seth Twum-Akwaboah, President and Executive Director of the Association of Ghana Industries; representatives from Food and Drugs Authority; Ghana Standards Authority; Chartered Institute of Marketers Ghana; Institute of Public Relations; Ghana Investment Promotion Council; and the Achimota local Assembly were invited to tour the packaging innovation.

The GH₵9.36m packaging line consists of five shipping containers that are connected together to provide a stand-alone blending and bottling operation. The line, which is patented by Diageo plc, parent company of GGBL, is intended for various markets in Africa, and Ghana is the lead market for this innovation.

Peter Ndegwa, Managing Director of GGBL said: “We aim to innovate at scale to meet consumer demands. As the industry leader, we are poised to provide the best of technology that brings affordability to the doorstep of many Ghanaians while maintaining the high standards of quality for which we are celebrated. The CUBE will provide our consumers with a variety of mainstream spirits. The rippling effect of this project cannot be over-emphasised as we directly employ more hands, as well as the technology-transfer for industry”.

Speaking on the tour, Mr. Iddrisu, said: “it is a pleasure to do the factory tour and appreciate the development of the CUBE. Congratulations to GGBL for including mainstream spirits in their already large portfolio. Government is committed to the development of industries and wants to improve the value chain aggregation of our local raw materials such as cassava.

“We are therefore happy to continue supporting GGBL as they partner with Ayensu Starch Company to scale-up the upstream environment for cassava. Government appreciates the investment GGBL is making in such an environment and understands the challenges that present themselves.”

Mr. Agyei said, “We appreciate government’s understanding of industry’s challenges, and we would like such initiatives to be replicated in other small-scale industries”.