Big Cola set to stir market again, competes with price in energy drink segment

AJE Group, a multinational beverage company in Nigeria which stirred the market in 2015 with Big Cola, a new 65 cl carbonated soft drink, has moved into energy drink, expecting to create traction with same strategy as it competes with price and quantity.

The company with headquarters in Lima, Peru recently adopted boat ride in Lagos lagoon as platform to unveil its energy drink, ‘Big Volt’ in 65 cl pet bottle in to the Nigerian market. It is selling for N300 per bottle.

In 2015, when the company with initial investment capital of over N5 billion introduced 65 cl soft drink in different variants of cola, orange and lemon, it really stretched  competition in that segment  and this time the management is also confident that the new energy drink would find space in the market.

Theo Williams, the country manager of Ajeast Group, who said that the Big Volt is locally produced, believed that consumers required another viable alternative to existing brands “especially a drink that would be more affordable”

He said the company is not likely to introduce the product in Can pack because of cost. On why he is confident that Nigerians would appreciate the drink, Williams maintained that it is cost effective as Nigerians are moving to lower cost but quality products.

Williams agreed that Big Volt in 65 cl is largest energy drink in Africa but it is not the largest in the world as America has 1 litre product but believed that Nigerians would likely use it as mixer.

To push the products to the market and according to Williams to democratice energy drinking among Nigerians, he promised distributors some of whom joined in the boat ride, 20 percent discount.

Market analysts believe that the company would likely continue to use below the line marketing strategy to push the product as it is not strong on above the line communication.

In 2015, it started selling 65 cl at N90 against competitors 50 cl for N100. It said it has strong commitment to ‘democratizing consumption by providing consumers with access to  quality products at fair prices. This is the same competition philosophy it is using  in other markets around the world as the company wants to be among the top 20 companies in the world in 2020.