South African brewer unveils retailers' training programme

KENBEV Limited Human Resource Director Ms Rosemary Ng’ayu presents Hon. John Mututho with a copy of the retailer’s guidebook, during the launch of KENBEV’s retailer development program, aimed at empowering retailers to manage their businesses well.PHOTO: STANDARD

A South African brewer has unveiled a programme that will see retailers receive training on how to grow their businesses. In one of its latest efforts to expand its market share in Kenya, SAB Miller’s subsidiary, Kenbev, will train retailers in the alcohol industry on how to deal with customers and increase profitability.

The beer industry in Kenya is under the tight grip of East African Breweries (EABL), which controls over 70 per cent of the market. British multinational alcoholic beverages company Diageo owns 50.03 per cent of the Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed EABL.

But now Kenbev hopes that Retailer Development Training initiative will build capacity for the small retailers and in effect help them improve their sales. According to Kenbev’s Human Resource and Communications Director Rosemary Ng’ayu, the programme has already been successful in Latin America.

“The Retailer Development Programme was inspired by the successful ‘Tenderos’ programme in Latin America that helped retailers develop their skills and competencies in improving the sustainability of their businesses, the quality of life for their families and contribute to improving the welfare and development of communities in which they live,” she said.

The firm intends to achieve this objective by developing opportunities to ensure sustainable revenue growth as well as building sustainable relationships at all levels.

It is through self-regulation and compliance that the alcohol industry will maintain its licence to trade, according to Ng’ayu. National Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) chairman John Mututho lauded KenBev’s initiative and called on other industry players to invest in their supply and distribution chain.

“We need players who will invest in their retailers, however small. The returns on this will bring about phenomenal growth to our economy,” said Mututho.