Bigi Cola expands the cola war

Stories by UCHE AKOLISA

Barely one year after Ajeast Nigeria Limited broke the duopoly in the Cola drink market with its Big Cola offering, a new entrant, Bigi Cola has joined the fray.
Bigi Cola, a product of Rite Foods Limited, marketers of Bigi and Rite Sausage Rolls, was launched into the market, recently without fun-fare into a market dominated by Coca-Cola and & 7up Plc.
Bigi Cola which is packed in 500ml comes in four variants; Bigi Cola, Bigi Orange, Bigi Lemon-Lime and Bigi Apple.
Bigi Cola is riding on pricing, the same strategy deployed by Big Cola to penetrate the highly competitive soft drink market.
The wholesale price of a carton of PET bottle (50cl) of Bigi-Cola is N950, Pepsi -Cola goes for N1050 and Coca Cola N1150. While the retail price of Bigi-Cola, Big Cola and Pepsi is N100, Coca-Cola goes for N120. A soft drink vendor at Agege Motor Park who would not want to be named said, she prefers to stock the new Bigi Cola because of it offers her bigger profit margin than the older brands.
“If I buy Bigi Cola at N1000 and sell at N100, I make more money than when I buy a carton of Coke at N1,150, and sell at N120 to make profit, ”she volunteered.
Although, at N100 for 500ml content, Bigi Cola is more expensive than Big Cola content value, but its distinct taste and availability at the time a consumer needs it may work in its factor.
What consumers say
Cola drink consumers who have experienced Bigi Cola said it taste good. “It tastes nice. It tastes better than Big Cola,” said Mr Olu Ayodele.

‘It is in-between sprite and Bitter lemon,” was how a consumer who simply identified as Chris described the Bigi Lemon-Lime. Another consumer who experienced Bigi Orange said, “It tastes nice, like Nutric-C.”

The coming of Big Cola with its offer of PET bottle (650ml)at N100 in 2015 had forced the two beverage giants to review downward its price while increasing its volume. However, the force of inflation has pushed up the retail price of their products in certain locations.
Efforts to get reaction from Rite Foods limited proved abortive. When contacted on phone the customer care officer of the company who simply identified herself as Sandra referred Business Hallmark to the Marketing Manger at the Head Office in Opebi, Ikeja. However, when Business Hallmark visited the office, the Marketing /Brand Manager was said to have travelled out of town.