How PopCola is winning the hearts of Kano residents

Since Pop Cola, a new soft drink was launched in Kano recently, joining the highly competitive beverage market, the new carbonated drink has been fully embraced by many residents of Nigeria’s most populous state.

Interestingly, Pop Cola has the potential of dislodging household name carbonated drinks especially in the ancient city of Kano State, the commercial nerve -Centre of northern Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa with the way residents have accepted the soft drink.

On 26th June 2021, the soft drink was unveiled by Mamuda Beverages Limited, owners of Mamuda Group of Companies in Kano, in an event that was graced by the Governor of the state, Abdullahi Ganduje and his Deputy, Nasiru Gawuna.

At markets, supermarkets, shopping malls and local shops, Pop Cola has become the most patronized soft drink in Kano state within just a month after it was unveiled, an investigation by PlatinumPost has revealed.

An investigation by this newspaper equally revealed that the indigenous soft drink has earned the confidence of the majority of the people against other soft drinks in the state, just one month after it was launched in the most populous city in the country.

This newspaper observed that Pop Cola is enticing the large population of youths, who troops in droves to shops, stalls and supermarkets to buy for themselves and for their loved ones, as well as children, who are now on the neck of their parents to get them Pop Cola instead of the familiar drinks.

Ahmed Musa’s influence

PlatinumPost observed that the highest selling point of Pop Cola is the smartest decision taken by the management of the company led by its CEO/ MD Hassan Hamoud, who brought his decades of business acumen to bear by appointing Super Eagles Captain Ahmed Musa as its brand ambassador.

Musa is undoubtedly the most supported Eagles player in Kano, thereby making the product lovable to the people of the state, a unique marketing strategy that had given the company an edge over its competitors.

Mr Hamoud other industries

Mr Hamoud, a famous industrialist in the state, has transformed the face of the manufacturing industry in Kano.

Mr Hamoud conglomerate is employing more than twenty thousand workers according to findings by PlatinumPost.

Pundits are of the view that his conglomerate is employing more than some states governments are doing, therefore, reducing the unemployment rate in Nigeria especially in the north.

Mr Hamoud other investment in the state includes; Mahmuda Tannery, Mahmuda Agro, Mahmuda Beverages, Mahmuda Foods, and the ongoing construction of first private Gas Plant in Northern Nigeria, situated at Challawa industrial area, Kumbotso, Kano, Wednesday.

Upon completion, the gas plan will provide Liquefied Natural Gas and would generate 20 Megawatts of electricity to the entire industries in the industrial area.

Meanwhile, Governor Ganduje in his speech during the launch of the soft drink advertently endorsed it and made it more popular in the state.

The governor, when he tasted the product, he flicked his ears to indicate that he savoured its taste and expressed that while delivering his speech, a comment that fascinated youths and becomes the subject of imitation on TikTok.

According to persons who patronise the drink its imposing taste is what stole the minds of soft drink lovers.

Testimonies of Pop Cola sellers

Some soft drink sellers in the commercial city have testified to PlatinumPost that Pop Cola has become more marketable than any other beverage in the state.

A soft drink dealer, Ibrahim Bala Abubakar, said he was amazed by the quick acceptance of the soft drink by the millions of people in the state.

Abubakar, who owns a big supermarket in Karkasara area, the Tarauni Local Government Area of the state, said since the launch of Pop Cola last month, the drink has become more marketed than others in his shop.

According to him, the majority of people that come to buy soft drinks in his shop would ask for Pop Cola, adding that only a few would ask for other brands.

He said he supplies other soft drinks just for a few people that buy, adding that the high demand for Pop Cola in his shop is unprecedented.

Abubakar also explained that “if I supply 10 cartons of other drinks and 10 cartons of Pop Cola, for instance, the Pop Cola will finish before I sell even one carton of the other drink.

To be honest with you, Pop Cola has overshadowed all other drinks for now. People patronise it much more than any other soft drink. I’m surprised by this turn of events within a short period of time,” Abubakar said.

The supermarket operator added that in his shop, parents have told him that their children are disturbing them to replace Pop Cola with milk juices.

“Parents are telling me that they are buying Pop Cola because their children have been disturbing them to buy it instead of other drinks. They want to be going to school with Pop Cola now. So, the product has received overwhelming acceptance so far, ” he added.

Abubakar however advised the Mamuda Group of Companies to create more ways of advertising the product, warning that other drinks might stage a comeback to continue retaining their position.

He also advised the company to create a mini Pop Cola bottle for schoolchildren, noting that children are loving the drink much.

Another Pop Cola dealer, who identified himself as Abba, expressed appreciation with the market of the soft drink.

He admitted that Pop Cola is the most patronized product at his soft drink shop, adding that “it is also profitable.

“I just call on the management of the company to sustain the tempo and be innovative in producing the product,” he called.

Customers reactions

Apart from the testimony by Governor Ganduje, the taste and quality of Pop Cola have become evident from the people of Kano state.

Another customer, Muratala Alhassan said he first drank it at a dinner of his friend’s wedding and felt that the drink has the prowess to compete with the likes of Coca-Cola, Pepsi or Mirinda.

Alhassan said, “the taste is suitable and the sugar volume is friendly that can be used by anybody.

“My advice to the company is to sustain the tempo and employ more Kano youths to reduce youth’s restiveness in the state,”

Another buyer, Adamu Soron-Dinki told PlatinumPost that his two children have tasted Pop Cola during their Eid-el-Kabir visitations to relatives.

He added that when they tasted the drink, they asked their mother to call and inform him that he should be buying it for them to take to school, adding that “they were eager to resume for school in order to be going with Pop Cola.

“As I’m talking to you now, I have bought two cartons for them and my wife. The drink is sweet actually and I was impressed to learn that it is made in Kano,” Soron-Dinki said.

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