8th edition of Ghana Beverage Awards held amidst pomp and pageantry

The prize winners in a group photo

It was a sight to behold as stakeholders and well-wishers of the beverage industry converged at the luxurious Kempinski Gold Coast City Accra to reward and recognize beverage industry players for their ingenuity, hard work and commitment to excellence during the eighth edition of the iconic Ghana Beverage Awards (GBA).

Well-known beverage companies included Bel-Cola, Reign Rum and Vitamilk Energy. Verna Natural Mineral Water was the eventual winner, emerging victorious in the fiercely competitive Product of the Year category, triumphing over Star Beer, Malta Guinness, Bel -Cola, Vitamilk Regular, Tampico, Coca-Cola and Adonko Bitters. Koa Natural Impact also won the Nouvelle Sustainability Champion of the Year category.

During the welcome address, Ernest Boateng, Chief Executive Officer of Global Media Alliance, underlined the vital role of the beverage industry in national progress, reaffirming the program’s continued support for the advancement of the industry.

“The beverage industry is an important driver in the development and maintenance of the national economy. It is a huge income-generating industry, which supports the country in creating employment, providing services and more. Being aware of this, it is always our pleasure to provide an avenue like this that provides space for interaction and networking among stakeholders of the Ghanaian beverage industry while providing an opportunity for industry players to share ideas that are relevant for the growth of their industry. ,” he said.

He commended industry players for adopting sustainable production practices with the ultimate goal of protecting the environment and improving living standards, among others.

“Over the years, the Ghanaian beverage industry, like any other industry, has grown to accommodate changes in global and consumer trends with sustainability, which encompasses a broad spectrum of considerations ranging from environmental conservation to social equity and economic resilience, which form an integral part of industry practices and conversations. This has translated into joint efforts to minimize their environmental footprint, support local communities and promote a culture of responsible consumption.

From adopting eco-friendly packaging materials to eliminating single-use plastics and adopting locally sourced gourds for packaging and serving, our industry players have found a way to toe the line of sustainable manufacturing practices. More commendable are their community-based recycling and waste management initiatives, which have informed and sensitized consumers to meaningful ways to support the sustainability agenda of local beverage companies.”

The Chief Executive Officer further congratulated the winners of the various categories, describing each win as “well-deserved” and one that brings the program closer to its vision of helping our local beverage brands grow and subsequently expand their footprint in the international market.

GBA is organized under the theme “Inspiring Excellence in Ghana’s Beverage Industry”. To kick off the awards ceremony, nominations were opened for the public and beverage companies to nominate their favorite beverage brands. The closing of the nominations led the organizers to the voting phase where the public could vote for their favorite brand in the Product of the Year category. This year’s edition of the GBA witnessed fierce competition during the voting phase, with a 20% increase in attendance compared to the previous edition.

Ghana Beverage Awards is proudly supported by the Food and Beverage Association of Ghana (FABAG), Consumer Protection Agency (CPA), Food Research Institute (FRI) under CSIR, Perception Management International (PMI), Quick SMS, Silverbird Cinemas, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA). The media partners are Citi FM, Happy FM, YFM, YTV, Neesim FM Bolga & Tamale, MX24, Business and Financial Times, njdjlive.com and Ghanaweb.