SBC Kenya Ltd, the official bottler of PepsiCo beverages in Kenya, has engaged MANATI Africa International Ltd, a boutique FMCG consultancy firm, to spearhead its renewed push in Kenya’s competitive carbonated soft drinks market.

The two-year assignment will focus on re-establishing and accelerating Pepsi’s presence in the country. The initiative will be led by three former Diageo executives—Baker Magunda, Gerald Mahinda, and John K’Otieno—who bring decades of combined leadership experience across African and international beverage markets.

SBC Kenya Ltd is the authorised bottler of PepsiCo beverages in Kenya. Operating a modern production facility in Nairobi, the company distributes a diverse portfolio of non-alcoholic beverages, including Pepsi, 7UP, Mirinda, Mountain Dew, Sting energy drink, Aquafina water, and Evervess tonic water.

The Team Behind the Strategy

Baker Magunda, a partner at MANATI Africa International, will head the Pepsi Kenya project. A seasoned FMCG executive with more than two decades in the beverage industry, Magunda built a 23-year career at Diageo in senior roles across East, West, and Central Africa. His portfolio includes serving as:

• Managing Director, Uganda Breweries Ltd (2006–2008)
• Managing Director, Kenya Breweries Ltd (2008–2012)
• Chairman & MD, Guinness Cameroon (2012–2016)
• MD/CEO, Guinness Nigeria (2018–2022), where he oversaw a remarkable 1147%.

Earlier, he worked with Coca-Cola Sabco’s Century Bottling Company in Uganda as Market Development Manager, giving him cross-brand exposure and deep regional market insights.

Gerald Mahinda, also a partner at MANATI Africa International, is a high-profile FMCG leader known for steering Diageo and Heineken’s joint venture Brandhouse South Africa as its Managing Director. He later became CEO of Dance Africa Corporation, a subsidiary of Bidco Africa, where he was tasked with driving a pan-African consumer goods expansion strategy. Mahinda has extensive experience in building regional strategies, securing distribution partnerships, and developing premium brand portfolios.

John K’Otieno brings strong operational and executional expertise. At Dance Africa Corporation, he headed operations from its Mauritius base, managing supply chain and route-to-market systems across multiple African markets. K’Otieno’s earlier FMCG experience also includes operational leadership roles within Diageo’s East Africa operations.

Assignment Scope

Under the consultancy agreement, MANATI Africa International will:

• Work alongside SBC Kenya’s Board and the Pepsi Africa team in Cairo,
• Execute a renewed market re-ignition strategy,
• Strengthen brand positioning and distribution infrastructure,
• Build strategic retail and horeca (hotels, restaurants, catering) partnerships,
• And create a sustainable foundation for market share growth.

The initiative builds on the earlier market entry efforts led by Paddy Muramiirah, former CEO of Crown Beverages Uganda, who oversaw Pepsi’s initial post-acquisition phase in Kenya before retiring in 2024.

Competitive Landscape: A Brewing Cola War

In 2023, SBC Kenya commanded just 1.5% of Kenya’s carbonated soft drinks market, compared to Coca-Cola’s 93.9%share and Highlands’ 3.6%. While Pepsi’s footprint has grown modestly since Crown Beverages (Mauritius) Ltd’s acquisition of SBC Kenya, the challenge remains formidable.

Coca-Cola has made clear it intends to defend its dominance. In May 2024, the Coca-Cola system—comprising The Coca-Cola Company and Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA)—announced plans to invest up to $175 million over five years in Kenya to expand capacity, strengthen capabilities, and deepen market penetration.

Backed by Strategic Financing

Crown Beverages’ expansion into Kenya, including the acquisition of Kenya Bottling Company Ltd (SBC Kenya’s parent), is financed by Stanbic Uganda, the same financiers who funded the USD 90 million expansion of Crown Beverages’ plant in Uganda, together with Citi.  

Outlook

The appointment of MANATI Africa International and its three ex-Diageo partners signals a deliberate shift to leverage proven African leadership, deep FMCG expertise, and regional operational experience.

With Coca-Cola stepping up investment and Pepsi building a stronger on-the-ground presence, Kenya’s cola wars are entering a new, more competitive chapter.