According to the executive president (CEO) of Refriango, Diogo Caldas, the agreement for the operation of the factory was signed on March 3rd, but it only came into force at the beginning of this month, after some issues by the banks were analyzed, verified and overcome .
"Sodiba had a high level of bank indebtedness and has also been going through some problems, according to the Angolan market, this was resulting in some 'cash-flow' problems", said Diogo Caldas, in statements to the agency Portuguese.
Allied to these issues was also the need for capacity that Refriango had to increase its industrial filling capacity, looking at existing opportunities in the local market.
Diogo Caldas stressed that Refriango has been investing significantly in the area of beer in Angola in recent times, with the Tigra brand, which has been growing and allowing an increasingly stronger presence in the national market.
"Refriango is leading the management of the factory, the Bom Jesus factory, this contract guaranteed the maintenance of the jobs, which are more than 290 and also the continuation of some service providers who worked for this factory, that is, , in a way, there is a continuity of operation at the factory without major disturbances", he stressed.
The responsible for Refriango stressed that the contract preserves Sodiba's financial and commercial autonomy, so the new manager will only ensure the production of Luandina and possibly of Sagres, which is still deserving arrangements between Sodiba and Central de Cervejas for the approval in this regard.
"Sodiba, a company that becomes independent, will be the landlady of Refriango, to whom it will pay a monthly rent for managing the factory," he explained.
For Diogo Caldas, Refriango essentially gains the installed capacity, which it lacked, without the need for new investments, in addition to all those it has already been making.
According to Diogo Caldas, Refriango today in Kikuxi already has the largest industrial center in Angola, with 27 filling lines and a capacity of 2.5 billion liters of filling, however, the market demand demands more and more need of returnable beverage production.
"For this reason, we have the need to refill returnable beverages and this factory will allow us to continue our strategic sales plan for this category of beers, with the guarantee of jobs, on the side of Sodiba, as well. taking into account the difficulties that the company was going through", he stressed.
Sodiba - Sociedade de Distribuição de Bebidas, established in October 2013, saw its preventive arrest, in December 2019, by decision of the Provincial Court of Luanda.
Asked how this issue was overcome in the negotiations, Diogo Caldas said that the entire process was made known to the Attorney General's Office, the Ministry of Economy and Planning and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
"All government entities are aware of this operation, and the work was done with Sodiba and with the knowledge and approval of government entities," he stressed.
The industrial unit, installed in Bom Jesus, on the outskirts of Luanda, has a total area of 40 hectares and a production capacity of 150 million liters per year.
Refriango is a company specialized in the production and distribution of soft drinks, juices, water, energy and alcoholic drinks, with a portfolio of more than a dozen brands.
The company has one of the largest industrial units on the African continent, with 42 hectares, 28 filling lines and a production capacity of more than 2300 million liters per year, creating more than 2000 direct jobs.
