So those who know me for many years, know am one of those Coca Cola addicts, until i was 42 years old, i only took COCA COLA, no water, no juice, no tea, no coffee, no milk, NOTHING!!! Only coca cola. every where i go it would have to be coca cola, my glasses at home my plates were all COCA COLA.
When i turned 42 without going to the details – but it has to do with SUGAR – i STOPED COCA COLA! and had to start forcing my self to drink water – which i still to date – DO NOT LIKE, but force my self. however i got to like when i eat to have sprite, as even soda water i don’t like …. yes i know …am wired.
i could have never imagine that at any given time i would like ZERO !
a year or so ago Coca cola Uganda finally launched Sprite Zero, along with the new Sprite, however they never came with campaign for sprite zero or even Fanta zero … not sure of the reason but must be one…
I must say – Sprite Zero was not bad, for me even better then Coke Zero, but after it was launched it stopped production, then few months later came in new shape, color and WOW taste… but than again few months later it stopped its production, WHY? i was advised there was no demand… BUT really? no campaign, no one pushed for the product … and with all due respect, how do you tell me there was no demand when product was finishing very fast, any supermarket who had sprite zero within a week will finish its stock. and i am not talking about one supermarket but the all of Kampala, as an “addict” i would look for my “drugs” my sprite zero…
any way i was advised no more sprite zero in Uganda… am sure i am not the only one who liked it and consumed it…
But my story with Coca Cola only starting, now when am no longer a Coke guy i started noticing that the company that was once the best in marketing and selling its products is going down.
When i came to Uganda over 25years ago, you could find coca cola in places that you wont even get mineral water! Coca cola was every where you gone … all across the country.
Now days, even though Coca cola have another factory in Mbarara, there is just no products on the shelfs, sprite – not zero, normal sprite, just missing every other day from every supermarket but also restaurants and bars. i recently gave a try to Coke Zero as i had to give up the regular soda and so i also learn that Coke zero is not really available any where and need to be hunted for…
what happened to this company that was once upon a time – every where … as much as …
In Uganda where people drink tea with 3-4 spoons of sugar, diabetes is going to blast soon, coca cola should take it to promote zero drinks …but even without promotion, people are learning it from life that they need to stop or reduce sugar, why cant you help us and have zero available all over?
KFC that is one of those chains partnering with Coca Cola – in all their branches, very often don’t have the full range of drink, so they force you to take what ever they have, i don’t think this has happen to me any where in the world that KFC or any Coca Cola chain don’t have the full range …and if at all it might be 1 product missing at a specific branch not all over…
With all due respect to Coca cola in Uganda, this is poor management, don’t blame your distributors, your sales people which am sure you pay VERY WELL, and a very good salary, don’t do their job!!!
i love coca cola products and loyal to the brand, but the competitors are taking over and doing a better job, even the local brand is available more, everywhere, WHAT THE HELL is wrong with you guys? fire your sales people and the reps… you have your fridges EMPTY from products, i once had a bar… i still work with clubs and some restaurants in Kampala, and my partner even have a supermarket, so i askevery other day, what’s with the supply?!?! the answer it is not available.
By the way, if it is in deed production issues, someone, somewhere, along the line of production is not doing their job, not planning well for production!!! i can understand holydays – increase of crazy sales, but every other day, in every other month no stock, everywhere in Kampala city, from Muyenga, to Kiwatule, Naguru, Kololo, Najera, Kira, i move all over. NO products, not in restaurants, not in KFC, not in supermarkets … WTF? what is happening to coca cola in Uganda?
now days i see tins of some coke and sprite, who ever import those, maybe should bring Zero, will sell faster and better …
Does their headquarters don’t demands for sales targets? are they selling way over target that life is great? beside all this Coca Cola does not give a ^%$# about their customers any more, when you tag them in posts on social media trying to engage, no reply what so ever… it is only my old friend Simon who try his level best to assist and communicate and explain things, BUT – does coca cola not have a social media team? is there no “CUSTOMER CARE” for coca cola in Uganda?
i would really love to know what is the issue? to get to the bottom of this, should someone come from Atlanta HQ to check what’s happening here? but it does not look like any one bothered…
