By Ronke Badmus Tuesday, 31 Aug 2010

The Chairman, Seven- Up Bottling Company, Mr. Faysal El-Khalil, has said that the beverage company’s market capitalisation has hit N25bn.

He said the company was also controlling 40 per cent share of the beverage industry in the country.

El-Khalil, who disclosed these at a media briefing in Lagos on Monday, to announce the company’s 50 years of existence, said the company had grown significantly in its 50 years of existence and had transformed itself from a privately-owned company into a company whose shares were traded on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

He added that the company had added tremendous value to its shareholders, saying that the company along with the country was entering a new phase full of optimism and vigour.

Kahlil said, to celebrate the company’s 50 years existence, SBC had embarked on a number of initiatives that would both delight the customers and uplift them to heights never imagined.

He said the Lagos State Government would also be honoured for approaching the private sector to contribute to the development of the state.

According to him, SBC has introduced a business school scholarship to sponsor one selected student every year to attend a two-year Masters in Business Administration programme in partnership with Harvard Business School, with all expense paid for the entire period of the study.

He said another initiative, which was a clear demonstration of the company’s commitment to Nigeria, was its contribution to developing talented footballers in the Pepsi Football Academy, which had over 20 centers in the country with professional coaches.

El-Khalil said some of the best trained footballers would be selected from the academy to join the PFA on the international tournaments for the U-16, where those selected would match skills with international football clubs in Africa.

Source: The Punch