This archive report was first published on 6 August 2019.
On July 30, 2019, the Kenya Gazette issued a notice of intended dissolution of Softa Bottling Company Limited, giving the company three months to show cause why it should not be dissolved. The notice came after the company failed to operate due to high operating costs and lack of capital.
According to Peter Kurugu, the owner, the company had a fall out with strategic partners, which led to a lack of investment. In 2016, the company required at least Ksh500 million to stay afloat, but investors urged Kurugu to reinvest 60% of the business, which he declined.
Softa Bottling Company showed much promise in its early days, with two manufacturing plants producing up to 2000 crates per hour. The company was eyeing to list on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) and export its beverages to Somalia and other markets in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
Despite the company's demise, Peter Kurugu remains hopeful, stating that he will take lessons from his failure and invest in other businesses in the future.
