FRM (East Africa) Packers Limited sues EABL over use of brown beer bottles

EABL taken to court over use of brown bottles

Mark Mwithaga

January 22, 2019 2:07 PM

EABL in row over use of brown bottles

Worker inspecting beer bottles at an EABL plant

East African Breweries Limited (EABL) were on Monday taken to court over the use of brown beer bottles.

FRM (East Africa Packers) Limited filed a petition and claimed that the giant brewer had no rights to claim ownership over use of brown bottles.

An EABL beer processing plant Pulse Live Kenya

The alcohol firm on its part through its lawyer Peter King’ara, argued that the use of the disputable beer bottle is universal.

The Inspector General of Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions were also sued by FRM over detainment of their products.

“The respondents’ officers in collusion with the interested parties have lodged a countrywide campaign of illegally, maliciously confiscating and detaining FRM’s beer products as well as intimidating and arresting its agents, distributors and retailers who form part of the supply chain alleging that the goods are counterfeit,” remarked King’ara.

According to FRM, the fact that no firm can claim originality, the bottles are returnable and reusable besides being similar in shape, size and colour.

EABL and Keroche war over bottle mixup

In April 2016, EABL sued Keroche Breweries over mix up of bottles to the extent consumers were drinking products packed in bottles of the rival firms without knowing.

A report that was filed by the oldest brewer in the country in court, accused bar owners of causing a mix-up of the two companies’ bottles which are similar in shape, size and colour.

Keroche Breweries CEO Tabitha Karanja during a past interview Pulse Live Kenya

“On September 30 we visited one Keroche depot in Kerugoya Town. We found 16 crates out of which four were found to bear the EABL embossment in issue.

"We also discovered that the depot people were receiving empty bottles from retailers indiscriminately-without considering whether the empty bottles belong to the breweries or the competitor,” read a part of the report.

EABL had argued that Keroche had been using EABL branded bottles to package its Summit Lager and Vienna Ice Vodka drinks.

Mark Mwithaga