County chairmen of the Bar Owners Association have threatened to move to court over the ongoing war where EABL moved to mop up its bottles, restricting distributors from interchanging them with other brands.
Addressing a press conference at Panafric Hotel on Wednesday, January 8, 2020, Kiambu County Chairman Richard Kagiri stated that the distributors were prepared to move to court over the battle for beer bottles.
Referring to EABL's decision to engrave its bottles, Ragiri stated, "If the point of contention was the use of the engraved bottle, then they should not use the other bottles that have not been engraved, but they are using both of them.
"We will have to take both companies (referring to EABL and KBL) to court to prove to us they are the patent holders of the bottles," he stated.
Charles Loidima, the chairman of the caucus meeting lamented that the current war was affecting their businesses.
"Our members are really suffering, where some have been arrested and charged with selling counterfeit products.
"We as bar owners have resolved to call for a consumers boycott against a manufacturer who wants to cause confusion in the market," he stated.
Keroche’s Summit beer bottles are similar to those of EABL’s White Cap and Balozi brands, making it easier for both brewers to interchange them.
The bar owners argue that the current tiff between the manufacturers will lead to an artificial shortage of bottles in the market that will affect the industry greatly.
They issued a 14-day ultimatum to KBL and EABL to address their grievances or else they will cease stocking their products.
