Kenya's Ambassador to Belgium Bitange Ndemo on Thursday, April 27, advised reigning world record holder Eliud Kipchoge to use his global fame to turn Mursik (a traditional fermented milk drink) into a global brand.
According to Ndemo, the Olympic champion has all the ingredients needed to market the drink which is commonly consumed in the Rift Valley Region.
He urged Kipchoge to emulate global figures like Daniel Carrasco and National Basketball Association (NBA) legend Lebron James who made fortunes by creating big brands from ordinary commodities.
"Eliud Kipchoge can endorse Mursik to create a new product just as Daniel Carasso did in helping turn yogurt from an obscure ethnic Jewish food into a multinational product," read his statement.
Ndemo's advice was backed by famed economist XN Iraki who noted that there is no reason for failure if the father of three picks up the idea.
“Eliud Kipchoge is someone who has made a name for himself all over the world. I don’t see any reason why he would not succeed if he makes Mursik his brand.
“He just needs to leverage his humble background and start mentoring young runners to make the brand a success,” Iraki told Kenyans.co.ke.
Iraki added that attending numerous marathon events like former English Premier League players and coaches usually grace football events as well as getting a good manager will make the brand more marketable if Kipchoge makes the idea a reality.
Kipchoge is currently one of the most successful and respected sportspersons in the world thanks to his remarkable achievements and down-to-earth personality.
He has shared a platform with many prominent individuals including popular British billionaire James Arthur Ratcliffe, Prince Harry and Tottenham Hotspur mercurial forward Harry Kane.
The Kaptagat-based athlete recently got the honour of flagging off the star-studded 2023 London Marathon.
Some of the big races that he has won in his two-decade-long career include Berlin, Tokyo, Chicago and London Marathons.
He lowered his own world record from 2:01:39 to 2:01:09 at the 2022 Berlin Marathon staged in Germany on Sunday, September 25.
Kipchoge is also the first human being to complete a full marathon race in under two hours. He achieved the incredible feat during the non-official Ineos 159 challenge staged in Vienna, Austria in 2019 when he reached the tape at 1:59:40.
Mursik Benefits
Mursik is one of the few drinks that is ever present on the menu of Kenyan athletes. Runners prefer it due to its nutritional value.
The drink is also consumed during special ceremonies such as weddings, pre-weddings and initiations.
