The managing director of Finwerd West Africa, Steven Kabuito, has disclosed that Nigeria holds immense potential to lead the future of beverage innovation across Africa.
Kabuito made this known during a recent Finwerd Beverage Academy themed, ‘Beverage Innovation, Application and Technical Production,’ disclosing further that the company is proud to play its part in unlocking that future.
“Through the Finwerd Beverage Academy, we are not just transferring expertise; we are investing in local talents, sharing global best practices, and building lasting partnerships with market players.
“This journey is not one we walk alone; it is a handshake of collaboration, innovation, and shared ambition. Together, we are shaping a vibrant, competitive, and proudly African beverage industry,” Kabuito said.
Kingsley Udoakpan, commercial director, West Africa, Finwerd, said that the flavour and beverage industry is rapidly evolving. According to him, the growth is driven by changing consumer preferences, technological advancements, dynamic regulatory environment and sustainability concerns.
“Our academy aims to bridge the gap between innovation and implementation, providing a platform for experts to share insights, best practices, and cutting-edge innovations in the world of beverages,” Udoakpan said.
Roel Meerwaldt, process and quality lead, Finwerd BV, said the flavour industry is extremely diverse. According to him, the beverage academy is to make participants more aware and recognise when something is going wrong, and what they can do to reduce the risk.
He said that the academy is not only about making a flavour, but also focused on the technical application of the flavours “But what all these companies have in common is that if they want to be successful, they need to understand what their customers are doing and what the customer product looks like,” Meerwaldt said.
Charles Nwachukwu, a retired director of laboratory services at NAFDAC and consultant, said the Finwerd Beverage Academy has come with a new innovation into the West African market. According to him, the firm is assisting people to formulate and develop beverage products across the sub-region.
“…and that is one of the essences of this program; to educate people to start off somewhere. Even though most of the participants here might be from other organizations. But they too could help to propagate the product development as enshrined in this way of academic training,” Nwachukwu said.
