…Says brand has repositioned alcoholic bitters for upper class consumers
By Enyeribe Ejiogu
A-List celebrity and Chairman of Cubana Group, Obinna Iyiegbu, has attributed the roaring success achieved by Odogwu Bitters within one year of introduction to the social drink market, to the enthusiasm and unwavering determination of the management and staff of Cubana Trading and Investment Limited, CTIL, to succeed, saying that the entrance of the brand effectively repositioned alcoholic bitters for upper class consumers and thereby turned it into an aspirational brand for consumers in the C and D groups.
He explained that the excellent effort deployed to push the brand erased the embarrassment once associated with alcoholic bitters, which previously was consumed mainly by people on the lower economic rung of the consumption ladder.
The marketing gloss given to Odogwu Bitters raised the bar and moved it to capture the top-of-the-mind position, resulting in it becoming the King of Bitters, and upscale connoisseurs of the brand as the Rolls Royce of bitters.
Iyiegbu, a major real estate and entertainment-related entrepreneur, who is more popularly known as Obi Cubana, made these observations when he addressed a select group of Nigeria’s mainstream print media at an exclusive event to unveil three new brands ahead of their formal presentation to the Nigerian and international markets as part of the major event that will mark the first anniversary of Odogwu Bitters, scheduled to hold in April.
“We had a vision, a dream, and a passion for excellence that has propelled us to where we aret oday. When we started, we faced several challenges that tested our resilience andc ommitment to our goals. However, we never gave up; we kept pushing forward, learning from our mistakes, and adjusting our strategies until we finally found a formula for success.
‘I am proud to say that we have come a long way since then, and our success story is a testament to every team member’s hard work and dedication. We have achieved great milestones and made significant progress in our industry.
“Our current product, Odogwu Bitters, has been a tremendous success, thanks to the efforts of our innovative and creative team. We have been able to deliver value to our customers and clients, and the positive feedback we have received has been overwhelming,” Iyiegbu said.
Speaking further, he said: “I am delighted to announce that we are unveiling three new products, Odogwu Vodka Mix – HAMMER, Odogwu Energy Drink – MALAY and Odogwu HUSH, which is specifically targeted at women. These products have been carefully developed to meet the needs of our clients and customers, and we are confident that they will be well received.
“Our journey towards success is not over, and we are still moving forward. We have more products in the pipeline and continually explore new opportunities to expand our business and reach new markets. Our processes are based on world-class best practices, breeding alliances with best-in-class products.”
While acknowledging the contribution of distributors to the success of CTIL, he disclosed that the company made a strategic adjustment within the year under review, which he explained this way: “We started with 241distributors, and now we have restructured distribution channels to be leaner but more resilient and responsive. Today we have 60 significant distributors comprising 55 in Nigeria, two in Canada, one in Liberia, one in Uganda and one in Cote d’Ivoire.’
Iyiegbu expressed appreciation to the worldwide base of consumers of Odogwu Bitters for their loyalty and support, adding, “Without you, we would not be where we are today. As we look to the future, I assure you that our commitment to excellence remains unwavering. We will continue to innovate, develop new products, and explore new opportunities to grow our business. Together, we will achieve even greater success.”