Soda King Somalia

Founded in 2014, Soda King Somalia (“SKS”) is established as a bottling and distribution franchise of Soda King Franchises, with exclusive licensing in Somalia, Somaliland, and Djibouti for the South African beverage brands. SKS produces a broad range of carbonated, flavored soft drinks and filtered water variants. An estimated 85 percent of all packaged beverage products distributed in Somalia have historically been imported from neighboring Middle Eastern countries. Over the years, the company has quickly distinguished itself as a market player with a variety of beverages, consistently high-quality products, efficient operations, and a strong Somali employment base.

The company always seeks to implement the newest technologies and concepts available, becoming one of the first producers to acquire polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles in Somalia, which can be recycled and thus reduce the amount of waste going into landfills. In addition, SKS’s Jooz brand is one of the first 100 percent fruit juice products in Somalia that uses a unique UV-light treatment, allowing the product to be kept at an ambient temperature (less than 98°F) for a period of three months without a reduction in quality. This allows for a reduced need for refrigeration, thus reducing a significant cost for SKS. To accelerate production capacity and increase efficiency and timely distribution of its products, SKS acquired a Shuraako-facilitated investment for the purchase of additional bottling and labeling equipment. This investment led to a long-term capacity growth of 33 percent and allowed SKS to double its workforce.