COVID-19 Lockdown: How beverage companies are coping In response to resurgent Covid-19 cases, the government of Uganda on June 19th 2021 reintroduced a host of measures that among others included targeted travel restrictions on sections of the population. Although the manufacturing sector was left open- restrictions on several other sectors such as public transport, meant that factory workers could not travel freely, thus the need to encamp workers at the factory promises. However, even for the workers who could travel freely, it was and is important that infections and reinfections between the encamped workers and those moving daily from home were controlled for.

Paddy Muramiirah, Chief Executive Officer of Crown Beverages Limited says while the first lockdown caught them off guard and put them in panic mode for a few weeks, this one has found them better prepared.

“We had not relaxed on observing SOPs and sharing prevention measures with staff and when we observed with concern, the rising numbers of new covid-19 infections, we had to tighten all loose ends.

“We currently have a comprehensive set of policies in place and the guidelines have been well communicated to staff. We have enhanced hygiene measures, provided additional personal protective equipment (PPE) where necessary, emphasized physical distancing, and wearing of masks at all times.

He notes that a covid-19 testing exercise for all staff was carried out with a team of doctors on site where members who turned out positive sent home where medication and counselling are being administered. He adds that the company remains vigilant in screening of personnel by checking their temperature and having them go through the sanitizing machine.

“Key in our decision making is the safety of the workforce and the continuity of the business,” he says.

Frontline workers and department heads at the plants continue to report to work in branded company cars, while the rest of the teams work remotely. Production work is still ongoing, supported by teams that are staying at the plants full time.

He also says that that field teams continue to run the supply and delivery of products but take all the necessary precautions. Planned events have been called off and for the product launches in the pipeline, Muramiirah says, they are now considering fully-fledged digital campaigns as alternatives.

“To minimize the potential future impact of infections, we have altered team structures and working methods to limit contact across the workforce. We hope the lockdown can bring down the number of infections and that we can achieve normalcy soon,” he adds.

Simon Kaheru, Public Affairs & Communications Director Coca Cola Beverages Africa Uganda (Century Bottling Company and Rwenzori Bottling Company), told CEO East Africa Magazine that second lockdown came in just as the company had just started running their brand-new US$15m (UGX53.2 million) line that focuses on value-added dairy products. The new product line will also make use of Ugandan raw materials. The first product off that line was the Minute Maid Fruity Boost Mango which has replaced imports from Kenya. The product includes a variety of Ugandan ingredients.

“Because of the success and importance of this new investment and the need to succeed with it quickly for the good of our customers, we looked ahead and prepared for the lockdown using the trends we were following,” he says.

Kaheru, in an emailed interview said that factory camps at both plants- Namanve and Mbarara have been re-activated, and the required employees selected for the bottling operations to continue but with safety, “so we have a limited number of employees camped at the sites – in manufacturing and logistics.”

The selected employees are regularly tested for Covid-19, and then deployed as appropriate, while their health is monitored. They are re-tested periodically to avoid any infections creeping into the factories.

A few of the employees that are needed but cannot be encamped – such as drivers and a limited range of support staff – are separated from the other groups so that there is no contamination from outside of the plants.

The employees who come in from outside the plants are also carefully screened.

“That aside, we are supporting employees in as many ways as we can – including providing them with PPEs and our hand sanitisers manufactured at our Rwenzori Bottling Company in Namanve – StaySafe Hand Sanitiser,” Kaheru says, adding: “Our focus on our people has continued non-stop from last year, and when we say “our people” we mean our employees, their families, our trade partners and the community.

“A very important part of our approach is to step up risk communication across the company to keep people safe and to encourage them to keep each other safe. We have been running an in-house campaign under the banner, “It’s In Your Hands” and have shared that campaign with the rest of the private sector so that the messaging goes even further.”