The 7^th edition of the just-ended Ghana Beverage Awards held at the plush Kempinski saw over 20 industry players being honoured for their ingenuity and hard work for the year under review.

Beverage companies that were recognized included Acadia Industries Limited, Kasapreko Company Limited, AA Food and Beverages, among others.

Tampico carried the night as the ultimate winner, emerging victorious in the fiercely competitive Product of the Year category. Mensdo Bissap and Vitamilk’s Fills Good, Anywhere Anytime Campaign emerged winners for the nouvelle Indigenous Beverage Brand of the Year and Beverage Campaign of the Year categories.

Speaking at the event, Chief Executive Officer for Global Media Alliance, Ernest Boateng, commended the beverage industry for their contribution to national development while re-iterating the scheme’s commitment to supporting the industry.

“The beverage industry is a key driver in the development and sustenance of the nation’s economy. It is a huge revenue-generating industry, which supports the country in employment creation, service delivery and more.

"Cognisant of this fact, it is always our delight to provide an avenue like this which gives room for interaction and networking among stakeholders of Ghana’s Beverage industry while at the same time providing the opportunity for industry players to share ideas relevant for the growth of their industry,” he said.

He congratulated the winners of the various categories describing each win as “well deserved “and one that brings the scheme closer to its vision of helping grow our local beverage brands and subsequently widening their footprint on the international market.

Taking his turn, the Executive Director of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Kwabena Agyekum noted that the interventions of marketing practitioners have over the years contributed significantly to the growth and expansion of the beverage industry.

He called for concerted efforts from corporate organisations for a sustained drive of innovation and creativity among beverage industry players.

“Recognizing the critical role of the beverage industry in the nation’s development, marketing practitioners have always led advocacies for the industry and worked with government and relevant stakeholders to create an enabling environment for the industry to thrive.

"These interventions have helped to expand and boost the capacity of players in the industry, leading to the sector’s expansion as well as healthy competition among industry players.

S"upport from corporate organisations including this prestigious awards scheme has contributed significantly to driving innovation and creativity among players in the industry thereby contributing to the success of the beverage industry.

"However, it is crucial for more corporate organisations to throw their weight behind the industry for sustained efforts and greater achievements.”

GBA is organised under the theme “Inspiring Excellence in Ghana’s Beverage Industry”.

In a lead-up, nominations were opened to allow the public and beverage companies to nominate their favourite beverage brands.

Closure of the nominations ushered organizers into the voting phase which allowed the public to vote for their favourite brand in the Product of the Year Category.

This year’s edition of the GBA witnessed fierce competition at the voting stages with a 20% increase in voter turnout compared to the previous edition.

Ghana Beverage Awards is proudly supported by the Food and Beverage Association of Ghana (FABAG), Consumer Protection Agency (CPA), Food Research Institute (FRI) under CSIR, Perception Management International (PMI), Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA).