The marketability of Bitter beverage, the spirit drinks that resonate among the younger generation of Nigerians, has taken a paradigm shift with the daunting economic reality currently confronting the nation.

While some companies are throwing in the towel and bowing to the pressure mounted by excruciating increase in the cost of production, many bitters beverage companies are deploying innovation, strategies and resources to produce sachet drinks that meet consumers’ need without eating deeper into their pockets.

For several years, most of these companies were known to be placing premium on production and packaging of spirit drinks in bottles and they were regularly cashing out with sales in the market. Brands like Chelsea, Orijin, Action Bitter, Pure Libido, Odogwu Bitters, Alomo Bitters, Igboya, Calypso, Squadron and several others were produced more in different sizes of customized bottles.

Also, the prices were affordable and the quantity in the bottles could last consumers for some days depending on the number of people available to consume the content. For instance, a 75cl of Orijin can take care of at least five consumers while 50cl can quench the thirst of about two to three people depending on their drinking capacity.

In the same vein, prices were friendly to consumers as many buyers could afford to buy up to three bottles, keep them at home and drink whenever they feel like, without having to visit a pub or order for it from bartenders. However, the current economic reality has changed the narrative as most consumers of the product are now forced to settle for sachet drinks which is about 10ml.

This development, which gravely affects the cost of production and shoots up the retail prices, has made many brands to look inward and re-adjust their strategies in order to retain consumer loyalty and remain in business. This is believed to have been the rationale behind the production of more sachet products with prices that largely conform with budgets of both retailers and consumers.

Yusuf Abiodun, a bitter beverage consumer revealed that the economy has forced him to permanently settle for sachet bitter drink.

“Before now, I always buy a bottle of Bitter beverage at home and drink at least three times a day. But presently, the price is out of my reach and the only alternative is to buy the one in sachet. I always buy a role of sachet and consume one at a time,” he explained.

His position was not in any way different from that of Tope Adeuti who is a regular consumer of Action Bitter.

Sharing his experience, he said: “I used to buy a 75 cl of Action Bitter at the rate of one thousand five hundred naira but with the current inflation rate, it is now sold for between 2, 500 and 3,000 Naira depending on where you are buying from. I can’t afford it any longer and I decided to settle for sachet drinks.”

The retailers are also made to get along with the burden occasioned by high cost of production as many of them are no longer stocking their shops with spirit drinks produced in bottles. In exclusive chats with MARKETING EDGE, many of them claimed that buying of bottled bitter drinks has become a bad business for them.

“Before now, I always buy a carton of bottled drinks in shop and within two weeks, I would sell everything. But right now, the story is different. The last one I bought was in January and I still have about half a carton in the shop. What sells more is the sachet. That’s what people buy these days,” said a retailer, Mrs. Justina.

Notwithstanding the discordant tunes about the astronomical rise in price, some consumers are still waxing strong in their patronage of the bottled  product. However, considering the rate at which the sachets are produced and sold in the market, one would agree that more consumers are now leveraging the 10ml produced in sachet to navigate the current economic reality and keep their loyalty with the brands.