Pakistan Beverage Limited
On the 14th of August 1950, imbued with the passion of nationalism, one of the most dynamic beverage manufacturers in Pakistan was born. This young organisation then launched Pakistan’s first local carbonated soft drink (CSD) brand, Pakola, which is now uniquely recognisable. Set up in the heart of Karachi’s Lawrence Road, on a 1000 square yard plot, this budding company has since blossomed into the largest beverage manufacturing and selling company in Pakistan. This is the story of Pakistan Beverage Limited (PBL).
In the years following its inception, PBL overcame many challenges, eventually becoming the market leader in beverage manufacturing. It was this stellar performance and commitment to quality products, that invited the attention of many multinational companies looking for a partner in Pakistan. This paved the way for PBL to acquire a franchise licence from Pepsi Co, allowing PBL to become a Pepsi-Cola bottling partner in 1979.
PBL continued to excel as a Pepsi-Cola Bottling Partner in the years that followed. Under the robust leadership of its chief executive and managing director, Mr Yasin Haji Kassam, his brother and director Mr Siraj Kassam Teli, and his son, Mr Zaid Yasin, PBL has been able to reach immense heights such as becoming PepsiCo’s 2015 Global Bottler of the Year, winning this coveted title out of over 100 PepsiCo bottlers globally. PBL also became the first franchise in Pakistan to produce and sell 100 million cases (8 oz.) of Liquid Refreshment Beverages (LRB). With the recent induction of Mr Nusair Siraj Teli, PBL is poised to pursue and attain even greater heights.
Today, PBL is Pakistan’s largest beverage manufacturer. Its current operation, covering an area of more than 60 acres and spanning three cities, also boasts 20 state-of-the-art LRB manufacturing lines. This includes bottling facilities for SSRB glass bottles, PET plastic bottles and bulk water as well as a canning facility. This allows PBL to produce on a massive scale, enabling its provision of all major PepsiCo beverage brands, such as Pepsi, 7up, Mountain Dew, and Aquafina, among others, to its customers in the cities and surrounding areas of Karachi and Hyderabad as well as in the entirety of the province of Balochistan. Aside from beverages, PBL also produces and sells dairy products under the Pakola Milk brand. Its commitment to excellence can also be seen here, as its milk operation, Pakola Products Limited (PPL) is the marker leader in the flavoured milk segment with standout flavours like Zaafran and Ice Cream Soda.
PBL is and has always been a highly innovative and forward thinking company. This is not only showcased by its stellar manufacturing capabilities but can also be seen in the constant and exponential development of its IT department. Since 2010, PBL has been working towards the implementation of a fully integrated IT landscape, to aid the various departments of the organisation. This allowed for the implementation of SAP as the company’s primary business reporting and recording solution. Now, with the advent of SAP HANA and handheld devices, information relevant to decision-making, at all levels of the organisation, is readily available, facilitating swift reactions to the ever-changing business environment. This, coupled with a centralised data centre, has allowed the massive organisation to function more effectively as one unit, one that also hopes to pursue further and more complex methods of sales and operational automation.
Finally, PBL does not just believe in investing in innovation, be that in IT or production, PBL also believes in investing in people. This is necessary if PBL wishes to continue providing products of the highest quality with impeccable customer service to support sales. No matter how innovative the technology, a skilled workforce is still required, and that workforce needs to function as a team, in order for the organisation to survive. Thus, every member of the organisation is part of the PBL family, regardless what role they play, and are treated as such. This is because; greatness is not achieved from just the vision of the few but also by the hard work of the many. That is and has always been the PBL way.
