Raheem Akingbolu
In reaction to injurious rumours on the LaCasera brand, the LaCasera Company on Thursday opened its factory doors to stakeholders and journalists, who took a tour of its production plant in Lagos.
The tour exposed stakeholders, including representatives of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Director General, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, and Standard Organisation of Nigeria to the production process of the LaCasera brand from manufacturing of its pet bottles to warehouse storage.
The brand had negative experience in 2015, with rumours in the Social media claiming it contained chemical substance injurious to human health.
Addressing journalists shortly after the tour, Managing Director LaCasera Company, Roland Ebelt explained that the reason for the tour is to clear any doubt customers might have had about the brand by allowing the media and industry regulators see the production process themselves.
He said: “Today’s tour is in reaction to negative rumours about LaCasera. During the heat of the rumour, we felt it won’t be right to jump to the media in defence. Instead, we contacted the regulators who took time to conduct their investigation and thereafter certified LaCasera safe for consumption.
“We invited you here because we believe that seeing is better than hearing. That is why we have decided to open our doors wide to the consumers through the eyes of both the regulators and the media. We urge our consumers to disregard every negative rumour about LaCasera.”
Representative of the Director General of NAFDAC, Williams Effiong on his part disclosed that the Agency investigated the rumour and discovered that it was misleading.
“A team of seasoned food safety auditors from Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Directorate investigated the injurious claims that was trending on social media platforms in 2015.
“LaCasera Apple Drink products were sampled from past months production, retention samples, online, at finished product stores and markets. All the products were submitted for laboratory analysis. The result indicated that the product ingredients conformed with laid down specifications: NIS, Codex, NAFDAC regulations with absence of pesticides and chemical hazards. We hereby assure you that LaCasera Apple Drink is safe for consumption,” he said.
