Companies

Keg brewer in dispute with EABL over use of its barrels

keg

Kegging line at EABL plant in Ruaraka. PHOTO | FILE

Beer maker Platinum Distillers has accused detectives of harassing it for using keg barrels allegedly counterfeited from rival EABL.

Platinum claims that officers from the Anti-Counterfeit Agency (ACA) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations have been acting on instructions from its rival to arrest distributors for allegedly using counterfeit EABL keg barrels.

The brewer has sued the ACA, police and EABL for allegedly colluding to harass its staff and distributors. Platinum insists that keg barrels are universal and that its products have been approved as safe for consumption. The EABL and the police are yet to respond to the suit.

“Stainless steel barrels and anodised aluminum keg barrels are generally the same worldwide. We have since gone to the Kenya Industrial Properties Institute to verify whether Platinum Distiller’s keg barrels are already patented by EABL or any other company and we have been informed that the said barrels are not subject of any patent.”

The firm says it has tried to talk to the ACA over the alleged harassment in vain.

“Contrary to the allegations peddled by EABL which is a competitor in the beer business, Platinum Distillers’ 5.5 beer is fully licensed for production and approved by Kebs. Despite forwarding the issue to the ACA, its agents together with the police and EABL continue to harass Platinum Distillers, its agents, dealers, distributors and retailers,” Platinum Distillers says.

Platinum has attached documents showing orders it made for 1,700 keg barrels from China in August.

The brewer claims that on December 5, its premises along the Eastern Bypass was raided by 30 officers from the police and ACA and that they detained employees, distributors and dealers for more than five hours for allegedly possessing counterfeit EABL keg barrels.

“On the same day, the officers without any search warrant or lawful order ransacked and searched the entire factory, allegedly looking for counterfeit keg barrels and when they found none they carried 20 pieces of empty 50 litre keg barrels all labelled and engraved with Platinum Distillers’ logo,” the firm adds.

Michael Kingara, Platinum Distillers managing director, adds that two of its distributors in Nakuru and Masinga have since been arrested for alleged possession of counterfeit goods.