Life Continental Lager Beer has received accolades for its Small and Medium Enterprises development initiative tagged: Life Progress Booster”, a scheme designed to help small and medium businesses grow by providing non-refundable grants to entrepreneurs.
Speaking on the Life Progress Booster Initiative during the roadshow in Onitsha last week, South East zonal chairman, New Auto Spare Parts Association (NASPA) Nnewi, Mr. Alvis N. Umeh, said Life Continental Lager beer has taken social and entrepreneurial development to another level with this scheme, which has helped many businesses grow since its inception four years ago.
According to him ’Life Progress Booster has helped many upcoming and small businesses in this state and I am very happy with the results recorded so far. If other companies can take up similar initiatives targeted at small businesses, it will elevate the status of our members and bring more into the fold’. He also urged the brand to keep up with the initiative, as it is a medium to eradicate poverty in the country.
Also speaking, a senior lecturer in the Enugu State University, Enugu, Dr. Ferdinand Ozoani, described the initiative as a “complete noble step, which other brands should emulate”. Dr. Ozoani noted that in the face of the present economic challenges Nigerians are going through, it is noble that a brand like Life Continental Beer is providing an enabling climate for small and micro businesses to grow, which is a way of investing in the economy of the country.
A total of 20 SMEs and artisans got a sum of N300,000 each to boost their businesses after successfully defending their business ideas in Ekwulobia, in Anambra State. The beneficiaries include Nkeoma Joseph, who runs a business centre in Anambra state, Juliana Okafor, a beer parlour operator in Onitsha and 18 others expressed their delight and appreciation to Life beer for the grant.
The Portfolio Manager, Mainstream Lager and Stout Brands, Emmanuel Agu reiterating the brand’s commitment to the initiative said, “we believe in the strength and capacity of the people of the South-East to thrive in industry, but we also believe progress can only be achieved with support. Hence, the Progress Booster initiative was specifically created for the South-Easterners.”
“Through the years, Life Continental Beer has focused on empowering its consumers, and we are committed to continue contributing to their successes and achievements”.
In his own assessment, Trade Association Chairman of Spare Parts Dealers in Anambra (Nnewi North Local Government Area), Hon. Francis O. Okeke said he is happy and excited that Life Beer can still continue the grant scheme to push for more progress and business growth amidst artisans in the state.
According to him, since the initiative started in 2015, those who had accessed the grant had been able to improve their businesses and grow bigger. ‘’I am aware that some of our members who got the grants previously, are doing better with their businesses than before; we are very excited and happy with the beer company’’, he said.
Consumers interested in benefiting in the initiative are enjoined to drop their business proposals in designated collation centres or visit life-nigeria.com. They will be shortlisted by a team of business plan analysts before proceeding to pitch their business ideas to a team of three experts to qualify for a boost of N300, 000.
Life Continental Lager Beer is an alcoholic beverage from the stables of Nigerian Breweries Plc made from the choicest grains, hop extract and the purest of waters. It is brewed to give that rich, crisp distinctive taste and well-rounded aroma in true quality fashion of the master brewers