Recently, the brand was re-launched with more colour and distinctive packaging to continue to appeal to the consciousness of the ever growing sausage roll consumers in a competitive market because of the entry of rival brands.

How has it been managing the Gala brand since 1962?

It has been quite tough because we started in 1962. What was Nigeria like in 1962? We weren't even a republic at the time. We became a republic in 1963. Most of the changes we've gone through, the type of government we've had, our economy. Nigeria has changed from whatever it was in 1962. It has been very dynamic in terms of change. People's tastes have changed. Economy has gone up and has gone down. So, it's been a very dynamic environment and we started off in 1962 with Gala Sausage roll essentially then almost as a commodity. So, we had to evolve from it being a commodity to a brand and not just a local brand, but a global brand.

Gala brand got the Master brand's status last year and it is one of the few brands in Nigeria that has the master brand status. I think Mr. Bigg's and Gala are taken as master brands worldwide. So, that has been the transformation. What we've done over the years is we've always tried to move very close to our consumer, to know what they want in terms of taste, in terms of packaging. In fact, it was that market research which resulted in re-launching the brand and coming out with the new packaging. Nigerians, maybe because of our British heritage so to speak, have always been average eater of sausage rolls and meat pies, so that sausage roll something has always been with us, but our tastes have changed over the years, but essentially Nigerians really like eating sausage rolls. Not just any sausage rolls. It's only Gala that they prefer eating.

Over the years people have been complaining that the quality of Gala has dropped. That the Gala we had 10 years ago is not the same Gala we have now and that necessitated the competition we now have in the market. How true is that?

I think it's not entirely true. I think what has happened really is that people's taste have changed and really what has led to a lot of competition is that we at some point were not able to meet demand. Of course competition comes in to fill that vacuum. I think that is really the main issue. We have substantially increased our level of production over the last couple of years and although the market has also expanded, but I think we are giving everybody a very good fight. Gala remains the market leader.

Gala remains the main market leader, how true is that?

Absolutely true.

We heard that what informed the launching of Gala recently was stiff competition from rival brands and the fear of not being toppled in the market. Is this true?

I think that from time to time irrespective of what is going on in the market, you've got to revitalise your brand and that's all we have done. If you look at Gala over 40 years, it has probably changed its packaging 6, 7, & 9 times. In fact the last change I believe was about 4 or 5 years ago. We take our brands like personalities. They are like human beings, you don't wear the same clothes all the time, you change your appearance. Gala's colours are red. So, in our new packaging, we brought out that red. You try and make your packaging as distinctive as possible so that there is not an iota of doubt because, what some sausage roll brands have been trying to do is pass their product off as Gala which is deceptive. It is fraudulent. So, of course, we've got to make sure that our product is clearly identifiable because maybe some can't read that it is UAC foods, but when you look at the product, Gala is there 3 times. It is not in any doubt, so you can't bring another sausage roll-like product and call it Gala, because Gala is boldly inscribed on the packaging 3 times. So, it is to make it distinctive that people are not deceived because they are actually going out to deceive others. That's the truth; there is a lot of mis-information. The truth of the matter is that this is the only sausage roll product in this country, in fact, on this continent which is ISO certified. This is the second brand in Nigeria to have ISO 22,000 certification . The first brand was Guinness. If you want to complete with UAC foods, then go and get ISO. People know it's difficult and we got ISO to assure consumers that what they are eating is of highest international standard. As a result of that, we can take Gala anywhere in the world, in fact, if you look at Gala as well, Gala also has the certification of food and drug board of Ghana because they actually came here because they were seeing Gala showing up in Ghana. So, they came down to check. After going through our factory, they saw that we were ready for ISO, so that made it a lot easier. So, we have invested a lot to let customer know that this product is of the highest quality.

There are some products that may look as though they are Gala but what goes into Gala does not go into them. We are using 100% beef. People should ask if these people are using beef or are they using Soya beans. There are some people that are proposing that their product have gone meaty but it is Soya beans. It is deception, but we are transparent, in fact we don't cover up our product. We have nothing to fear. If you cover up your products, I'm sorry, I won't, we have the option of making this packaging covered but we said no, we are transparent let people see, I don't hide my product. I will be very weary of people who hid their products.

This is an interview of Mr. Chris Adedipe, the Divisional Managing Director of UAC Foods speaks on why Gala remains the No 1 brand to beat and other issues. He spoke to City People's Brand Reporter, Nelson Koyi.