Sony’s sweet news for consumers of its sugar

Sony Sugar Company has adjusted its factory prices downwards in a move that is expected to make its brand more affordable to local consumers. The Awendo-based sugar miller has also asked distributors of the Sony Sugar brand not to charge unauthorised prices. Mr Zakayo Irungu, the company’s public relations officer, told Nyanza Weekly that they were supplying distributors a 50kg bag of sugar at a factory price of Sh6,500. This should translate to a retail price of Sh130 for a one kg of sugar instead of the Sh200 being charged by retailers, including supermarkets. “ Our small buyers get the same quantity at between Sh6,550 and Sh6,580 which brings the cost of 1kg of sugar to Sh131.60 while the distributors get the branded sugar at Sh3,000 per 24 kg bale translating to Sh125 per 1kg,” he said. Previously distributors bought a 50kg bag at Sh5,000, which translated to a retail price of Sh100 per 1kg. The company’s decision came amid a public outcry over escalating prices and shortage of sugar. But a cross-section of traders in South Nyanza blamed greedy brokers for the sharp increase in sugar prices.