DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Good News

VIDEO: Okin Biscuits resumes production after 17 years

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Outcome reported
  • Okin Biscuits has resumed production after a 17-year hiatus, successfully rehabilitating one of its production lines.
  • The company faced significant setbacks, including the theft of essential components like cables and motors, which led to the initial shutdown.
  • The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company has reconnected the factory to a 33KVA Band A electricity grid, marking another milestone in its revival.

Okin Biscuits, a once-popular Nigerian brand, has resumed production for the first time in 17 years, marking a significant milestone in its revival.

The company announced the development on its Facebook page, detailing the rehabilitation of a production line that had been shut down after vandals stole its cables, frequency drives, contactors, motors, and other electronic components. The recent exercise was a technical trial run, focused on bringing the dormant line back to life, rather than testing the final product.

For the first time in 17 years, biscuits rolled off one of our rehabilitated production lines at the factory in Offa. We had to rebuild the line after having all cables, frequency drives, contactors, motors and other electronic components stolen.

— Okin Biscuit Limited statementDescribing the technical trial run after 17 years of inactivity.

"For the first time in 17 years, biscuits rolled off one of our rehabilitated production lines at the factory in Offa. We had to rebuild the line after having all cables, frequency drives, contactors, motors and other electronic components stolen," the statement read. The company emphasized that the objective was to reactivate the machinery, not to perfect the taste or quality that Nigerians associated with the Okin brand.

This was a technical trial run, not a product trial. At this stage, we were not concerned about colour, appearance or achieving the final Okin recipe. The objective was simple: Can we bring this line, silent for 17 years, back to life? And we did.

— Okin Biscuit Limited statementExplaining the focus of the initial production restart.

Adding to the progress, the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company connected the factory to a 33KVA Band A electricity grid on the same day. This reconnection is another major milestone in the company's revival project.

Despite these achievements, Okin Biscuits acknowledges that more work lies ahead before the biscuits return to store shelves. Further testing, calibration, and rehabilitation of the plant are necessary. The company assured consumers that the brand, which held a strong market presence before its closure, is on its way back. "But today, we celebrate progress. The machines are turning. The ovens are firing. The biscuits are beginning to roll out again. One step at a time. Okin is coming back," the statement concluded.

There is still work ahead. More testing. More calibration. More rehabilitation. And, of course, getting that familiar Okin taste and quality exactly right before the biscuits return to the market.

— Okin Biscuit Limited statementOutlining the remaining steps before the product hits the market.

Founded in 1980 by Chief Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye, Okin Biscuits was a beloved brand. Its closure was attributed to harsh operational hurdles, including poor infrastructure, unstable power supply, and competition from imported biscuits.

But today, we celebrate progress. The machines are turning. The ovens are firing. The biscuits are beginning to roll out again. One step at a time. Okin is coming back.

— Okin Biscuit Limited statementExpressing optimism about the brand's return.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog