The once-popular Okin Biscuits has resumed production for the first time in 17 years, after rehabilitating one of its production lines that had been shut down when vandals stole its cables, frequency drives, contactors, motors, and other electronic components.
The company disclosed this in a statement posted on its official Facebook page on Wednesday, describing Tuesday’s development as a significant milestone.
According to the statement, the exercise carried out on Tuesday was a technical trial run and not a test of the finished product, as the firm was yet to perfect the taste and quality Nigerians identified with the Okin brand before the factory went under.
The statement read in part, “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.
“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.”
The company also announced that the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company had connected the factory to a 33KVA Band A electricity grid on the same day, a development it described as another major milestone in the revival project.
It, however, noted that more work still lies ahead before the biscuits return to store shelves, listing further testing, calibration and rehabilitation of the plant as part of the process.
“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,” the statement added.
The company assured Nigerians that the brand, which held a strong presence in the confectionery market before its production line went silent, was 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.
Okin Biscuits was founded in 1980 by the late Chief Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye, a prominent Offa-born businessman, and it was regarded as the most popular biscuit amongst Nigerians who grew up in that era.
The company, however, faced harsh operational hurdles, including poor infrastructure, unstable power supply, and rising competition from cheap imported biscuits, leading to its closure.
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