12 November 2009
Lagos — The Tolaram Group, makers of Indomie Instant Noodles, has announced the signing of an endorsement deal with one of Nigeria's greatest brand ambassadors, Nwankwo Kanu.
Tolaram is an international group with vastly diversified activities ranging from its core business of manufacturing of consumer products and textiles to the trading of various high quality end products, financial services and real estate business.
Nwankwo, who plays for Portsmouth Football Club in the English Premier League, is Africa's most decorated player. He won the UEFA Champions League with Ajax of Holland, two Dutch league titles with the same club, in addition to a World Club Cup trophy and a UEFA Super Cup. He later won two English Premier League titles with Arsenal Football Club, three English FA Cup titles.
Kanu won the U-17 World Cup with Nigeria in 1993 and captained Nigeria to Olympic football gold medal three years later and was twice named African Footballer of the Year - in 1996 and 1999.
According to Tolaram's Group Managing Director, Mr. Haresh Aswani, "the group recognises the importance and impact of a dynamic ambassador that will portray the image of the group and what we stand for.
"This development is in synchronisation with Tolaram Group's continuous efforts in associating with Nigerians who have distinguished themselves both locally and globally.
"It is also in line with the Group's brand positioning exercise aimed at maintaining its leadership position in the country."
He said the group stands for quality, innovation, originality, resilience and excellence in performance.
"And these very same qualities are epitomised by the person we have chosen to associate with as our brand ambassador, whose quality and depth of work as well as versatility as a person have made him a much loved and respected personality in Nigeria today. We are indeed very proud to have him as our brand ambassador," he said.
Speaking further, Aswani disclosed that the vision of the group is to be the leading company operating successful and sustainable businesses in Nigeria.
He added that the core strengths of the group are based on their international outlook, a wide network, entrepreneurial flair and risk appetite for uncharted territories.
"Dynamism of a professional management team and agility of a lean organization also enable us to respond swiftly to new opportunities," he said, maintaining that "these are some of the reasons their brands have remained No.1 in their various categories such as Indomie Instant Noodles, Nobel Carpets, Panabiz, etc."
Nwankwo, the group's Brand Ambassador, is captain of the Super Eagles, the national football team of Nigeria.
The agreement which was signed recently at the group's corporate head office in Surulere, Lagos, makes Kanu the Brand Ambassador for the Tolaram Group and its varied individual companies.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Nwankwo said that the partnership is strategic as he shared certain values and qualities characterised by the Group.
Kanu said Tolaram Group as a conglomerate of various businesses has exemplified the spirit of sportsmanship in diverse ways and proven to be good corporate citizen with its corporate social responsibility initiatives.
"Tolaram Group and its various companies represent the hope for a better tomorrow given its commitment to providing quality products and services as well as the development of youths and sports in Nigeria. I'm indeed very proud to be associated with them," he said.
He hailed the group and described it as a hero which has survived both good times and tough economic conditions and different business policies due to incessant change in administration since 1948 when it was founded.
"I have teamed up with Tolaram Group to bring smiles and opportunities to the lives of our young and great heroes. All my life, I have always wanted to play football for myself, my team, and country and today I am lucky because football has brought me happiness and some people will say football made Kanu a hero but Tolaram Group and Kanu knows that there's a hero in everyone of us. And working together with the group, we are going to inspire the next generation of heroes," he said.
Kanu further explained that partnering with Tolaram Group is an expression of like-mindedness which is a natural inclination to identify with people, organisations, and institutions which share similar views, values, philosophy, outlook and opinions of life.
He said: "Our partnership is a natural inclination because Kanu Nwankwo and the companies under the stable of the Tolaram Group are brands who share similar ideals especially in 'doing good' as corporate citizens. Like Kanu Nwankwo, the Tolaram Group is a business entity with an international outlook which has risk appetite for uncharted territories.
"Like the Kano Nwankwo Heart Foundation, Tolaram Group through its charity foundation, ISHK Limb Centre fabricates and donates artificial limbs to sufferers of lost limbs nationwide. On the sport scene where my passion lies too, Tolaram Group through it noodles company, Indomie, established a football club and has sponsored several grassroots sports events as initiatives for youth development; and donated several medical equipment to various hospital Pan-Nigeria.
"The group's companies embody so much of what I believe in since the group is dedicated to providing consumers not only with an extremely favourite product but a way of life as well. Indomie for example is a brand that demonstrates interest in the welfare of communities and people and most importantly, its care for children. It gives me great pleasure that from today my name will be synonymous with some of Nigeria's most famous brand."
Aswani added: "We are confident with Kanu we will be able to widen our appeal further in the country. In a nutshell, he is a choice that makes perfect sense for Tolaram Group, both strategically and as a representation of what Kanu encompasses as a player. We care for the less privileged, so does Kanu care for the less privileged through his heart foundation.
As Tolaram Group Brand Ambassador, Kanu is expected to endorse the various brands in the group in all ramifications as well as make appearances at company events and activities.
Some of the group's brands include, Indomie Instant Noodles, Nobel Carpets and Rugs, Panabiz, etc. The Tolaram group has in the past 25 years grown to be recognised in the Nigerian business environment as a provider of quality products and services investing billions of dollars into the Nigerian market.
The group's range of products command a substantial degree of brand loyalty and an enviable "top of mind" status amongst its consumers who cut across all demographic segments in Nigeria.
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