Unplugged Zimbabwe is making it's return this weekend and the festival is once again partnering up with Coca Cola. The festival is bringing the Coca Cola Food Fest to Harare. Headlined by South African duo Murumba Pitch, this edition will also feature performances from Takura, Enzo Ishall, Vera & The Husbands, and King 98, with DJ Rimo, DJ Naida and TK Beatz on the decks.
Set to be held on this coming Saturday, the 20th of April, this edition of Unplugged will also serve as a celebration of 10 years of the event.
We caught with event coordinator Ellinah Chipumha to talk about what it means for them to be reunited with Coca Cola and what people can expect from this edition:
How does it feel to be back with Coca Cola and what makes the relationship special?
EC: Our relationship with Coca-Cola dates back to 2017. We were three years in and still struggling for long term sponsorship, despite having partnered with esteemed brands like Heineken and Knorr. Coke’s marketing team took a leap of faith and put a lot of money behind us. Overnight, we went from being loss making to being a profitable enterprise.
Not only did they help make Unplugged sustainable, they also brought an incredible look and feel, an energy, a credibility. They were such a great lifestyle fit for Unplugged. That being said we also delivered exceedingly on our commitments to them, it was a reciprocal relationship. It was a happy marriage then, and we’re thrilled to be reunited.
What can people expect that's especially different about this edition?
EC: We’re super excited about some of the changes. This event has a slightly different format - it’s food and music. Coke runs a series of events globally under the banner and when they wanted to introduce it to this market they approached us. They wanted us to bring the same level of organisation they knew us for, and also a brilliant musical offering. We’re excited about introducing new street food and up and coming chefs to the Unplugged community. We also have a sick lineup.
What has been the best part of Unplugged's 10 year journey?
EC: Unplugged has been a true labour of love. The real moment of validation for us was when we saw that corporates were willing to back us. This passion project suddenly became a viable business. We worked hard on our boardroom pitches and relationship management and it paid off. It’s not been without difficulties, like other businesses we have not been immune to the fluid economic environment.
One time we received sponsorship money in Zim dollars that covered every event expense, and within two weeks the ZWD depreciated by 300%. That was a devastating loss that took time to recover from. But it’s been ten years and we are still here and feeling hopeful about the future economy and optimistic about the renewed alliance with Coke.
Unplugged x Coca Cola Food Fest is set to be held at First Capital Bank Sports Club in Mt Pleasant. Advance tickets are currently sale, with ordinary tickets going for $10 each and Chill Zone tickets for $50. Tickets are available at ManeTain Organics (Chisipite), Chapter 2 (Sam Levy Village), Sips & Cellars (Box Park, Helensvale) and Sips & Cellars (Marlborough).
Enjoyed reading this news report? Support Greedysouth by buying the team a cup of coffee. Your support assists in the production of such quality reports. Thank you.