On 20 November 2018, Rwandan brewer Bralirwa said it would begin producing Heineken locally from next month, ending the beer’s reliance on imports and trimming distribution costs.
The Dutch brand will be made at Bralirwa’s Gisenyi factory in northern Rwanda, close to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The company said the move should open up more business for its partners in Rwanda and create room for exports to neighbouring countries.
“We believe that this innovation will create additional business opportunities for Bralirwa and for our business partners in Rwanda as well as through export to neighbouring countries,” Mr Sander Bokelman, Bralirwa’s supply chain director, said in a statement on Monday.
He added that shifting from importing to producing Heineken in Rwanda would also help support the local economy.
Consumers are expected to see lower prices, with a bottle set to drop from Rwf1,000 ($1.13) to Rwf800 ($0.91).
Bralirwa, Rwanda’s biggest brewery, already handles eight beer brands and several soft drinks. Until now, it had been distributing Heineken in the country rather than brewing it locally.
Rwanda will become the ninth African country to produce the beer, joining Nigeria, Ethiopia, South Africa, Namibia, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia.
