This archive report was first published on 21 September 2019.
Flavoured Beer Gets Young Drinkers Back ¶
Published on September 21, 2019
Beer has long been a staple in Kenya, but the industry is evolving to cater to the preferences of young drinkers. Brewers are introducing new flavours and styles to appeal to a more diverse market, with a focus on premium and craft beers.
At the recent Nairobi Beer Festival, over 35 types of beers and ciders were on display, attracting thousands of young drinkers. The event was a huge success, with over 2,500 people attending compared to last year's 1,800.
"This was the second Nairobi Beer Festival, an annual event that celebrates the beer industry," said Noam Orr, of Baraka Events, a partner event organiser. "We had over 2,500 people attending compared to last year's 1,800 people. Every year, the number keeps growing," he added.
The future of beer consumption is expected to be more fragmented and individualised, prompting brewers to introduce flavours that cater for the ever-adventurous drinkers. International brands and craft brewers are set to expand their market presence through local subsidiaries and distributors, to target the rising population of millennials with varying tastes and preferences.
"Our target is all beer enthusiasts and curious beer lovers who want to experiment with new flavours and we believe there is a positive outlook to where beer can go," said Gerald Bukhala, the marketing and operations manager of 254 Beer, a new craft brew set to be launched in the Kenyan market.
Despite the availability of many brands in bars and restaurants, and the fight to retain consumers and gain a competitive advantage, Gerald believes there is room for more players as beer is becoming more diverse. "Craft beer is pegged on quality as opposed to quantity and that what makes it different," he said.
A challenge that Gerald mentions they face is introducing craft beer to traditional beer drinkers. "While doing tastings, I have found that there is a group of people who are a bit sceptical of craft beer and this is only because they are used to their go-to drinks and are not sure whether they will like the new flavours that craft beers offer," he said.
Christopher Rich, a Swedish cider importer who has been in the business for three years, brought the light and fruity cider called Älska into the Kenyan market, as an alternative alcohol for women in Nairobi. "At the time, I realised there weren’t many options for women who did not like beer at clubs," he said.
"The prices of wine by the glass in Nairobi clubs was high and this cider bridges this gap," he added. "Someone who drinks whiskies and spirits in Kenya is considered more of an alcohol lover as opposed to someone who drinks beer. So the perception of beer is that it is not such as bad thing and this is because beer was the predominant drink in Kenya for a very long time," he said.
Aleem Ladak, a director of Big Five Breweries Limited who has been in the craft beer industry for close to 10 years says beer has evolved in terms of style, creativity and the craft beer industry. "As much as Kenya and the East African market has been predominantly a lager market, people are now exploring more into the world of ales, stouts, double ales because beer has become diverse and it has a lot more to offer," he said.
