E-Malt.com News article: World & Tanzania: Tanzanian beer Serengeti is now available in the UK, Holland and Australia

The premium Serengeti lager, a malting beer manufactured in Tanzania by Serengeti Breweries Ltd, is now available in the UK, Holland and Australia, The EastAfrican news agency communicated on January 25.

Shantanu Chitgopkar, general manager, sales and marketing of Serengeti Breweries, told The EastAfrican that there had been growing demand from African residents in Europe and Australia.
Mr Chitgopkar said strategically, the UK and Australia were then selected by Serengeti Breweries Ltd to test the brand on the international market. "Serengeti was supplied to the UK and Australia as trial orders and Tanzanians in particular and other East African consumers residing in the UK have responded well to the product. There are strong indications of repeat orders," he said.

The beer, with a leopard trademark on the bottle, has a 4.8 % alcohol content.

Serengeti Breweries Ltd is the second largest brewery in Tanzania. In December 2003, it entered into a joint venture with Interbrew of Belgium to brew Stella Artois under licence following a $4 million investment in a brewery in Dar es Salaam. Stella Artois, a classic European lager, is a bottom fermented blond pilsner with an alcohol content of 5.2 %.

Samir Dashputre, brand manager of Serengeti Breweries said the brewery was proud of the fact that Australian consumers with a palate for less aromatic smooth lagers have hailed Serengeti as a beer of good taste. He said that demand in Australia is expected to grow and repeat orders are coming in, although Tanzania will remain the focus market.

Serengeti lager will now compete with Kenya's Tusker, Namibia's Windhoek and Castle lager from South Africa, which are widely available in the European market.

According to Ministry of Agriculture statistics, Tanzania brewing industry produces more than 24 million crates of beer annually. With the beer being sold on the international market, the country will benefit from job creation, and value added to farm produce and most important, transfer of technology.

27 January, 2006