KIGALI - The country’s beverage manufacturer and brewery BRALIRWA has unveiled its new corporate identity logo on the occasion to mark 50 years of one of its beer brands, Primus.

According to the brewer, the new logo with two light and dark green wave-like lines and the initials ‘Bralirwa’ with a star above ‘I’ symbolize Rwanda’s beauty characterized by a thousand hills and green scenery while the star represents a bright future ahead for Rwanda leading beverage manufacturer.

Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Commerce and Trade, Monique Nsanzabaganwa, said that BRALIRWA, one of the leading tax payers in the country, has continued flourishing and is expected to become ‘a billion dollar company’ in very few years depending on its performance.

BRALIRWA, a consortium jointly owned by Heineken Netherlands and the Government of Rwanda produces several brands of beers and soft drinks.

Speaking at the unveiling of the new logo, the Managing Director of BRALIRWA, Sven Piederiet, said that the new logo and its features represent the company’s passion for quality, enjoyment of life and responsibility for clients and the environment.

Piederiet who recently replaced Door Plantenga as Managing Director of the company, said that they had continued to set the pace as one of the leading soft and alcoholic drink manufacturers on the continent based on quality and standards, for which they have scooped several continental and global awards.

He attributed the consistent quality production to directly working hand in hand with mother companies Heineken and Coca Cola who test and approve the quality of the products before they are produced and quality ingredients used in production.

He noted that the company has invested over US $50m in capital expenditure between 2006 and 2008 to expand its two plants in Kigali and Gisenyi, Rubavu District, to increase its output.

He revealed that BRALIRWA has increased its fermentation plants and bottle line in the Gisenyi Plant by 50 percent and is also constructing state-of-the-art waste treatment plants to be inaugurated in April.

As part of celebrating the 50th Anniversary, BRALIRWA is set to rollout a nationwide promotional campaign by staging road shows in all towns and trading centres across the country and engaging Corporate Social Responsibility campaigns such as environmental conservation and social welfare initiatives.

"BRALIRWA earned about Rwf 6bn last year and in a bid to mark the 50th anniversary of Primus, we intend to roll out and return to our loyal customers some of the profits through CSR activities and entertaining roadshows” said Piederiet.

He noted that the company whose mother companies are based in global financial crisis- hit countries, is safe from the shocks of the crisis because like other African breweries, BRALIRWA has been shielded from the effects despite anticipations that 2009 will encounter setbacks but not losses.

He also revealed that the company is set to embark on a regional marketing strategy to stamp its mark on the region following Rwanda joining the East African Community.

Dutch based Heineken holds stakes in breweries in different African countries including Nigeria, Algeria, DRC, Burundi and Tunisia among others.  

It’s licensed the license to produce Coca Cola brands such as Fanta, Sprite, Krest, Tonic and Burn, an energy drink launched in Rwanda in December 2008.

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