A local beverage firm, Isimbi Industries Ltd, is setting up a plant that will make red wine and soft drinks from grapes.

In the first phase of the project, its proprietors said, the Rwf1.2 billion factory being constructed in Huye District will also process bottled mineral water in addition to making other soft drinks.

The company will become the first in the country to transform grapes into wine.

Théogène Ntampaka, the founder of Isimbi Industries Ltd who has invested in grapes farming said the idea to produce grape wine came up 10 years ago.

"I have visited nuns who plant a few grapes in their gardens. I decided to grow grapes after trying them on my farm and found that they even grow better than in some outside countries where we import wine. I have realized the climate where I grow grapes is very favourable,” he said.

So far Ntampaka can harvest three tonnes of grapes per one season on about one hectare.

Ange Sebutege, the Mayor of Huye District, said that the factory will be set up in the district’s industrial zone, which is still at its nascent stage of development.

"The industrial zone is located on 50 hectares…it is good news that we will soon have a grape processing factory,” he said.

How the idea started

Ntampaka said he saw the opportunity after realising that other farmers considered grape farming to be a job for nuns.

In 2013, Ntampaka secured 1,000 free grape seedlings which he planted on his farm in Huye District.

"Currently, I can harvest three tonnes of grapes per season on about one hectare. There are two harvesting seasons in a year,” he said

Framer can get their first harvest after two years but the main yield comes after about four to five years.

"We have planted grapes on five more hectares where we employ 15 permanent workers,” he added, disclosing that plans are underway to expand the farm to 50 hectares.

White wine

The entrepreneur said that he is ordering machinery to be installed in the factory for red wine production.

However, he said, he will diversify into white wine production.

"I have got another partner who will help me to grow grapes in a bigger area. Some grape varieties will help to produce white grape wine and other grapes serve as fruits,” he said.

Research and technology

In August 2019, Rwanda and the Germany State of Rhineland Palatinate inked a deal through the Ministry of Agriculture to start grape growing which will see Rwanda start producing grape wine in near future.

In the deal, Germany is supposed to help Rwanda with the state-of-the-art technology, research and expertise to start growing grapes used as the main source of raw material in the production of red wine, white wine, and rosé wines on the global market