Brasseries et Limonaderies du Rwanda (Bralirwa) has increased prices of three of its beer brands in a move the firm said was aimed at cushioning it from raising operational costs.

Consumers will now part with Rwf500 for a 33cl bottle of Mutzig that was previously Rwf450 and Rwf1,000 for the 65cl bottle that was at Rwf900. A bottle of Guiness is at Rwf750, up from Rwf600 and Amstel now costs Rwf600 from Rwf550.  

The brewer said the price increases were largely occasioned by currency fluctuations and the increasing transport and energy costs.

"We have been trying to absorb the costs for a long time, but this couldn’t go on any longer,” said Jonathan Hall, the Bralirwa managing director.

Hall said the prices for Primus, its best-selling beer brand, as well as Turbo King, Heineken and soft drinks would remain unchanged.

Bralirwa’s volume sales grew to 1.7 million hector litres in 2012, increasing from 1.6 million hector litres the previous year.

Listed on the local bourse, Bralirwa’s board approved a dividend payment of Rwf20 to shareholders on July 2. This represents a decrease of 17.4 per cent compared to 2011.

Bralirwa was the sole beer and soft drinks maker until Brasseries des Mille Collines, producers of SKOL beer, ended their monopoly in 2010.

The company also faces stiff competition from regional beer brands.