INVESTMENT: Bralirwa unveils Rwf4b fermentation plant

Bralirwa signed a Rwf1.2b mid term loan with Bank de Kigali, in an investment that will see the company increase brewery products by 30 percent Bralirwa has upgraded its infrastructure with an investment worth Rwf4b. The company, over the weekend unveiled five new fermentation tanks, from Spain. According to the Managing Director of Bralirwa, Door Plantenga, the boost of the new tanks will enable the brewing process to increase production capacity by 30 percent. Plantenga remarked, that Bralirwa had foreseen the increase in demand, for which reason the company invested in such a big project in Gisenyi. “Bottle line equipments in Gisenyi currently can process 30,000 bottles per hour instead of 20,000,” the Bralirwa boss explained. “These investments have enabled Bralirwa to increase the production with more than 30 percent.” She also noted that more than two years ago, plans were developed to expand the fermentation and bottling capacity for the brewery, in the process of entering into favourable developments. Francis Gatare, the principal Deputy/CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) said that Bralirwa deserved the ‘Award of Best Investor’ of the year, since they invested and created good working conditions. Gatare said that the objective of the awards was to recognise the private sector’s role towards Rwanda’s economic development. The expansion of Bralirwa is a golden opportunity for the brewery to extend its products to a wider market in the region. Gatare told Bralirwa’s management that there’s a regional wider market and that the development of the facility has come in time when other products are coming in the country. Due to the expansion of Bralirwa, Gatare hopes that during the festive season Rwandans will have enough supply of brewery products. Plantenga revealed that the fermentation tanks whooped Rwf1.8b, for the filler and washers. She said that it was predicted that by the end of this year the brewery would face shortage of capacity and that Bralirwa was determined to invest in bid to meet client’s demand for brewery production. Ends