FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WITH PICTURE
NOVEMBER 18 2021
BAR OWNERS ASSOCIATION COMMENDS ZAMBIAN BREWERIES
From left to right: ZB Corporate Affairs Director Ezekiel Sekele; ZB District Sales Manager Andre Tennekoon; ZB Country Director Michelle Kilpin; BNCOAZ President Peter Mwale; and BNCOAZ National Organising Secretary Clement Mutale. 
Zambian Breweries Corporate Affairs Director Ezekiel Sekele taking the BNCOAZ representatives on a plant tour.
The brewer hopes to chart a way forward to address the challenges affecting the industry
LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – The Bar and Night Club Owners Association of Zambia (BNCOAZ) has commended Zambian Breweries’ proactive stance on engagement.
This followed a meeting held earlier in the week to discuss matters impacting the industry and to seek ways to address the constraints.
Despite the challenges that have confronted the industry such as the outbreak of COVID-19 and related restrictions, the country’s largest brewer continued to focus on improving service delivery through stepping up production capacity, spending US$20 million on cutting-edge technology at its Ndola and Lusaka plants.
Speaking during a BNCOAZ tour of Zambian Breweries Mungwi Road plant in Lusaka, ZB Country Director Michelle Kilpin assured the BNCOAZ President Peter Mwale that the company was doing everything in its capacity to stabilise beer supply on the local market.
“Our priority as Zambian Breweries has been increasing our brewing capacity to help address these beer shortages on the market. Despite the supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19, reduced container supply, the upgrades have so far resulted in 30 percentage production capacity growth between our Lusaka and Ndola plants, with more upgrades slated for the second quarter of 2022.”
Ms Kilpin urged BNCOAZ to assist the company by asking its members return bottles to the brewery to ensure a steady flow of beer, which would also help stabilise prices in the market.
In response, Mr Mwale praised Zambian Breweries for its open-door policy and expressed happiness with the partnership between the brewer and the association.
“We are happy with the partnership that we have with Zambian Breweries and know that you are a partner we can depend on. We are willing to work together as a team to see a stabilised market where all our players attain a fair outcome.”
Mr Mwale assured Zambian Breweries that the association would rally its members to show leadership and play their part to help stop the pandemic by getting vaccinated so that business could return to normal as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Zambian Breweries Corporate Affairs Director Ezekiel Sekele emphasised that dialogue between the two entities was important in addressing the challenges in the industry.
“There is need for us to share our key focus areas so we can collaborate to help deliver on initiatives. Our relationship with the BNCOAZ is an interdependent one and cannot grow without the business of the other. We want to assure you and our customers at large of our commitment firstly to the safety, health and quality of our products, and lastly our commitment to ensuring market stability through reliable improved supply.”
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About AB InBev in Zambia
Zambian Breweries Plc is part of Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), the largest brewer in the world, with more than 500 beer brands and some 200,000 employees in over 50 countries. It is also one of the world’s largest bottlers of soft drinks.
Zambian Breweries was established in Zambia in 1968 and its product range has grown to include clear beers such as Mosi Lager, Castle, Carling Black Label, Eagle, Stella Artois, and Budweiser.
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