SKOL Brewery Ltd is celebrating 10 years since it set its footprint in Rwanda back in 2010.
The beverages company began production after the acquisition of 51 percent shares of the former Brasserie de Mille Collines (BMC), a private-owned brewery with 80,000 hectoliters (hl) annual production capacity.
Since then, capacity has had a growth rate of 35 percent annually and surpassed 500,000hl per year in 2019.
In the next five years, SKOL envisions to have reached one million hl production capacity annually.
While launching a new packaging line in 2019, Ivan Wulffaert, the Managing Director of SKOL Breweries Limited, said that they decided to invest in Rwanda because the country is a stable and secure growing economy with "rights and justice.”
So far, SKOL has put 7 brands on the market, with SKOL Malt being the first brand to be produced.
Other products include SKOL Gatanu, Virunga Mist and Virunga Gold, SKOL Panache, SKOL Lager, SKOL Select and the recently launched Virunga Mineral Water and Virunga Sparkling Water.
The latter product is packaged in an eco-friendly returnable glass bottle and is at a retail price of Rwf400 per bottle.
According to Wulffaert, the product - which is the first of its kind to be made locally- proves the company’s commitment to observing environment-friendly policies.
To achieve this, SKOL invested in a state-of-the-art water production line that respects the highest international quality standards and will enable the firm to produce about 40,000 bottles of pure mineral water per hour.
This is in line with last year’s decision by the parliament to pass a draft law prohibiting the manufacture, importation, use and sale of single-use plastic items in Rwanda.
Speaking at the official launch of Virunga Water, Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, the Minister of Environment, welcomed the move by SKOL and urged other businesses to follow the lead.
Promotional and marketing activities
SKOL Brewery Ltd arguably has a reputation of not only offering high-quality products to its consumers but also giving pleasure and much fun through different promotional and marketing activities.
They include the SKOL World Cup Village, SKOL New Year’s Village, SKOL Lager Comedy Nights and Gikundiro Promotion among others.
The company is also involved in various corporate social responsibility activities like local talent development through cycling teams - SACA and Fly Cycling Club, and SKOL FXB Village.
The latter is a program with the ambition to uplift its beneficiaries from extreme poverty and providing medical support to vulnerable families around the Brewery’s headquarters.
SKOL has also been sponsoring cycling since 2012 through Tour du Rwanda, Rwanda Cycling Cup, and football through Rayon Sports F.C. since 2014.
Additionally, the firm signed a sponsorship partnership with English Premier League top club Arsenal in 2018.
SKOL Brewery Ltd says its goal is to not only make profits, provide pleasure and good products to its consumers, but also contribute to the community’s well-being.
The firm has won different prizes including the 2018 Best Taxpayer Award and Best Investor Prize in 2019.
Last year, SKOL ranked among top taxpayers in the same year.
A display of Virunga mineral water.
Virunga mineral water production line.