Virunga Beer, one of SKOL Brewery Ltd’s beverage brands, has earned a Gold Quality Award at the 2025 Monde Selection World Quality Awards, placing a beer brewed in Rwanda among some of the most respected and consistently awarded beers globally.

This recognition was awarded to Virunga Gold, with Virunga Mist and Virunga Silver also receiving Gold distinctions following independent evaluations by Monde Selection’s international jury of brewing experts.

Monde Selection is one of the world’s most established quality institutes, evaluating products from over 90 countries through a process that goes far beyond a simple tasting. Beers are assessed individually by a panel of master brewers, engineers, and fermentation specialists across multiple criteria including appearance, aroma, taste, aftertaste, and packaging.

The process is structured and deliberate. Evaluations are conducted over several months, with a limited number of products tested per day to preserve accuracy and consistency. Each product is scored independently before the jury aligns on a final result. Only beers that meet strict quality thresholds earn a medal, with Gold awarded to those delivering strong performance across all criteria.

For Virunga Beer, this is not just recognition. It is proof of how the beer stands up under global scrutiny.

This places the brand alongside others that have consistently performed at Monde Selection over the years, including regional and international names such as Castle Milk Stout, Carling Black Label, Star Lager, and Goldberg, beers that are widely recognised across African markets for their quality consistency.

"This is a big moment for us,” said Marie-Paule Niwemfura, Marketing Manager at SKOL Brewery Ltd.

"You are seeing a beer brewed here in Rwanda being tested by global experts and coming out with a Gold rating. That builds confidence, not just for the brand, but for local production as a whole.”

What matters here is what the award represents.

Monde Selection does not compare beers against each other. It measures each product against defined quality standards. That means this recognition is not about being better than another beer on the day. It is about meeting a global benchmark for how a beer should look, smell, taste, and perform as a complete product.

That distinction matters for perception.

For a long time, quality in beer has been associated with where it comes from. This result challenges that thinking. It shows that a beer brewed in Rwanda can meet the same standards applied to products from Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

To bring this closer to consumers, Virunga Beer will roll out a nationwide campaign focused on helping people understand what this recognition means. The campaign will break down the Monde Selection process, explain how beers are evaluated, and create opportunities for consumers to experience the product through tastings, events, and content across radio, digital, and on-ground activations.

The message is simple:

Quality is not claimed. It is tested.

Virunga Beer now has the proof.