Mozambique: Production of Heineken beer kicks off

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Mozambique: Production of Heineken beer kicks off

3:28 CAT | 10 Sep 2020

Photo: O País

This is the first time that Heineken beer has been produced in Mozambique, after the company built its US$20 million factory in the Marracuene district, Maputo province, about three years ago.

At the launch ceremony, Minister of Industry and Commerce Carlos Mesquita noted that the country would save about US$50 million a year in beer imports, and that the start of local beer production would bring other gains too.

“Instead of importing Heineken, usually from Namibia, there will be savings of around US$50 million and perhaps […]this will have an impact on the trade balance,” Minister Mesquita said.

Mesquita observed however that the raw material used in the production of Heineken was not domestic, unlike the Txilar beer brand, which uses 4,000 tons of Mozambican corn a year.

“Heineken, which as of today can now be consumed here in Maputo, and afterwards across the country, has parameters which it is not possible to escape, and these preclude the use of domestic raw material,” the minister revealed.

General director of Heineken, Nuno Simes, said that the factory used cutting-edge technology, and, in some good news for the environment, announced that most of the beer bottles sold would be returnable.

Initially, the brewery had hired 40 additional production staff. “This project is attractive because it has the most advanced technology. This project is a clear demonstration of the Heineken group’s commitment to Mozambique,” Simes said.

In terms of quantities, Heineken will produce 350,000 hectolitres per year (35 million litres), the factory will be filling approximately 16,000 bottles per hour.

According to company engineer Avelino Gune, Heineken will produce 384,000 beer bottles per day.

By Clemêncio Fijamo

Source: O País