KBL Managing Director John Musunga and EABL Group CEO Jane Karuku during the launch of EABL’s centenary celebrations at the Carnivore Grounds, Nairobi. [Elvis Ogina, Standard] A century ago, the first factory-produced beer in Kenya and bottled by hand was rolled out into the market.
The factory was the brainchild of the Hurst brothers – George and Charles. George was killed by a charging elephant while on a hunting expedition in 1923. In his memory, Charles named the lager he had brewed Tusker. Tusker has since become Kenya’s “national beer.”
This year, Kenya Breweries Ltd (KBL) and Tusker are celebrating 100 years of existence.
East African Breweries Ltd (EABL) is the parent company of KBL and has since grown to become one of the top five counters on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), representing about 1.3 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and contributing over Sh50 billion in taxes.
KBL has a network of 45,000 farmers and supplies over 50,000 retailers across the country with its products and directly and indirectly impacts over 500,000 Kenyans across the value chain.
KBL Managing Director John Musunga talked to Financial Standard on what the centenary celebrations mean for the firm.
What do 100 years of existence mean for KBL?
We are extremely excited to be turning 100. KBL and Tusker are one of the few companies and brands that have stood the test of time, consistently striving for excellence through our value propositions. KBL has been interwoven in the tapestry of the Kenyan fabric for the last 100 years.
For instance, it is unthinkable for many today to speak about sports and culture without Tusker in mind. Whether it is Tusker FC, Tusker Safari Sevens, Tusker Project Fame and many more before, this brand has brought so much fun over time, while building real talent in the process.
The covid-19 pandemic hit businesses badly. How has KBL performed in the last two years?
The last two years have been challenging for EABL and debilitating for the entire beverage industry owing to the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic. Our operations were largely impacted by the resultant restrictions to curb the spread of the virus, while supply chain disruptions – although not as significant compared to other industries – led us into some headwinds.Despite the uncertainties caused by the pandemic, we delivered a steady performance, thanks to our agility, responsiveness to emerging opportunities and ability to adapt quickly to […]