Burundi: More prosperous coffee farmers and higher demand during elections push up Brarudi’s beer sales

Burundi's main beer brewer firm Brarudi, majority owned by Heineken NV, said on March, 16 its sales of beer and soft drinks rose 21 percent in 2010, Reuters reports.

The company said volumes sold increased to 1.99 million hectolitres (hl) from 1.64 million in 2009, lifted by increased spending by more prosperous coffee farmers and higher demand during the country's elections.

The company said 80 percent of its sales was beer and the rest was soft drinks.

"The coffee harvest was good and coffee producers consumed a lot of beer because of high revenues," said Brarudi's corporate relations manager, Alexandra Sindahera.

"Coffee output is the key factor for the increase or fall of our sales," she said.

The coffee industry employs some 800,000 smallholder farmers in a nation of 8 million people.

Sindahera said the supplies also rose due to a series of elections held in the landlocked country last year.

Brarudi produces beer under the Primus and Amstel brands.

Heineken owns 60 percent of the company, while the Burundian government owns the rest.

18 March, 2011