Ghana: Guinness Ghana launches Guinness Africa Special beer

One of Ghana's top beverages makers has introduced a fresh home-grown beverage made of blended indigenous African herbs and spices, The Africa Report said on April 25.

Guinness Ghana Breweries said the beverage had been developed for both local and international markets.

The Guinness Africa Special brand is infused with local herbs including lemon grass, vanilla, cola nut, cayenne pepper and ginger to give exclusive and lip smacking original African flavour consumers.

"This is our own, this black brew is made from herb and spices grown in our soil, giving it a vibrant refreshing taste that is alive with the spirit of Africa," Guiness marketing manager Kweku Skyi-Cann said.

The beverage is made up of 70% sorghum sourced locally from Northern Ghana. Guinness' strategy is said to have enriched about 7000 farmers in communities where the materials are sourced, particularly in poverty stricken northern Ghana.

"As an iconic business, we are proud to set the pace, that is, why we are always innovating to meet the ever dynamic needs of our cherished consumers, this is our gift to Africa."

Company officials say the 'ground-breaking' product was developed by a group of young Africans who were assembled and asked to rouse the taste, look and branding of a new beer that would be universally acceptable on the continent.

Their findings gave birth to the product that reflects core aspects of the African culture, the timeless reality of the past and the exuberant vitality of modern Africa.

Guinness wants to boost and accelerate core premium brands as well as innovate at a large scale to meet renewed consumer demand. It also wants to promote production and use of locally made products.

The company also launched another home-grown beer using cassava, which officials said demonstrated its commitment to boost local agriculture production, raise farmers’ income and impact positively on Ghana's agrarian economy.

Ghana's agricultural growth rate has seen a downward trend in recent years, a situation officials largely ascribed to absence of ready market, poor road networks to farming communities, lack of safe drinking water and insufficient farming inputs.

26 April, 2016