Beer in Tanzania facts for kids

A bottle of Serengeti beer, a popular local brand in Tanzania.

Beer (called bia in Swahili) is a big part of life in Tanzania. Local beer brands are a source of national pride for many Tanzanians. There is a lot of beer made and enjoyed in the country. Tanzania is one of the top countries in Africa for how much beer is consumed. However, most of the beer consumed is made at home or sold informally. Bottled beer is quite expensive for most people, costing much more than traditional maize beers. Even so, beer sales and the taxes from them are very important for the Tanzanian economy.

Beer plays a huge role in the economy. Two main companies, Tanzania Breweries Limited (TBL) and Serengeti Breweries Limited (SBL), lead the bottled beer market. These companies earn a lot of money and are listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange, which is like a marketplace for company shares. Tanzania Breweries Limited is the biggest taxpayer in the country. In 2014, it made over 1 Trillion Tanzanian shillings in revenue, showing how much it contributes to the nation's funds.

Major Beer Companies

Tanzania Breweries Limited (TBL)

Tanzania Breweries Limited, or TBL, started a long time ago in 1932. It was first called Tanganyika Breweries Limited. Later, in 1935, another company called Kenya Breweries Limited bought it. These two companies then joined together in 1936 to form East African Breweries Limited (EABL).

In 1976, the Tanzanian government took over Tanzania Breweries. But after 25 years, the government sold it to a company called SABMiller in 1993. Today, SABMiller still owns most of TBL. TBL's shares are traded on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange. It is the largest taxpayer in Tanzania and its shares are bought and sold more than any other company's on the stock exchange. TBL sells about 80% of all bottled beer in Tanzania.

Serengeti Breweries Limited (SBL)

Serengeti Premium Lager bottle, a well-known Tanzanian beer.

Serengeti Breweries Limited is the second largest beer company in Tanzania. It sells about 15% of the bottled beer in the country. The company began in 1988 as Associated Breweries Limited. Its most famous beer at that time was Serengeti Lager. In 2002, the company changed its name to Serengeti Breweries Limited. Its main office is in Dar es Salaam.

In 2010, East African Breweries (EABL) bought 51% of Serengeti Breweries. This allowed EABL to re-enter the Tanzanian beer market after leaving in 1976. Serengeti Breweries has three factories where it makes beer. These factories are located in Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, and Moshi. While Serengeti Breweries itself is not directly on the stock exchange, its parent company, EABL, is listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange.

Qingdao Sino Tanzanian Breweries

Qingdao-Sino Tanzanian Breweries is a smaller Chinese company that started in 2005. It is known for its two main beer brands: King Oryx Lager and King Oryx Dark Lager.

Local Craft Breweries

In Tanzania, most craft beer is made by small, local breweries. The official craft beer market is still growing. Currently, there are only two main craft breweries. These are Twiga Brewery, located in Arusha, and Crafty Dee's Brewing Company Ltd, which is in Dar es Salaam.

TwigaBrew was the first craft brewery in Tanzania, starting in 2015. It makes two types of beer: Twiga Ale and Twiga Stout. Crafty Dee's main beer is called Dee's Gold, which is a hoppy pilsner.

Popular Tanzanian Beer Brands

Many different beer brands are made in Tanzania. Some are international brands, but there are also many local ones. Here is a list of 12 popular Tanzanian beer brands: