Ethiopia | Kegna Beverages is making a USD 250 million investment in the beer market, officially opening a 3 million hl brewery in Ginchi, a town some 80 km west of the capital Addis Ababa in Oromia Regional State. The lager with the brand name Kegna (meaning “our”) is brewed with local barley and will hit the market immediately.

South Africa | On 2 April 2025, US President Donald Trump reached for an economic cudgel in the form of tariffs, and South African wine found itself slapped with a 30 percent levy. The US is South Africa’s fourth largest wine export market by value – USD 52 million worth of wine in 2024. During the 90-day grace period (until 8 July) the baseline tariff of 10 percent applies. But the 30 percent threat hangs over the industry like the sword of Damocles.

Spit Central African Republic | In the streets of Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR), the beer brand Africa Ti L’Or has imposed itself with disconcerting speed. Marketed as a national brand, it bears a promising name, “Africa is gold” in Sango, the lingua franca of the CAR. Despite evoking Africa’s wealth and pride, the beer is not what it claims to be. Allegedly, it is a toxic cocktail: a mixture of vodka, dubious water and, even worse, narcotic substances like tramadol.