Keroche entices upmarket with new beer brand

Naivasha-based Keroche Industries has introduced a new beer brand, eyeing the high-end market dominated by foreign booze.

The firm launched its latest product dubbed X beer, a sugar-free brand, at its factory on Tuesday in a brief ceremony attended by its leading distributors and retailers.

Speaking at the unveiling, Keroche CEO Tabitha Karanja said the new beer is a part of the brewer’s deliberate efforts to grow its market share to 20 percent.

“The quality of brand X and its richness is unmatched in the present market. It is targeted at the middle and upper-end market,” she said.

“For years we have relied on imported strong beer. Being local manufacturers, we have chosen to fill this gap and give Kenyans a beer of great taste that makes for an easy enjoyable drinking experience,” she added.

Keroche, which has grown steadily since it was set up by Tabitha and her husband Joseph Karanja about two decades ago, has a production plant with a capacity to produce 30 different brands.

Tuesday's launch came just months after the brewer unveiled Vienna Ice Strong Lager with 10 percent alcohol content in April.

The new products come amid a financial toll on brewers following government measures to stem the spread of coronavirus by halting the sale of beers in bars and imposing a dusk-to-dawn curfew.

This has forced firms to increase their online presence and embrace home deliveries to retain their customer base.

Among popular Keroche products are the Summit Lager and Malt beers, as well as Vienna Ice and Crescent Vodkas.

Beer X, with an alcohol content of 8.8 per cent, will retail at Sh250 per bottle.