CCSI Cork Crowncap Database - Brewer/Bottler
   
Entered: 27 Mar 2012 12:22 - John Vetter - Modified: 01 May 2022 02:08 - Bob Burr
 Brewer/bottler #4232
Name East African Breweries Ltd.
Address P.O. Box 30161
City Nairobi
State/Province Nairobi
Country Kenya
Type Brewery
Website  
Extra info 1938--

East African Breweries Limited was founded in 1922, as Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL), by two white settlers, George and Charles Hurst. The company was owned by the Dodd family of Kenya. The company's first beer, Tusker, was brewed on 15 December 1922.
KBL acquired Tanganyika based Tanganyika Breweries in 1935 and 1936 these two companies were merged leading to the creation of the East African Breweries Limited (EABL). The group continued expanding locally through the opening of more breweries such as Mombasa brewery.

1950 - 1999

In 1954, EABL got listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. This was among the first listings in the region's oldest stock exchange. As a group, EABL expanded to Uganda through the acquisition of Uganda Breweries in 1959.
In 1964, the group's subsidiary name was changed from Tanganyika Breweries Limited to Tanzania Breweries Limited (TBL) following the political unification of Tanganyika and the People's Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba to form the United Republic of Tanzania. This led to increased market for the group through the creation of union. However, in 1979 the Government of Tanzania nationalized TBL as part of the Arusha Declaration. The group officially opened 1987 Central Glass Industries Limited (CGI), as a producer of glass containers and bottles therefor leading to internal sourcing.
By 1990, the Dodd family had reduced their shareholding and most of the shareholders were Kenyan and the company was very successful.

2000 - 2010

In 2000, Diageo acquired majority control of EABL and in the following year the group cross-listed its share on the Uganda Securities Exchange.

The beer wars

This period led to the beer wars in East Africa between South African Breweries International (Now SABMiller) and EABL. The beer wars ended in 2002 when EABL signed license agreements with South African Breweries International and agreed to terms for share swap in their subsidiaries: Kenya Breweries Limited and Tanzania Breweries Limited (now an SABI subsidiary). In the share exchange EABL acquired a 20% equity stake in TBL and agreed to issue SABI a similar share Kenya Breweries Limited. SABI exited the Kenyan market while EABL exited the Tanzanian market by handing over its Kibo subsidiary to TBL. This partnership gave TBL 98% share of the market as by the year 2004. In the same year, EABL acquires 100% of shares in International Distillers Uganda Limited, a Diageo group company and 46.32% of the issued shares of UDV Kenya Limited.
The partnership between EABL and SAB Miller in Tanzania went through turbulence in 2009, EABL claiming breach of contract by Tanzania Breweries (TBL) that led to low quality of EABL’s drinks that were produced by TBL and restriction of some of Diageo’s and EABL brands to enter the Tanzanian market. This led to EABL’s acquisition of 51% of Serengeti Breweries Limited (SBL)and exit from TBL's shareholder structure through a $71.5 million successful secondary offer on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange in 2011. SAB Miller sold it stake Kenya Breweries to East African Breweries.

2010 - To date

In 2013, EABL commenced operations in South Sudan through the establishment of East African Beverages South Sudan Limited (EABSS) as a depot in Juba in order to reduce over reliance on third party distributors’ logistical arrangements that led to periodic stock outs
  
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Other names used for this Brewer/bottler
Name 1 Kenya Brewery Ltd.
Extra info 1922--1938
Name 2 Kenya Breweries Ltd.
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