Beer runs low in Malawi

“... As a result customers are likely to experience a temporary shortage of beer on the market as we fill up the distribution pipeline,” says the communication from the company.

For the last six months it has been asking consumers to choose one beer out of three brands, namely: Carlsberg Elephant, Carlsberg Gold and Carlsberg Classic.

Malawians chose Carlsberg Elephant, which will now join other brands on the market like Carlsberg Green, Carlsberg Brown, Carlsberg Special and Carlsberg Stout.

Announcing the ‘beer dry spell' which imbibers have received with displeasure, the company says the suspension of production is because a new pasteurizer is being installed at its brewery in Blantyre in an effort to meet the demand for all its brands.

Consumers are unhappy, however, saying that the company should not have stopped production but rather should have found alternative means of installing the new machine.

“Had we known that their token of appreciation after we had helped them choose a brand of beer would be to suspend production, surely we wouldn't have participated,” complained a consumer that opted for anonymity in Mzuzu City.

However, the company says it upped production beforehand and is also importing beers while production is suspended.

However a bottle store owner in Blantyre told one of the country's dailies that the market has still been heavily hit by the beer shortage.

“The thing is most consumers enjoy having Carlsberg as it is the only affordable bottled beer available but the current scenario would affect revenue for bottle stores including leaving no choice for beer drinkers,” the daily quoted the store owner.