Who owns KUCHE KUCHE BEER?

KUCHE KUCHE BEER is owned by

GROUPE CASTEL

Kuche Kuche is a popular beer from Malawi created by Carlsberg Malawi Limited in 2002 in Blantyre, Malawi. Carlsberg Malawi Limited was founded in Blantyre in 1968 by Carlsberg Group, a major Danish brewing company, and Press Corporations Ltd, a conglomerate then owned by the country’s dictator Kamuzu Banda. Press Corporations Ltd later became part of the sovereign wealth fund of the nation of Malawi.

The company was the first brewery outside of Denmark for Carlsberg Group; previously, it had focused on expanding its reach through licensing the Carlsberg brand to local companies. Carlsberg Malawi Limited began by producing Carlsberg locally for the Malawian population, as well as bottling Coca-Cola as the exclusive franchisor for the global soft drink giant.

As the demand for Carlsberg in Malawi began to stagnate, Carlsberg Malawi Limited introduced the Kuche Kuche to try to cater more to local preferences for a brighter, more refreshing beer. The name “Kuche Kuche” is a colloquial term that means “Drink until dawn” in the local Malawian dialect. More literally, the phrase means “from sun to sun.” The beer is now the only major local brand in Malawi, and has consequentially become part of the Malawian identity in the small inland nation.

By 2016, Carlsberg Group was looking to get out of the African market, and sold it’s stake in CML, its only investment in the region, to the French company Groupe Castel. Castel is one of the largest players in the beer market on the continent, with over 25% of the market share. After the sale, CML was then renamed Castel Malawi. In 2023, Press Corporations Limited sold it’s 20% stake in Castel Malawi to Castel for 9.6 billion Kwacha, or about $5.5 million USD.

Popular Beers by this Brand

• Kuche Kuche

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