Nigeria’s leading craft beer maker, Bature Brewery, is banking on locally sourced ingredients and unique flavours to expand its presence in a market long dominated by global beer giants.
The brewery, headquartered in Lagos with operations that began in Abuja in 2017, is aiming to increase its production from 22,000 litres to 100,000 litres monthly by next year, as part of a strategy to grow from 70 to 500 retail locations within 18 months, according to a Reuters report.
“We know there is more demand,” said Bature co-founder Kevin Conroy. “Our goal is to get to 500 locations selling our products by the next 18 months. We are aiming to be doing 100,000 litres per month by next year.”
Nigeria’s $7 billion beer market is the largest in Africa, and the country is the second biggest market globally for Guinness stout, which has been brewed locally since 1962. But Bature is betting that a rising class of consumers will opt for craft beers that offer something different, despite costing up to six times more than mass-market alternatives.
To support its growth, Bature has invested in draft dispensers in bars, restaurants and hotels, while upgrading its Lagos plant with new fermentation tanks, diesel power, and water treatment systems to mitigate unreliable public utilities.
The brewery’s popular offerings include Lagos Lager, Mango Disco, and Harmattan Haze — all brewed with local ingredients.
Its Black Gold stout, brewed with coffee sourced from Taraba State, won a taste category at the 2023 World Beer Awards.
Conroy acknowledges the challenges of operating in Nigeria, including the high cost of imported raw materials due to naira devaluation. But he believes the brewery’s distinct style and regional appeal can carve out a profitable niche in a market still dominated by international players such as AB InBev, Heineken, and Guinness.
“We’re going to be a small craft brewery compared to the big guys, but we believe we can make the best beer and we can keep growing in our own way and do things in our own style,” Reuters quoted gim as saying. “I will be very happy with 1% of the market. Even half of that will be great.”