Bralima Zaïre ready for the year 2000 First step: modernisation of Kinshasa brewery 38 Bralima Brewery (Heineken's as sociated company in Zaïre, Afri ca) has been working hard over the past year on a thorough mod ernisation of its brewery in the capital city of Kinshasa. 'La brasserie de l'an deux mille' ('The brewery of the year 2000') was the slogan used to present Bralima's modernised image to the pub lic. As proof of Bralima's forward-look ing policy the newly designed Primus beer was also introduced. The bottles with the ceramic brand name were re placed after 65 years by bottles with printed labels. The brewery's future- oriented image appeals greatly to the Zaïrese population. This is reflected in the country's bars where many custom ers do not ask for Primus but for a 'deux mille' ('two thousand'). The modernisation of the brewery in Kinshasa is unique for Central Africa. Twelve new stainless steel apollo tanks have been installed for fermentation and storage. Each apollo has a capacity of 2,500 hectolitres and is sixteen metres high. Label The replacement of the ceramic- branded bottles by bottles with printed labels forms only one part of the total renewal programme. The conversion operation is particularly extensive, with some 10 to 12 million bottles in circula tion in the Kinshasa region alone. All of them have to be replaced. With the aid of a computer program it has been calculated that all the old bottles in the Kinshasa region can be replaced within the space of one year. Bralima's four other breweries will be introducing the printed-label bottle at a later stage. One reason for this phased introduction is the sheer size of the country. As the crow flies, the dis tance from Kinshasa in the extreme west of Zaïre to Bukavu in the extreme east is as much as 2,000 kilometres! Heavy transport between these two towns can take as long as six months! Lead All these innovations have trans formed Bralima Kinshasa into 'the brew ery of the year 2000'. Bralima is not only moving with its times but is even taking the lead. The population, learn ing about the modernisation from re ports in newspapers and on television, is responding with enthusiasm. Bralima's initiative is seen as a major contribution to the country's develop ment and to the personal development of its inhabitants. In Zaïre the beer of the 21st century is already on the market today. Ask any one in Zaïre, and they'll be proud to confirm. THE WORLD OF HEINEKEN

Jaarverslagen en Personeelsbladen Heineken

World of Heineken | 1989 | | pagina 38