Raya Brewery S.C., a new entry to Ethiopia’s beer market, is intending to construct its own malt factory adjacent to its brewery plant.

Raya was officially inaugurated two weeks ago at Mayechew and it was established with two billion Birr. Its brewery plant has an installed capacity of producing 180 million bottles in a single year.

According to Fortune the factory has made a a middle term plan to work with 8,000 farmers to source barley that will be used for the malt factory. Raya has currently started talking to these farmers.

Currently in order to meet its demand, Raya imports from the international market and also procures from Asella Malt factory, Luet General Tsadkan Gebretinsae, plant manager of Raya, explained.

Upon its establishment Raya had 58 founding members. Yet this number has now grew to 2,441 shareholders.

Ethiopia’s beer industry is mainly made up of six major brewers that have a combined capacity of six million hectoliters per annum.

Source: Fortune