South African Breweries (SAB) has launched an eight-pack of iconic beers from different countries across Africa in a bid to raise funds for needy students.
South African Breweries (SAB) has launched an eight-pack of iconic beers from different countries across Africa in a bid to raise funds for providing one million meals to students by 2018
SAB said the first edition of the ‘Beers for Africa’ pack will showcase South African beer Castle Lager, Botswana’s St Louis, Lesotho beer Maluti Premium Lager, Manica, 2M and Laurentina Preta from Mozambique, Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro Premium Lager and Zambezi Premium Lager from Zimbabwe.
As part of this initiative, SAB has partnered with Stop Hunger Now SA (SHNSA) – an international NGO which packs and distributes meals to people living in poverty.
Ricardo Tadeu, Zone President of Africa: Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) and SAB, said that three students would receive a nutritious wholesome meal for every pack sold.
“Our goal is to provide one million meals for students by 2018, and to do this every year,” Tadeu said in a statement on Friday.
“But beyond that, we will be supporting agricultural development in the different countries as each beer will be sourced locally, with the key ingredients grown by local farmers.”
Chief executive of SHNSA, Saira Khan, said malnutrition and hunger killed more people annually than HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis combined.
“In South Africa alone, 3,165 million children suffer from household hunger and malnutrition while globally, supplies of food exceed demand,” Khan said.
Khan said that a pilot study within the universities supported by SHNSA revealed that 40 percent of students failed due to hunger, which was alarming.
“In South Africa alone, 3,165 million children suffer from household hunger and malnutrition while globally, supplies of food exceed demand,” Khan said.
“Initiatives such as ‘Beers for Africa’ which pledge to support students really do enable them to obtain an education and thus move out of poverty. SHNSA provides a sustainable solution to combat hunger and poverty,” Khan said.
The ‘Beers for Africa’ pack will be launched as a pilot project and be available initially in South Africa in key outlets across the country for a limited period of time.
The plan is to make it available in duty free outlets at airports next year, after which it will potentially be exported to the United States and other countries in the future.
SAB said other editions will follow in the coming years, with different beers from different countries being included in the Beers for Africa packs, although Castle Lager will remain an anchor beer in all of the packs.
