ETHIOPIA – Hebesha Breweries, one of the fastest-growing beer companies in Ethiopia, has appointed Mr. Omo Ohiwerei (PMP) as CEO, effective 1st of September 2021. 

In a LinkedIn Post, Habesha revealed that Mr. Oweri will be taking over the reigns from Mr. Zewdu Negate, who is leaving the company after 9 years of service.  

“We would like to thank Mr. Zewdu Negate for his 9 years of dedicated and passionate leadership as the CEO of Habesha Breweries S.C. which involved significant accomplishments on topline growth, financial performance, and building a sustainable organization,” Habesha Breweries noted.  

Prior to his appointment as CEO, Omo served the brewery as the  Operations Director and a member of the Habesha Breweries S.C leadership team.  

According to the company, he has been instrumental in the different phases of business expansion over the past 7 years. 

“With over 20 years of experience in the brewing industry, coupled with a well-grounded business education acquired across the globe, Omo is a highly successful and well-regarded business leader,” Habesha said.  

“His experience, culture, and drive make him the ideal fit for our company’s next growth phase; and we are excited to have him lead the business.” 

Beer prices set to rise 

Omo is taking charge of Habesha Breweries at a time when local breweries in Ethiopia are preparing themselves to introduce price adjustments to their products due to price hikes to inputs. 

In an interview with The Reporter, Habesha Breweries S.C. Communication Manager, Fitsum Kelile, revealed that his company was also contemplating price increases although the amount has not yet been decided. 

According to Fitsum, the breweries buy malt at 4000 birr/quintal (US$87), a two fold increase from what it had been during the last months of the year 2020. 

BGI Ethiopia, the bottler of St. George, has already adjusted its price weeks ago, attributing the change to a price surge in raw materials. 

Officials from BGI’s factories were quoted by The Reporter as saying that the existing market price of inputs, especially the increasing malt price, has forced the factory increase price on its products. 

This price adjustment on beer products is the second one in two years. A year ago in 2020, breweries adjusted prices following the amendment of excise tax law in the country. 

 The excise tax reintroduced in 2020 levies 40 percent tax on beverages with alcoholic content of less than seven percent.   

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