NAMIBIA – Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group has launched Windhoek Non-Alcoholic beer with less than 0.5% alcohol, reaffirming its commitment to instil a culture of continuous innovation.

“Innovation within all spheres of our business is a strong focus for NBL and supports both volume growth and bottom-line performance as we continually strive to be ahead of the curve in meeting the ever-changing needs of consumers,” said NBL Managing Director, Marco Wenk.

The beer, which is Namibia’s only non-alcoholic beer brewed locally, was inspired by the companies strive of tapping into new global markets and by the consumers evolving taste.

The new non-alcoholic beer is an addition to the breweries premium Windhoek range which include Windhoek Lager, Windhoek Draught and Windhoek Light, all brewed in accordance with the stringent German Reinheitsgebot.

“It is important that we keep up with the trends, as a leading beverages producer in Namibia and the world, and also that we do not allow ourselves to be limited by the economic challenges faced today.’’

“But that we persevere and remain passionately dedicated to owning the future, creating new realities and enjoying the journey,” Wenk stated at the presentation of the NBL Financial Results for the year ended 30 June 2019.

The breweries delivered a strong financial performance in 2019 with revenues increasing by 15.3% to N$3 billion and overall volume growth of 13.8%.

According to NBL Finance Director, Waldemar von Lieres, “For the first time in three years, volumes in Namibia started picking up again, delivering 3.9% growth on 2018 against a recessionary backdrop. Volume growth to South Africa reached a stellar 44.8% while export volumes decreased by 31.2%.’’

Operating profit of the NSX listed company, went up by 6.3% to N$652 million while profit attributable to shareholders of N$932 million delivered an increase of 134% from prior year.