History
During the colonial era, traditional alcoholic drinks were the only beverages consumed in the Belgian Congo. Seeking to stimulate economic development and investment, Belgian colonists decided to establish a local brewing industry.[4] With financial backing from the Société Congolaise de Banque, investors founded a brewery on 23 October 1923, in Léopoldville (present-day Kinshasa) under the name Brasserie de Léopoldville, with an initial capital of 4,000,000 Congolese francs.[4][1][5] Shortly thereafter, the company was renamed Brasserie, Limonaderie et Malterie (abbreviated as BRALIMA).[4] As noted by Congolese writer Pascal Ndegeyi Murhula, BRALIMA's establishment was intended to counteract the popularity of indigenous alcoholic beverages, which were distilled and fermented "under questionable hygienic conditions".[2] Three years later, on 26 December 1926, the brewery launched its first beer, Primus, which was initially unpasteurized, producing about 5,000 bottles monthly.[4] However, between 1926 and 1933, BRALIMA faced financial hardship due to the Great Depression of 1929, which led to a decline in the international value of its products. During this time, Primus faced competition from imported beers and was unpopular among locals due to its higher price and government restrictions on beer sales. Distribution was also limited to urban areas.[2]
By 1934, production had doubled to 10,000 bottles per month, salaries had increased, and a pasteurizer was installed to extend the shelf life. By 1936, output had climbed to 35,000 bottles per month.[4] Following the Second World War, under "Mr. Viser" leadership, the brewery expanded during an economic boom in the DRC. Stakeholders were more likely to invest, and BRALIMA decided to implement a decentralized structure.[4][2] Between 1950 and 1992, BRALIMA established several branches: Bukavu (1950), Brazzaville (1952), Kisangani (1957), Kigali (1957), Boma (1958), Mbandaka (1972), Gisenyi (1972), and Lubumbashi (1992).[4][2] In 1973, BRALIMA launched a modernization drive that included constructing a Steinecker stainless-steel brewhouse as part of a long-term development program. The 1986 expansion of this facility added twelve fermentation tanks, each with a 250,000-liter capacity, along with a modern filtration system, a sterile
Since 1986, the company has been majority-owned by Heineken N.V., which has allowed BRALIMA to maintain its position as a dominant player in the national brewing sector.[4] Heineken N.V. also owns the Kinshasa Bottling Company (Bouteillerie de Kinshasa; BOUKIN), whose plant began operations in 1948 and produced its first bottle on 31 January 1950. The company became part of Heineken N.V.'s portfolio in 1987.[2] In 1992, Heineken N.V. further expanded its presence through the acquisition and merger of the Industrial Soft Drinks Company (Compagnie Industrielle des Boissons; CIB) with BRALIMA. It also acquired the shares of CIB–Coca-Cola (Compagnie Industrielle des Boissons–Coca-Cola), which produced Coca-Cola beverages under license from the Coca-Cola Company and received financial backing from SODELEAU Bruxelles.[2] This acquisition was officially ratified by Ordinance-Law No. 78/471, dated 26 December of the same year, under which President Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire consolidated several Congolese beverage producers into a single corporation. The merged entities included the Compagnie Katangaise des Boissons (Katanga Beverage Company) based in Lubumbashi, Boisson de Matadi (Matadi Beverages) in Matadi, Compagnie Industrielle des Boissons (Industrial Beverage Company) in Boma, Compagnie Africaine des Boissons Gazeuses (African Soft Drink Company) in Kisangani, and Compagnie Congolaise des Boissons (Congolese Beverage Company) in Kinshasa.[2]
Heineken N.V. acquired the Unibra plant in Kisangani, which was officially integrated into BRALIMA-Kisangani on 21 June 1996. BRALIMA has attracted scrutiny for alleged links with corrupt political figures and rebel leaders involved in the country's prolonged conflict.[6] Due to instability across several regions, BRALIMA employs Top SIG, a private security firm affiliated with Saracen International, to protect its operations.[1][5] During the M23 campaign in early 2025, "armed personnel" seized BRALIMA's sites in Bukavu and Goma. Before the conflict reached Goma and Bukavu, BRALIMA halted its operations and provided resources to enable employees to remain safely at home, with routine check-ins.[7] On 15 February, after the withdrawal of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and the Congolese National Police, widespread looting erupted in Bukavu, affecting multiple organizations, including BRALIMA, whose depots and brewery suffered extensive damage and theft of stock, materials, and equipment.[7] On 20 February, the Uvira depot was also plundered by military and militia groups.
