BGI Ethiopia PLC

BGI Ethiopia PLC is a major Ethiopian brewing and beverage company associated with the Castel Group, one of the large international beverage groups operating across Africa and other markets. The company was established in 1998 following a privatization process and began with reported initial capital of US$10 million. Brasseries International Holdings, a Castel-related entity, acquired a 73% stake in February 1999 after the transfer of 22,394 shares was approved. The business subsequently developed a substantial domestic manufacturing footprint, with brewery operations connected to Kombolcha, Addis Ababa, Batu, Hawassa and Raya. The company’s principal activity is the production and distribution of beer. Its portfolio includes St. George Beer, Castel Beer, Meta Bremer, Meta Decor and Raya Beer. St. George is described as the company’s most iconic Ethiopian beer brand. BGI Ethiopia also participates in the non-alcoholic malt beverage segment through Sen'q Malt. Across its brewery network, the company is reported to have annual capacity of approximately 3.6 million hectoliters of bottled and draft beer. BGI Ethiopia expanded beyond beer into wine production during the late 2000s. In 2009, it began developing wine operations through Castel Winery, whose vineyard is located in Batu in the Oromia region. The winery produces wines sold under labels including Acacia, Rift Valley and Cuvée Prestige. The reference material reports annual wine capacity of about 1.4 million hectoliters, although the available material does not specify whether this figure represents installed capacity or actual annual output. The company serves the Ethiopian market through domestic distribution arrangements and also exports selected products through partner agents. Reported international destinations include the United States and Canada; the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands; Israel and the United Arab Emirates; Australia; several African markets including Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, South Sudan and Djibouti; and China. The breadth of this distribution footprint links BGI Ethiopia’s local production base with Castel Group’s wider international beverage network. BGI Ethiopia is therefore best understood as a corporate beverage producer and brand house rather than as a single consumer product brand. Its activities span beer, malt beverages and wine, with manufacturing assets distributed across several Ethiopian locations. Publicly identified leadership material states that Emilio Garcia became chief executive officer on May 1, 2025. Detailed information about the company’s current ownership structure below the Castel Group level, financial performance, workforce and individual plant histories is not established by the supplied references.

BGI Ethiopia PLC was established in Ethiopia in 1998 as part of the expansion of Castel Group-related brewing interests. The company emerged through a privatization agreement signed in September 1998. Brasseries International Holdings, identified as a Castel Group division, subsequently acquired a majority interest in the company. In February 1999, the transfer of 22,394 shares, representing 73% of BGI Ethiopia, was approved. The available reference material also identifies HEBU Properties Ltd. and Castel Afrique in connection with the ownership and formation of the business. From its early operating period, BGI Ethiopia developed brewery activities in several Ethiopian locations, including Kombolcha, Addis Ababa, Batu, Hawassa and Raya. These facilities gave the company a geographically distributed production base serving the Ethiopian beer market. The company’s portfolio came to include St. George Beer, Castel Beer, Meta Bremer, Meta Decor and Raya Beer. St. George is presented as the company’s signature or most iconic beer in Ethiopia. BGI Ethiopia also entered the malt beverage category with Sen'q Malt, extending its activities beyond alcoholic beer. The company is reported to have six breweries and combined annual capacity of approximately 3.6 million hectoliters of bottled and draft beer. The supplied material does not provide a plant-by-plant chronology, production volumes by brand or detailed information on changes in brewing technology. It does, however, characterize BGI Ethiopia as one of the country’s major brewing businesses. BGI Ethiopia expanded into wine during the late 2000s. In 2009, the company showed interest in wine production and established or operated Castel Winery. The winery’s vineyard is located in Batu, in Ethiopia’s Oromia region. Its wine portfolio includes Acacia, Rift Valley and Cuvée Prestige. The reference material reports wine production capacity of approximately 1.4 million hectoliters, though it does not provide a dated capacity-development schedule or clarify actual utilization. Distribution has extended beyond Ethiopia. Products are reported to reach customers through domestic partner agents and international export channels. The named export regions include North America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Africa and Asia, with specific destinations such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Kenya, South Africa, Djibouti and China. This international reach is consistent with the company’s relationship to Castel Group, whose broader business operates across multiple countries. As of the supplied leadership information, Emilio Garcia became chief executive officer on May 1, 2025. No further current or former executives are identified in the reference material. Publicly available information supplied for this dossier does not establish a detailed financial history, listing status beyond the company’s private-company presentation, or a complete chronology of acquisitions, campaigns, product reformulations and plant investments. BGI Ethiopia’s documented development nevertheless shows a progression from a privatized Ethiopian brewery investment in the late 1990s to a diversified beer, malt beverage and wine producer integrated with an international beverage group.

1. 2025Emilio Garcia became chief executive officer

   Emilio Garcia assumed the chief executive role on May 1, 2025.

   Source
2. 2009Expansion into wine production

   BGI Ethiopia began developing wine production through Castel Winery, using a vineyard located in Batu in the Oromia region.

   Source
3. 1999Brasseries International Holdings acquired a majority stake

   In February 1999, Brasseries International Holdings acquired 22,394 shares, reported as a 73% stake in BGI Ethiopia, following approval of the share transfer.

   Source
4. 1998Company established through an Ethiopian privatization process

   BGI Ethiopia PLC was established in 1998, with Castel Group-related interests identified as the initiating investors and reported initial capital of US$10 million.

   Source
5. 1998Privatization agreement signed

   A privatization agreement for BGI Ethiopia was signed in September 1998.

   Source

A large Ethiopia-based beverage producer combining locally manufactured beer, malt drinks and wine with the international distribution reach of Castel Group.

• St. George BeerBeer

  St. George Beer is identified as BGI Ethiopia’s most iconic beer brand and one of the company’s central products in the Ethiopian market. It is produced within the company’s brewery network and forms part of the broader portfolio that BGI Ethiopia distributes domestically and, through partner channels, internationally.

• Castel BeerBeer

  Castel Beer is a beer brand produced by BGI Ethiopia under the wider Castel Group beverage portfolio. The supplied reference identifies it among the company’s current beer offerings, but does not provide a launch date, recipe details, packaging formats or market-specific positioning.

• Meta BremerBeer

  Meta Bremer is one of BGI Ethiopia’s named beer products. It belongs to the company’s Ethiopian brewing portfolio alongside St. George Beer, Castel Beer, Meta Decor and Raya Beer. The available source does not specify its historical introduction, brewing profile or geographic distribution.

• Meta DecorBeer

  Meta Decor is a beer brand included in BGI Ethiopia’s current product range. It is produced within the company’s multi-brewery operating structure. Beyond its identification as a BGI Ethiopia beer, the supplied reference does not establish detailed information about its launch, ingredients, packaging or consumer segment.

• Raya BeerBeer

  Raya Beer is one of BGI Ethiopia’s listed beer brands and is associated with the company’s brewery operations in Ethiopia. It forms part of the portfolio marketed alongside the company’s other mainstream beer labels. Specific launch, sales and brand-positioning information is not provided in the source material.

• Sen'q MaltNon-alcoholic malt beverage

  Sen'q Malt represents BGI Ethiopia’s participation in the non-alcoholic malt beverage category. The reference describes it as a non-alcoholic product made by the company, but does not supply a launch date, flavor range, package formats or details of its distribution strategy.

• AcaciaWine

  Acacia is a wine label produced through BGI Ethiopia’s Castel Winery operation. The winery uses vineyard assets located in Batu, Oromia, and the brand is included among the wines produced for the Ethiopian and export markets. The supplied reference does not identify specific varietals or product tiers.

• Rift ValleyWine

  Rift Valley is a wine brand made by Castel Winery, BGI Ethiopia’s wine operation. Its name reflects the regional context of Ethiopian wine production, while the winery’s vineyard is reported to be in Batu in Oromia. No detailed information about vintages, varietals or launch timing is established by the supplied source.

• Cuvée PrestigeWine

  Cuvée Prestige is one of the wine labels attributed to Castel Winery under BGI Ethiopia. It sits alongside Acacia and Rift Valley in the winery’s reported portfolio. The available material confirms the brand name and producer but does not provide technical specifications, launch history or market-by-market availability.

• 2025Emilio Garcia appointed chief executive officer of BGI Ethiopia

  Emilio Garcia assumed the chief executive role at BGI Ethiopia on May 1, 2025.

  Leadership change
  Source

1. BGI Ethiopia PLC