Beer shortage hits Bulawayo
BULAWAYO has been hit by a shortage of some popular beer brands, which the country’s largest beverages maker, Delta Corporation Limited, has attributed to increased demand following relaxation of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
Among the products said to be in short supply are brands such as the Zambezi, Castle, Black Label and Castle Lite lagers.
In a message seen by Business Chronicle and sent to customers via Whatsapp, Delta advised its clients that it was only left with Eagle and canned beers.
This has left beer drinkers with no option but to settle for the so called “less popular” brands, which are available on the shelves such as Eagle and Lion lagers.
Delta’s corporate affairs manager, Ms Patricia Murambinda, acknowledged the shortage and said the beverages company was adjusting to the spike in demand.
“Delta has generally been able to meet demand. We are currently adjusting to the increased demand as the economy opens up in response to the gradual lifting of Covid-19 restrictions,” she said.
According to Ms Murambinda, Delta has been injecting additional glass bottles imported from Egypt, Tanzania and South Africa to improve production capacity.
“We also note that we are maintaining fair pricing, which creates demand. We sincerely hope to supply our customers with their full orders,” she said.
In January this year Delta reported an increase in volumes across a number of its segments mostly due to the policy allowing use of foreign currency introduced at the start of the first lockdown in March last year.
Lager beer volume grew 48 percent for the quarter and 20 percent for the nine months compared to the same period last year.
The volume recovery was attributed to the competitive pricing and consistent product supply, benefitting from the injection of new returnable glass and fewer disruptions to production operation. — The Chronicle
