HEINEKEN PICHES BEER WITH SWAGGER

Apr 18 , 2026.

Bart De Keninck, managing director of Heineken Ethiopia Plc, was marking two decades in the brewery industry with the launch of a new agave-flavoured beer for local customers. Desperados, the world’s first beer flavoured with agave spirit, has entered the domestic market through Heineken Breweries with an alcohol content of 5.9pc, higher than Heineken’s original brew. Positioned in the premium segment, the Latin-inspired brand is expected to carve out a place in the nightlife and cultural scene.

Heineken Breweries disclosed that it has invested over half a billion Birr in the rollout, with local production based at its Qilinto brewery in Addis Abeba. The company’s investment signals confidence in the market and plans to deepen its presence. With more than 30 years of heritage and sales in 50 countries, including Nigeria and Tanzania, Desperados arrives with an established international profile. The launch, held on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Kana Studio on Ethio-China Friendship Road, near Wello Sefer, will be backed by activations and partnerships with music creators who are sought by creative and style-conscious consumers. According to Nigus Alemu, corporate affairs director, Desperados offers consumers “a bold alternative within the premium beer segment, one that celebrates social connections and encourages people to break away from the ordinary.”

PUBLISHED ON Apr 18,2026 [ VOL 27 , NO 1355]