Keroche Breweries, Kenya’s homegrown beer manufacturer, is back in business after a long period of uncertainty. Anerlisa Muigai, daughter of the brewery’s founders, has expressed immense joy at the company’s revival, attributing the turnaround to her family’s resilience and determination.
Reflecting on the difficult journey, Anerlisa revealed that at one point, selling the company or handing it over to multinational corporations seemed like the only viable options. However, after much deliberation, she called for a family meeting to discuss the possibility of taking over and steering the company back to stability.
“Seven months ago, we had the choice of selling the company or giving it up to multinational corporations. But something told me that we would manage. After deep thought, I decided to call for a family meeting to plan how we could take over. We assigned everyone a role in the company. Our main worry was where and how to begin,” she stated.
The family’s primary motivation was to ensure that the 25 years of hard work put in by Anerlisa’s mother, Tabitha Karanja, did not go to waste. Keroche had previously shut down in December 2021 and again in June 2022 due to financial struggles. However, the family’s resilience has now seen it reopen, ready for a fresh start.
Adding momentum to the revival, Anerlisa’s younger brother, Edward Muigai, launched an ambitious initiative to provide employment opportunities to thousands of young Kenyans. The recruitment drive, being conducted at the newly revamped Keroche Breweries offices at Krishna Centre in Westlands, aims to place qualified candidates in various positions within the company. The drive will run until March 15, 2025.
“It just had to be done. It got to a point where I decided that we couldn’t just sit and watch a billion-dollar empire like Keroche rot to the ground. This business took years of hard work and unimaginable sacrifices. I just thought it would be great to bring it back to life and also offer employment to thousands of qualified men and women languishing in poverty across this country,” Edward affirmed.
In addition to recruitment, Keroche Breweries is embracing digital transformation to enhance customer transactions and boost sales. With fresh leadership, renewed strategy, and a deep commitment to innovation, the company is poised for a remarkable comeback.
