Beer made from Cassava growing popularity in Mozambique with bars and street stalls getting drink of choice as cold ‘Impala’ beer rather than the barley based beers.
Impala Cassava drink is slowly capturing the African market after it was launched four years ago by SABMiller. The beer with 70 percent cassava is the 3rd most popular drink in Mozambique with over 100 million drinks sold.
Cassava farmers have gained with the tuber fetching a higher price than it used to before as a meal. However, the price is still little according to some farmers. At least 7500 farmers have been contracted to supply the company according to SABMiller.
Impala beer is found in suburban and rural areas of the country, at a much cheaper price than malt beer. The beer was initially designed to compete with homemade brews that never have the same quality and at times cause harmful to people’s health. With the growing success the company hopes to double the quantity supplied and increase number of contracted farmers within three years.
