In the fever of 5 years’ celebrations of Target existence, a delegation of Target SARL visited Bralima Brewery of Kinshasa, this Friday October 21^st, 2016. Three phases marked this visit within the facilities of the Main partner of Target Agency in DR Congo: Brewery history, manufacturing process for drinks and then visit of the firm. 

Mrs. Alice MBUYI, the visit guide welcomed Target SARL delegation. It is on October 25^th, 1923 that Kinshasa brewery was created. Construction works of the firm lasted three years. Some years after, other branches also started. It is about breweries of Bukavu (1950), Kisangani (1957), Boma (1958), MBANDAKA (1972) and Katanga (2008). Kinshasa brewery has got five sites disseminated throughout the capital, especially at BARUMBU, KIMPOKO, BOUKIN, MITENDI and City Train neighborhoods.

Before the very careful and interested visitors, the host of that day kept on exposing the manufacture process of drinks. As branch of Heineken group, Bralima complies with standards of drinks’ manufacturing. Three stages certify the quality of products. First of all, we have got training of Engineers with Brewery School of Central Africa (EBAC). This school is located at the registered office. Then machines used by Bralima can be found out only in three other African countries (Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa). And finally monitoring carried out not only by Bralima Central laboratory, but also by the Congolese Control Authority (OCC), the General Management of Customs and Excises (DGDA), HEINEKEN and VERITAS Group.

Mrs. MBUYI explained to Target delegation the six main steps of beer manufacturing i.e. crushing, brewing, fermentation, keeping in maturation tank, filtration and conditioning. In order to produce, Bralima uses local providers for materials that are available in the Country. With the rice project, the brewery is participating in the re-launching of agriculture throughout the country.

As regards productions’ units, Bralima has got 7 automatic lines that operate 24hours a day. There are several machines that operate together for offering to Kinshasa people their preferred drinks. The depalletiser removes layer by layer of pallets crates coming from outside, it can reach the treatment capacity of 42 000 bottles per hour. Crates are thereafter sent towards an unpacker, having a treatment capacity of 3 250 crates per hour. The unpacker allows to automatically taking bottles back from the crates. The washing–machine receives on its turn dirty empty bottles and cleans them. It has got an average capacity of 36 000 bottles per hour. An inspector will make an automatic control of empty bottles; she is going to check if they have been appropriately cleaned by the washing – machine. Bottles are then taken back and retreated for being used again. The sorting – machine will have then to select good bottles for being filled. This machine controls the proper filling process. Bottles that are not properly filled up are deviated for another round. The capacity of a sorting – machine is 31500 bottles per hour. Bottles are then conveyed towards the pasteurizer that extends the storage life of beer. This duration is between 6 and 12 months. The labelling machine put Bralima products’ labels on bottles. The dating machine prints date, day and hour of manufacture on each bottle, the packer load bottles that are ready for marketing to put them back in the crates. And finally the palletizer put on the pallet full crates.

Bralima is right in the middle of modernization and works are being carried out on the site. The guide warned that the visit will be limited. Target delegation firstly visited the first Bralima production unit whose first building works started on October 25^th, 1923 to end up in 1926. By seeing this brewery that used to produce 1000 bottles a day, Target team better understood the long path taken by Bralima since its creation. Today this brewery can produce 280 000 bottles a day. The delegation circled the site by asking to Mrs. MBUYI for explanation and further details in every step. Bralima has currently about thirty products amongst which soft drinks such as (Vital’o, Fanta, Sprite…) and beers (Primus, Mutzig, Turbo King and Legend). As well as Heineken that is imported.

Target thanks Bralima for its hospitality during this guided visit.