Appreciating beer - a home-brewed economic and social success story
After a long work week, you light the braai on a Saturday afternoon and celebrate life with the ones you love. Beer was part of that journey. A breadwinner gets home and is able to provide a hot meal for his wife and children. Beer was part of that journey. The economy begins to recover as businesses grow and foreign investors place their bets on South Africa. Beer was part of that journey.
This Beer Appreciation Day, Sphe Vundla, Brand Director at the South African Breweries (SAB) reminds South Africans that beer plays a significant role in our country and in our lives. In particular, in this time of economic recovery, he calls on South Africans to remember the role that beer plays in our national economy, and the economies of households across the country.
“The beer economy is the real deal,” says Vundla. “It enables small businesses, employs hundreds of thousands of South Africans, and brings in massive levels of investment both locally and abroad.”
As the country looks towards economic recovery with hope, Vundla believes in the impact that beer has on the South African economy. He points out that bbetween 2015 and 2018 the total GDP contribution made by beer was R387.1 billion. In terms of excise the beer economy contributes R25.1 billion in excise tax revenue (2018-2019). Today, the local beer industry supports over 1 million livelihoods. “Of course, the social aspect of beer is to be celebrated, but if we truly want to appreciate this product, the real benefit lies in the lives that beer lifts up every day. It is the hope of a better and bigger future that growth in this industry provides. That is why we should appreciate beer,” says Vundla.
But, as we appreciate beer and all the wonderful benefits it provides our lives and our economy, Vundla says we must always act responsibly in the way that we consume it. To help encourage responsibility, SAB recently launched its SAB Sharp platform, which enables SAB to run interventions that can accelerate the curbing of irresponsible consumption of alcohol at scale and with pace.
“Beer has been a special part of the South African heritage and culture for many years. We believe that every experience with beer should be a positive one. This begins and ends with responsibility.”
To ramp up responsibility, but still retain the great flavour that beer provides, Vundla encourages South Africans to enjoy lower-and-non-alcoholic beers. “Castle Free is Castle Lager without the alcohol. It is the same taste, the same beer, the same Charles Glass magic. SAB is committed to accelerating production of lower-and-non-alcoholic beer options, so more South Africans can become a part of the beer economy and do so responsibly.”
No matter how you enjoy your beer, no matter what role it plays in your life Vundla says today is the day to raise a glass and say ‘cheers’ to beers with beers for beers.
