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Habesha Breweries S.C.
Habesha Breweries makes and sells beer in Ethiopia, led by its popular Habesha brand.
Habesha Breweries is an Ethiopian beer maker. It brews and sells lager under the Habesha name, and that one brand is the heart of the business — a golden beer sold in bottles and cans across bars, restaurants, shops, and supermarkets in its home market.
The company was founded in 2009 by a group of Ethiopian entrepreneurs and began selling beer in 2015. A few years later it brought in a big foreign partner: Heineken, through its Dutch parent, took a large stake, giving Habesha international brewing know-how and deeper pockets. Local ownership stayed part of the story, which matters in Ethiopia, where "Habesha" itself is a word Ethiopians use to describe themselves. Beer in Ethiopia is a tough, competitive business. Habesha goes head-to-head with giants like Heineken, Diageo, and Anheuser-Busch InBev, which also brew and sell in the country. Customers pick a beer on price, taste, and how easy it is to find, so distribution and brand recognition are the real battlegrounds. Habesha has leaned on its local identity and national pride to stand apart.
The company's fortunes ride on Ethiopia's economy and its young, fast-growing population, plus the slow opening of a market that has historically been tightly controlled. Currency shortages, inflation, and limits on imports of brewing ingredients like malt and packaging are constant headaches. Habesha's bet is simple: brew a beer Ethiopians feel is theirs, keep it affordable, and grow as more of them can afford to drink it.
Saved answer · last researched 10 Nov 2026