THE Camelthorn Brewing Company may be on the verge of breaking a decades-long near-monopoly in the Namibian beer industry.
The firm was established in 2008 when it received the first brewing licence issued since the 1920s and a short time after that began producing a wide range of micro-brewed ales. Although brands such as Urbock and Heineken are common sights on supermarket shelves, Namibian consumers tend to remain loyal to the twin titans of Namibian beer. Camelthorn was also too ambitious with its initial release into the market, producing a plethora of beers from a traditional Weissbier to an unheard-of Red Ale. The multitude of choices was overwhelming, and faced with such a wide variety consumers preferred to stick to what they knew.Over the holiday season liquor stores reported that they had not received stock from Camelthorn for some time and suspected that the micro-brewery faced liquidation. However, the company has rather been biding its time and re-evaluating its position in the market. While doing so it has maintained its network of exported brews that extends to the United States and throughout Scandinavia. Experimentation on behalf of foreign brand partners Bierwerk resulted in the successful development of a Rooibos Beer that is also available in a Lite version. Despite the success of the company abroad, Camelthorn is still committed to making its mark at home, a task that remains as difficult today as it was three years ago.According to CEO and master brewer Jörg Finkeldey, the way forward is to consolidate the brand down to a maximum of three beers and to take a more accessible approach to marketing.’We’ve already won an international award for our innovative packaging design and our brewing facilities are state of the art. But our vision is more traditional. We would like to revive the ancient culture of craft brewing in Namibia, an instinctive, hands-on process that uses natural, local ingredients. We know that’s what Namibians want and it’s our sincere belief that if people just try our beer once they’ll see it offers unique flavours that really symbolise our beautiful country.’Camelthorn’s ambitions of taking craft brewing to a new level in Namibia differ greatly to the multi-generational approach of local giants and although this speaks to the creativity and motivation of the company, it remains to be seen whether the consumers of Namibia will lower their guard or hold their ground.
