Public cries loud on Castel Malawi’s suspension of production of Malawi Gin, Premier Brandy and Malawi Vodka due to shortage of forex 

Castel Malawi management has announced that customers of Malawi Gin, Premier Brandy and Malawi Vodka will experience a shortage of of supply on the market as the company has temporarily suspended the production of spirits due to the persistent shortage of forex in the country at the moment.

The French company said in a public statement that “business is currently failing to bring in packaging materials to sustain the supply of these loved spirit brands”.

“Coupled with the high excise rates spirits attract (110%) that push the prices up, the temporary suspension of production becomes the only decision for the business in the current environment.

“The company will advise our regular customers when more favourable conditions will be in place to restart the production of these iconic and exportable products.”

The public were of the opinion that while the country regularly invites in foreign investors, it is the same that contribute to forex scarcity through externalisation of profits they make.

Eveline Sibindi said: “They have a product that earns forex by exporting it, but due to lack of forex countrywide we will now lose more forex influx.

“Plus they threw in the clear message that local companies are taxed so highly that they lose their competitiveness on the market. Soon they will have to let people go due to lack of production and income.”

Chancy Dzama was of the opinion that “at this rate most foreign companies will close business in a year or so. Our economy may collapse. We may not have Malawi Gin to drown our sorrows!”

Wezi Kapesi Chikwanda said this may be a business opportunity for others by asking the questions: “Do all companies import packaging materials? We don’t have a packaging company in Malawi?

“Anyway as a country/as a people we need to have businesses or commodities that help us gain foreign exchange. At the moment, we are just a country that relies on donor funding.

“I suspect the situation will change as we head into our farming/rainy season [for the forex earner, tobacco] — hopefully.”

That Charles said: “We would still take those brands in plastic bottles manufactured here in Malawi. We understand the situation we are in, but, please, we can’t afford to be on short of Gin or Brandy that is locally made.”

King Mangani Banda said: “In the current economic situation, people are finding refuge in alcohol and the spirits are matching the pockets. Making them scarce will prove detrimental to public peace.”

Treyvis Hara asked why Castel Malawi cannot recall all empty bottles of the three brands of the spirits, which most houses are keeping and most of them just throw the bottles in trash bins heading for dumpsites.

William Chirwa sounded an SOS to Carlsberg Denmark, asking it to come back to Malawi since its “predecessor is not fulfilling the promises” to which Emmanuel Nyirenda agreed, saying Castel has “messed up everything”, saying “all they want to have on the market are only their brands from Chateaux-France”.

In the past three months, Castel has been failing to supply Kuche Kuche, which is Malawian own produced beer — pioneered by former Carlsberg Malawi Brewery’s managing Director, late Chadwick Mphande.

Other beer brands Castle inherited from Carlsberg Malawi are Green, Special and Chill and they brought in Castel Beer, Doppel and Booster ciders.

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