Varun inks Carlsberg deal, beer to brew in Zim
Varun Beverages Zimbabwe has reached an agreement with Carlsberg to distribute beer across Africa, with operations set to begin in the southern African nation. The Indian beverage company will establish manufacturing facilities after completing initial distribution phases.
Chief Executive Vijay Bahl told managers the partnership positions the country as a regional production center for the Danish brewing corporation. Local operations will create employment opportunities while expanding industrial capacity in the beverage sector.
The arrangement follows a $20 million factory expansion completed last year, which added carbonated drink and bottled water lines at the Harare facility. Varun signed a memorandum with the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency in 2024 to develop snacks and juice manufacturing divisions.
The company plans to start snacks production in January 2026, with juice lines operational by June that year. Operations launched in 2018 have made Varun among the largest nonalcoholic beverage producers in the country.
