Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL), a beverage business and subsidiary of Diageo PLC, has presented samples of Ruut Extra Premium Beer, touted as the country�s first cassava-based beer, to the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, to showcase the company�s efforts to use local raw materials.
The beer, which is brewed by the company locally and contains 51 per cent of locally sourced cassava, was launched in December 2012. The product is already available in the Western, Central and Volta regions.
This innovation was made on the back of the Local Raw Materials law passed by the government in November 2012, which imposed concessionary excise duty rates on a sliding scale on the use of raw materials produced in Ghana in substitution of imported raw materials in the production of excisable goods.
A statement from the brewery said �this innovation represents GGBL�s continued commitment to the development of the communities in which it operates and determination to partner with the government to improve the livelihoods of the indigenous people of Ghana.�
The statement added that it also evidenced the extent to which the company was prepared to invest in the country to bring this to life.
To this end GGBL in January 2013, together with other players in the industry, sponsored representatives of the Ghana Revenue Authority, the implementing agency, to understudy similar projects in Uganda to provide in-depth, on the ground knowledge on the implementation of the local raw material concessions, and their impact for the community.
Mr Iddrisu commended GGBL for the introduction of a truly innovative product which would provide guaranteed uptake of cassava from local farmers, thereby assuring their livelihoods.
He underlined the government�s intention to partner with the private sector to revitalise industry and improve the lives of local Ghanaians farmers.
The Managing Director of GGBL, Mr Peter Ndegwa, who presented the Ruut Extra premium beer samples to the minister, said �we are committed to a local raw material project that has supported and continues to support more than 7,000 farmers and their families in the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Central regions to improve their skills and thus yields; enabling sustainable incomes for farmers and their families.�
Ruut Extra Premium Beer, brewed from local raw materials sourced from around the country, is an authentic beer with a pleasant aroma and a distinctive refreshing taste.
It is bottled in a stylish 625ml bottle with a distinctive gold metallic label.
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