Red Stripe goes bigger with cassava

By Michelle Nurse On May 9, 2017

The Hon. Karl Samuda (seated at centre), Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, exchanges documents with Red Stripe Managing Director Ricardo Nuncio (left) and Wentworth Charles (right), chairman, SCJ Holdings Limited, shortly after they signed a lease agreement for lands to cultivate cassava to be used in the brewing of Red Stripe beer. The signing was held at the ministry’s St Andrew office on Friday. (Photo via Jamaica Gleaner)

Beer maker Red Stripe has underscored its commitment to use more cassava in its products with a 25-year lease agreement with the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries.

The agreement will give the company access to 610 acres of government-owned land for the expansion of its cassava cultivation operations.

“We have a big dream – that is to replace 40 per cent of our hymultus syrup, which is one of our ingredients used in our beers. We signed contracts with 100 farmers for more than 1,000 acres that are now being planted with cassava,” said Ricardo Nuncio, managing director of Red Stripe.

“The project is imperative for us. It’s a big part of our strategy going forward. The project is about replacing imported materials with locally produced raw materials.”