Paynesville – Tsingtao beer will sponsor and host Liberia’s first beer festival in December, according to the CEO of Nyanneh Group of Companies, Wilson T. Nyanneh.
The Nyanneh Group is the importer and distributor of the Tsingtao beer brand in Liberia. Tsingtao is a global beer brand headquartered in the province of Qingdao, China. The Chinese government has a 15% stake in the company.
Speaking in a teleconference from Florida, USA, Nyanneh said Liberia was chosen by the company under the Chinese government’s Belt and Road initiative. The belt and road initiative is a global strategy adopted by the Chinese government involving infrastructure development and investment in 152 countries and international organizations in Asia, Africa, Europe the Middle East and the Americas.
“Liberia is one of the important markets in the belt and road that was selected by the government of the People Republic of China,” he said. “After our meeting, I was told that ‘Wilson, your country has been selected to host the Tsingtao beer mini-festival. It’s a boost and a plus for your country.”
According to Nyanneh, the beer festival will be held in the country for two consecutive years. “The beer festival will be for two years. 2019 and 2020.” The festival, he said, will be held from December 19-22 and will bring over 150 executives of Tsingtao, investors business people, and tourists to the country.
The event will also be marred by a series of activities, including a mini-marathon, games, conference, and the festival itself will be held at the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex.
He said hosting the beer festival will be a boost in the generation of revenue for the country. “When you hear about a beer festival worldwide, it’s something very big.” He added that the event will be the showcase of Liberian arts and cultures and will be headlined by several local and international artistes.
The beer festival, when held, will be a first for Liberia. The country has enjoyed a relative dominance by Monrovia Breweries. Marketing experts say the arrival and population of Tsingtao on the market spurred a sharp competition, especially over quality.
For Wilson, importing—since 2013—Tsingtao to Liberia is about promoting the country and networking to improve its image. “We’re business people and not interested in politics. We have to work together to get our country to a better place. You bring your idea, I bring my idea, we all put together to make it successful.”
“Nyanneh company is opened to work along with everybody. As I said, this is about Liberia.
For the foreseeable future, Nyanneh says he still holding talks with the company to build a beer plant in the country which will provide jobs to many Liberians. “That’s my main aim.”