Murree Brewery, Pakistan’s oldest, gets export licence after nearly 50 years, aiming for Europe and Asia despite domestic alcohol restrictions.
RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s historic Murree Brewery is preparing for international expansion after securing an export licence, ending a nearly 50-year ban on selling its products abroad.
The heady aroma of malt and yeast fills the facility, a singular scene in the Muslim-majority nation where alcohol sales are largely prohibited.
Founded in 1860 to serve British colonial troops, the brewery has survived Islamist opposition and strict regulations to become a well-known company.
“It’s a journey of a roller-coaster and resilience,” said Isphanyar Bhandara, the third-generation family member running the business.
“Getting permission to export is another happy milestone,” he added, noting his grandfather and father had previously failed to obtain the licence.
Bhandara said he received “a rude surprise” in 2017 when a Chinese-run brewery gained permission to operate in Pakistan, mainly serving Chinese infrastructure workers.
The red-brick brewery, originally located in the mountains, now operates opposite the army chief’s residence in heavily guarded Rawalpindi.
Revenue surpassed $100 million in the last fiscal year, with alcohol sales generating just over half the total.
Non-alcoholic drinks and bottle manufacturing accounted for the remainder.
Alcohol sales to Pakistan’s Muslim majority are forbidden, limiting legal purchases to the country’s roughly nine million religious minorities and foreigners.
Despite the ban, many Pakistanis obtain alcohol through bootleggers or illicit moonshine, with occasional deaths from methanol-contaminated liquor.
“Pakistan’s affair with alcohol is like that of a secret paramour — acknowledged but not talked about extensively,” said columnist Fasi Zaka.
Before the export ban, Murree sold products in India, Afghanistan, Gulf nations, and the United States.
“It sounds very strange or very bizarre today, but we were exporting to Kabul,” Bhandara said of the now Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
The company has already made limited test shipments to Japan, Britain, and Portugal as it explores new markets.
“Right now, the target is not revenue or to make money… the target is to explore new markets”, Bhandara explained.
With around 2,200 employees, Murree is focusing on Europe while also considering moves into Asian and African markets.
Exporting offers a chance to promote its brand abroad, as domestic advertising is prohibited.
“We are not allowed to advertise, so we keep our heads down — we try to make a good beer with our heads down,” Bhandara said.
