(Business in Cameroon) – Rox beer, produced in Cameroon by Swiss African Premium Beverage (SAPB), secured a bronze medal on May 24, 2025, at the 5th African Beer Cup in Cape Town, South Africa. This marks the first time a Cameroonian-brewed beer has been entered into the prestigious competition, which recognizes the continent’s top beers.
Cameroon’s Rox placed third in the Pale Bitter European Beer category, also known as the Pilsner-Lager category. This highly competitive segment features beers brewed exclusively with malt, hops, and water, in adherence to the 1516 German Purity Law. The category saw entries from 260 beers across 14 African nations.
A panel of 58 expert judges evaluated the beers based on the 2021 Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) guidelines, assessing criteria such as alcohol content, aroma, flavor, and overall quality.
International Recognition and Production Outlook
“We are proud to see our Cameroonian flag associated with our Swiss identity in a competition that is equally recognized,” said Eser Karatas, founder of SAPB. “We worked tirelessly to offer Cameroonians a high-quality beer. Its authenticity and taste have won over the most demanding palates beyond the national territory. We can say today that the hard work, the passion for producing a quality beer has ended up delivering results beyond our expectations.”
This international recognition is a significant achievement for SAPB. In just nine months of operation within Cameroon’s intensely competitive local market, the microbrewery has managed to produce an exceptional quality beer, lauded by leading industry specialists.
SAPB’s brewery, constructed starting in 2020 in Kendeck, a suburb of Douala, has an installed production capacity of 60,000 hectoliters. However, it currently utilizes only 10% of this capacity, producing 6,000 hectoliters. “We are still very new to the market and our production will increase in line with our market share,” explained Godlove Afayi Takwa, SAPB’s sales manager.
Since 2024, Rox beer has been distributed in 500 ml bottles, packaged in crates of 20. The beer undergoes a 21-day fermentation process, resulting in a natural alcohol content of 5% with no added ethanol, according to the company.
Local Identity, Global Ingredients, and Future Growth
Notably, all ingredients for Rox beer apart from water including malt, barley, hops, yellow and special yeast, as well as the packaging bottles, are imported. Despite this, Eser Karatas asserts that Rox remains a Cameroonian beer due to its local production and its contribution to state taxes and duties. The microbrewery, which employs approximately 50 people, has kept details of its investment levels and turnover private, deeming them “still considered negligible” at this nascent stage of development.
Currently, Rox beer has limited distribution, available in select gas stations, snack bars, hotels, and restaurants in the cities of Douala, Édéa, and Buea, making it relatively unknown to the general public. SAPB aims to broaden its distribution to more cities across the country to expand its market share. The company has already secured a local partner and stated its readiness to open its capital to potential investors to fuel its growth.
Frédéric Nonos
