Kenya Wine Agencies Limited (KWAL), a subsidiary of Heineken Beverages International, announced on 26th August 2026 that its Tatu City plant has earned the globally recognized Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) certification — making it the first Kenyan manufacturer to do so.
EDGE is an international green building certification system, developed and backed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), that sets a benchmark for resource efficiency and green building in over 170 countries. It was created to provide a measurable way to prove the financial case for building green.
“KWAL’s achievement of EDGE Advanced certification is a remarkable demonstration that economic growth and environmental responsibility go hand in hand. Through practical, commercially viable solutions, KWAL has delivered a 44% reduction in energy use, a 28% reduction in water consumption, and a 53% reduction in embodied energy in materials — results that represent real resources conserved every single day,” said Gill Rogers, IFC Head of Country Office, Kenya.
The certification cements KWAL’s position as a leader in sustainable manufacturing, reflecting significant gains in energy and water savings achieved through a long-term strategic commitment to embedding sustainability into its core operations.
Central to the certification is KWAL’s recently commissioned 700-kilowatt (KW) rooftop solar power plant. Completed in just eight months, the plant now supplies 20% of KWAL’s annual power needs and has cut the company’s annual energy costs by an estimated 10%. The investment directly tackles Kenya’s high energy costs while strengthening the company’s resilience against grid instability.
“KWAL continues on its journey to lead the way in responsible manufacturing. We are deepening the synergies between our transformative growth and expansion ambitions to create a future-proof, sustainable business. This certification is a strong testament to our team’s commitment to our purpose to Craft a Better World,” said Lina Githuka, Managing Director, KWAL.
The path to certification was paved by a series of innovative measures, including a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) model for financing the solar plant, a water recycling initiative, and motion sensor lighting across KWAL’s offices.
Looking ahead, KWAL has confirmed plans to more than double its solar capacity to 1,500KW, underscoring its ongoing commitment to resource efficiency and its long-term ambition of greater energy independence.
The certification also aligns with Heineken’s global “Brew a Better World” ambition, under which the company has pledged to improve water efficiency and replenish water in water-stressed areas, alongside decarbonizing operations through energy-efficiency initiatives and greater use of renewable energy.
