KWAL becomes Kenya’s first manufacturer to earn EDGE advanced certification
The certification recognises major reductions in energy and water use, while KWAL plans to expand its rooftop solar capacity to 1,500 kilowatts.
KENYA – Kenya Wine Agencies Limited (KWAL) has become Kenya’s first manufacturer to receive the recognised EDGE Advanced certification, following an eight-year effort to develop an energy-efficient factory at Tatu City.
The certification was unveiled on August 26, 2026, at KWAL’s Tatu City plant and confirms that the Heineken Beverages International subsidiary has achieved a 44% reduction in energy use, a 28% reduction in water consumption and a 53% reduction in the embodied energy of building materials.
EDGE, developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is a green building standard adopted in more than 170 countries. Certification requires projects to demonstrate at least a 20% reduction in energy, water and materials-related carbon footprint.
“KWAL’s achievement of EDGE Advanced certification is a remarkable demonstration that economic growth and environmental responsibility go hand in hand,” said Gill Rogers, IFC head of country office, Kenya.
“Through practical 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,” Rogers said.
KWAL’s Supply Chain Director, Mwenda Kagenu, said the certification followed a process that began in 2018, when the company finalised the designs for the Tatu City plant.
“It’s really a momentous day that we have with the EDGE certification plaque unveiling,” Kagenu said. “This was the culmination of a long journey that we started in 2018 when we set the designs for Tatu.”
An initial audit in 2019 assessed the plant’s designs against EDGE requirements as construction began. The company completed a 700-kilowatt rooftop solar installation in 2025, prompting a second audit to verify its energy and water efficiency performance.
“In 2025, after installing the solar project, which was the last project to meet the requirements, we then went through a second audit that was meant to confirm that the declarations we had made on energy efficiency and water efficiency had actually been met,” Kagenu explained.
The rooftop solar plant was completed in eight months and currently meets 20% of KWAL’s annual electricity needs. The installation has also reduced annual energy costs by an estimated 10%.
KWAL plans to more than double its solar capacity to 1,500 kilowatts as it continues its resource-efficiency initiatives and renewable energy investments.
The company has adopted Heineken’s Brew a Better World sustainability ambition, focusing on areas where it can create positive environmental impacts while generating business value.
Under Heineken’s healthy watersheds and nature ambition, the company is focused on improving water efficiency and replenishing water used in water-stressed areas.
It is also pursuing operational decarbonisation through energy-efficiency measures and increased use of renewable energy across its manufacturing operations.
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