Palestinian brothers look to tap into West Bank beer market
Despite the troubled economy and stout competition from an established brand, one young Palestinian businessman convinced his family to join him in opening a new brewery in Birzeit.
Alaa Sayej knows it's a tough time to invest in “Made in Palestine” products. Formal talks to end the Israeli occupation are dormant, while the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the longstanding contours of a promised Palestinian state, are as divided as ever. International movements to boycott Israeli companies are growing, but for Palestinians on the ground, creating their own local alternatives remains an uphill battle.
Still, business-minded Sayej said he has just what Palestine needs: a new brewery.
The new Birzeit Brewery started selling its signature line, called Shepherds Beer, in July. The brewery was conceived, funded, owned and run by the Sayej family. They are wealthy Christians from Birzeit, a town north of Ramallah, the West Bank's political and economic center.
Sayej, the eldest of three brothers, said the idea seemed simple: Produce distinctively Palestinian beer that people can enjoy locally. “A beer a day keeps the problems away, Palestine,” goes one of the brewery’s slogans. Already, Sayej said, the brewery is gaining a legion of loyal drinkers.
