NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 11-The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has defended the safety and quality of five Kenyan alcoholic beverage brands temporarily suspended in Rwanda, saying fresh inspections and laboratory tests have confirmed that the products comply with applicable Kenyan and East African standards.

📻 Breaking It Down

KEBS said the products had undergone rigorous conformity assessments, market surveillance, factory inspections and laboratory testing before and after Rwanda’s suspension order.

The Bureau said it was responding to a public announcement by the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) on August 5, 2026, which temporarily suspended selected alcoholic beverages, including five manufactured in Kenya.

“KEBS wishes to reassure consumers, trade partners, and the public that the five alcoholic beverage brands recently suspended by the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority have undergone rigorous conformity assessment, market surveillance, factory inspection, and laboratory testing by KEBS and have been found to comply with the applicable Kenyan and East African Standards,” the Bureau said.

📌 What You Need to Know

The affected brands are Kenya King Gin and Safari Gin, manufactured by London Distillers Kenya Ltd; Avalon and Sweet Berry Potable Spirits, manufactured by Zheng Hong (K) Ltd; and Gilbey’s Gin, manufactured by Kenya Breweries Ltd.

KEBS said the products bear valid Standardization Marks and continue to meet prescribed requirements on quality, safety and labelling.

Following the Rwanda FDA announcement, KEBS said it immediately launched a comprehensive review of certification records, quality assurance reports, market surveillance findings, factory inspections and laboratory results.

The review also involved consultations with the affected manufacturers, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, standards bodies from affected East African Community partner states and the EAC Quality Assurance and Testing Sub-committee.

KEBS said its review confirmed that all five products had undergone conformity assessment and testing against the applicable standards and met the prescribed quality and safety requirements.

The Bureau said historical laboratory reports covering ethyl alcohol content, methanol, higher alcohols, esters, aldehydes and volatile acids had also demonstrated compliance at the time of certification and subsequent surveillance.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya