Mongozo means 'cheers' in the language of the Chokwe people who live scattered over Angola, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Working with Jan Fleurkens, Henrique Kabia brought traditional African beer recipes and the calabash as a drinking vessel to worldwide attention. Mongozo's beers are beers with an exotic story to tell and which contribute to making the world a better place through the use of Fairtrade ingredients.

The ingredients used in, recipes for and drinking customs associated with Mongozo's beers come from all corners of the world, including Ghana, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Costa Rica and Brazil. These are all brought together in the five different flavours of exotic Mongozo beer.

Mongozo means 'cheers' in the native language of Henrique Kabia, one of the founders of Mongozo beer. His language is that of the Chokwe people who live scattered over Angola, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It was one of Henrique's distant great-grandmothers who was responsible for bringing about a great change in the 18th century: instead of making palm wine, she began making palm beer. Over the centuries, her recipe was handed down from mother to daughter. As there were no daughters in the Kabia family, Henrique's mother decided to break with tradition and initiate her son into the mysteries of beer brewing.

That same recipe was Henrique's only possession when, in 1993, he arrived in the Netherlands as a refugee. He laid the foundations for a range of new, exotic beers to be drunk from a calabash, just as they are in Africa. In 1998, Henrique Kabia and Jan Fleurkens decided to join forces and market palm nut beer.

Mongozo Banana saw the light of day. This was the first beer to carry the Fairtrade label worldwide and was brewed to a traditional recipe originating from the Masai people, who live in Kenya and Tanzania.

Henrique Kabia was killed in a tragic accident in June 2003. Mongozo continued along its path, as that is what Henrique would have wanted. Jan Fleurkens then developed his own recipes and, in the spring of 2005, launched Mongozo Coconut. This was when the exotic concept of drinking Mongozo out of a coconut shell was born. Mongozo Coconut is also a Fairtrade-certified beer.

The mangos that give Mongozo Mango its exotic flavour come from South America. It was important to Jan Fleurkens that this beer, too, would be Fairtrade-certified.

As an addition to the range of exotic beers it had on offer, Mongozo introduced a world first in 2010: Mongozo Premium Pilsner. This lager combines three unique elements: organic, gluten-free and Fairtrade all in one bottle.

In 2014, following years of development, Mongozo introduced a new, innovative world first. Mongozo Buckwheat White is the only organic, gluten-free and Fairtrade white beer on the market.

Mongozo is continuing to work on good worldwide distribution for its products. Our innovative, sustainable and distinctive concept is currently available in more than 40 countries. If you have any questions about our beers or about their availability, please contact us.