The Brasseries de Bourbon ("Breweries of Bourbon") is the only major producer of beer on Réunion Island, formerly known as Bourbon Island, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean.

Brasseries de Bourbon
LocationSaint-Denis
Réunion Island
Opened1962
Owned byHeineken
Active beers
Name Type
Héritage de Bourbon lager
Dodo lager

History edit

The Brasseries de Bourbon was born out of three companies founded by Vernon King Stevenson: The SOREG (Société Réunionnaise des Eaux gazeuses), first manufacturer of Coca-Cola on the Réunion Island founded in 1958; Brasseries de Bourbon founded in 1962; Bourbon Distribution Service founded in 1983. In 1986 Heineken became the majority shareholder of the three companies. In 1994, the three companies merged to form the Groupe Brasseries de Bourbon.[1]

In 2011, the company launched an advertising campaign to fight the competition of imported Coca-Cola from African and Asian manufacturers which cannibalized the Brasseries' Coca-Cola sales.[2]

In 2014, the Brasseries de Bourbon launched the premium beer brand Héritage de Bourbon.[3] In 2017, the Brasseries de Bourbon launched its first line of non-alcoholic beers.[4] That same year, the company broke the Guinness World Records of the longest picnic table (322.42 metres) in a move to promote its Dodo beer.[5]

Description edit

 
A large la dodo lé la painting on a snack wall

The first product of the Brasseries de Bourbon, and by far now their most sold and widely known, is the blonde lager Bourbon, known popularly as Dodo, named after the now extinct bird of Mauritius. Its logo of a smiling dodo and the creole slogan la dodo lé la (the dodo is here) are found painted on the walls of establishments selling the beer. Since 1996, the group has also produced some white and reddish beers. In addition, it also imports and bottles a variety of other drinks.

Brasseries de Bourbon is also the manufacturer and distributor of Coca-Cola and Orangina in the Réunion Island.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Les brasseries de Bourbon ont 50 ans" (in French). Guide-reunion.fr. 14 May 2012. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Quand le Coca étranger concurrence le Coca péi" (in French). Clicanoo.re. 22 November 2011. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021.
  3. ^ Emilie Marty (14 May 2014). "Les Brasseries de Bourbon montent en gamme avec Héritage" (in French). Clicanoo.re. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021.
  4. ^ "La Dodo et la Heineken oublient l'alcool mais pas les bulles" (in French). Ipreunion.com. 7 November 2017. Archived from the original on 2 May 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  5. ^ Rachel Swatman (10 April 2017). "Drinks brand La Bière Dodo invites La Réunion locals to dine on world's longest picnic table". Guinness World Records. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.

External links edit