Zimbabwe’s Cheap Fermented Drink Boom Raises Health and Safety Fears

Tembeya ginger drink bottles seized during regulatory inspection

HARARE – Cheap fermented beverages such as Tembeya, Hubaba and Kambucha are rapidly spreading across Zimbabwe’s urban markets, raising alarm among regulators and public health experts over their safety, labelling practices and potential health effects.

Sold for as little as US$0.50 a bottle, the drinks have become a common sight in supermarkets, roadside stalls, and busy commuter ranks across the country. Vendors say demand is driven largely by their low price and strong taste, attracting customers looking for affordable alternatives to conventional alcoholic beverages. But behind the booming trade lies a growing concern among authorities that many of these drinks are being produced and sold outside proper regulatory oversight. The issue came into sharp focus recently after investigators raided a factory in Harare’s Rugare suburb operated by Tembeya Africa (Pvt) Limited, which produces a fermented ginger drink marketed as Tembeya.

Authorities say the company is now facing charges for allegedly violating food labelling laws after investigators discovered that its beverage labels did not comply with statutory requirements. The case, set to be heard before Harare magistrate Ruth Moyo, forms part of a broader crackdown on unregulated fermented drinks. Investigators who inspected the Rugare factory said the beverage was being brewed over open fires in uncovered pots, while the water used in production was drawn from a borehole and had not been purified to meet beverage manufacturing standards.

The drink’s ingredients include ginger, rosemary, yeast, sugar, sodium benzoate, and water. Authorities say the fermentation process could also produce alcohol, although this was not clearly stated on the label. Officials suspect the alcohol content could be significantly higher than the approximately five percent claimed by the manufacturer. Regulators say such practices raise serious concerns about consumer safety, particularly where fermentation can lead to unpredictable alcohol levels. Zimbabwean authorities have already moved against other controversial drinks.

In recent months, products such as Hubaba and Kambucha were banned after they were marketed with misleading claims, including false assertions that they had been certified by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe. The regulatory body warned that misuse of its name is illegal and dangerous because it can create the false impression that untested products have been approved by authorities. For consumers, the appeal of these drinks is simple: affordability.

At the Copacabana commuter omnibus terminus in central Harare, vendors say the beverages sell quickly.

“People buy them because they are cheap and strong,” said one vendor who requested anonymity.

However, health advocates warn that the rapid growth of this market could expose consumers to poorly regulated products.

Itai Rusike said the proliferation of unregulated food and beverage products was worrying.

“We are concerned about the far-reaching effects of these brews on the health of the consumers. The addiction and accompanying damage to the liver and other internal body organs are worrying,” Rusike said.

The rise of such drinks mirrors a broader global concern over unregulated alcohol.

According to the World Health Organization, unrecorded alcohol beverages produced outside official regulatory systems pose a significant public health risk due to uncertain production standards and undisclosed alcohol levels. Authorities say enforcement operations will continue as part of efforts to curb the spread of illicit fermented beverages. For regulators, the challenge lies in balancing entrepreneurship and innovation in the informal food industry with the need to protect consumers from unsafe or misleading products.

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