Tusker (Vanuatu beer)

Last updated
Tusker
Tusker Premium Vanuatu.jpg
A bottle of Tusker Premium lager
Type Beer
ManufacturerVanuatu Brewing Ltd.
Country of origin  Port Vila, Vanuatu
Introduced1990
Alcohol by volume  5.0%
StyleLager
Website https://vanuatubrewing.com/

Tusker is a lager produced in Port Vila, Vanuatu, by Vanuatu Brewing Ltd. It is one of the most popular beers in the country and is often considered the national beer of Vanuatu. [1] [2]

Contents

History

National Brewery Ltd was established in 1989 as a joint venture by the Vanuatu government and Pripps, a subsidiary of the Swedish Procordia corporation. [3] The brewery's flagship product, Tusker, was released in 1990, [4] and according to the company has a 70% market share. [5] The name "Tusker" is a reference to the large tusks of a pig, a traditional symbol of strength, prosperity and wealth in Vanuatu, which has also been used as a currency. [6] [7] [8] [9]

In 2009, Vanuatu Brewing Ltd was acquired by New Caledonian company Froico Group (Société Le Froid  [ fr ]). [2] [10] As of 2016, cans of Tusker were brewed in New Caledonia. [11] Bottled Tusker has been brewed in Port Vila since the founding of the brewery, [2] and a large brewery expansion was taking place in 2024. [12]

Products

The Tusker brand includes several variations: [13]

Tusker beer is sold in 330 ml bottles and cans.

Marketing and culture

A van marketing Tusker, with the Bislama slogan Bia Blong Yumi ("Our Beer") Tusker - Bia Blong Yumi (23169876554).jpg
A van marketing Tusker, with the Bislama slogan Bia Blong Yumi ("Our Beer")

Tusker is often considered the national beer of Vanuatu. [1] [2] The brand has been marketed with the phrase Bia Blong Yumi, meaning "Our Beer" in Bislama. [14] It is widely available, [15] and has sponsored local community events [16] [17] and a local sports team. [18]

In 2022, a promotional oversized Tusker beer bottle at a roundabout in central Port Vila was replaced with a bottle of sparkling water after complaints from the Vanuatu Christian Council. [19]

References

  1. 1 2 Chai, Paul (February 3, 2017). "Things to do in Port Vila, Vanuatu: Three-minute guide". Stuff . Archived from the original on July 27, 2025. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "For the Love of Vanuatu! The Vanuatu Brewery Ltd. Story". Vanuatu Daily Post. November 9, 2019.
  3. "Kava, Cash, and Custom in Vanuatu | Cultural Survival". 3 March 2010.
  4. "About Us". Vanuatu Brewing Ltd. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  5. "Vanuatu Brewing Limited | LinkedIn". LinkedIn . Archived from the original on July 30, 2025. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  6. O'Callaghan, Mary-Louise (30 July 1990). "10 years on from the freedom tide". The Age . p. 13. Retrieved 29 August 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  7. Harding, Andrew (4 July 2007). "Paying in pig tusks in Vanuatu". BBC News . Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  8. Barry K.B Berkovitz (2012). Nothing but the Tooth: A Dental Odyssey. Newnes. p. 24. ISBN   978-0-12-397193-7.
  9. Kelly, John D. (1992). "Custom and the Way of the Land: Past and Present in Vanuatu and Fiji". The Politics of Tradition in the Pacific. 62 (4): 330–354. JSTOR   40332509.
  10. "Le Froid" (PDF). New Caledonia Trade & Invest. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 30, 2025. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  11. "Fiscal instability". Fiji Times . March 29, 2016. Archived from the original on July 27, 2025. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  12. Toara, Ezra (August 21, 2024). "Vanuatu Brewing Ltd to relocate to a state-of-the-art facility". Vanuatu Daily Post.
  13. "Our Beers". Vanuatu Brewing Ltd. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  14. "Other Englishes: The Case of Bislama | Strathy Language Unit". www.queensu.ca.
  15. "Local Tastes". Tourism Vanuatu. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  16. "Tusker 1km swim a success". Vanuatu Daily Post. January 29, 2015.
  17. "Tusker Major Beverage Sponsor for Vanuatu Golf Open 2019". Vanuatu Daily Post. July 13, 2019.
  18. Abel, Jason (July 2, 2022). "VBL proud to support Galaxy FC". Vanuatu Daily Post.
  19. Hakwa, Charles (January 12, 2021). "Tusker Bottle Replaced with Cascade Bottle". Vanuatu Daily Post.