Beer maker Kenya Breweries (KBL) will train 10,000 barmaids to enable them diversify their bar menu offerings for more revenue and on how to make themselves and their workplaces safer.
The training to be held under the global $100 million Diageo Bar Academy programme was launched in Embu where about 40 maids were trained on how to mix cocktails, keeping their bars hygienic and how to deal with stressful work conditions, especially during the ongoing pandemic.
KBL Director for Sales, Joel Kamau, while opening the training said the programme will have the participants’ access online training material from the Diageo Academy that will enable them to become world class barmaids.
He added that the alcoholic beverages market is changing with an increasing uptake of spirits and bar workers need to have skills to serve them and to add value to them.
The director said mixing cocktails, for example, would be one way of getting higher value from the spirits bottle since the cocktail will not only be sold at a premium price but will also boost the sales of mixing soft drinks.
Kamau said the company chose to train ladies in line with his company’s diversity and inclusion policy which aims to bring gender parity in its products’ value chain.
By Steve Gatheru
