Murree Brewery, named after the mountainous Punjabi resort town that once served as a summer capital during British colonial rule, has the distinction of being almost 90 years older than Pakistan itself. And after decades of perseverance and adaptation, the rest of the world will soon be able to enjoy Pakistan’s unique contributions to the world of brewing.
The company has progressively expanded its beer exports over the last three years, beginning with exports to the United Kingdom and Portugal, with planned expansions to Japan and eventually the United States.
Though alcohol exports have been outlawed in Pakistan since 1977, the brewing industry survived owing to exceptions permitting its consumption for non-Muslims—roughly 4 percent of the population—and foreigners. Murree Brewery is the largest Pakistani-owned producer of alcoholic beverages, with two factories in Rawalpindi and Hattar that produce approximately 95 percent of Pakistan’s alcohol. Owing to this market dominance, Murree Brewery’s exception to the export ban marks the law’s de facto abrogation.
Several factors have contributed to Murree Brewery’s survival since 1977. For one, the Bhandara family, who purchased the company from its British founders in 1947, is Zoroastrian and therefore exempt from alcoholic prohibitions. CEO Isphanyar Bhandara is also a member of the National Assembly, holding one of the 10 seats reserved for religious minorities.
Murree Brewery has also prioritized diversifying its various product lines. For example, it was the first brewery in the Muslim world to produce aged malt whisky.
Additionally, it has expanded into the far more competitive and oversaturated non-alcoholic beverage market, producing soft drinks, energy drinks, and juices that have held their own against behemoth multinational competitors. Its success in that field is buoyed in part by Pakistan’s demographics; 64 percent of the population is under 30, the age bracket that most regularly consumes soda and energy drinks.
Murree Brewery reported 95 percent year-over-year growth in 2024, and with new markets opening globally, 2025 and 2026 may see its fortunes jump even higher.
