How to get your small business on the back of a Castle Lager can – and be paid R40,000 too

Limited edition 500ml cans of Castle Lager. (Supplied)

• Local beer brand Castle Lager has a plan to provide marketing and financing tools to small businesses in municipalities.
• The “Keep It Within” campaign will feature 16 companies in its limited edition 500ml cans every quarter, until the end of 2023.
• At the end of each quarter, one of the 16 selected companies will receive R40,000 in business financing.
• These are the criteria that companies must meet to have a chance of being included.
• For more stories, go to www.BusinessInsider.co.za.

beer brand castle beer has launched a campaign called “Keep It Within” aimed at providing small businesses in municipalities with funding, marketing support and business development tools.

The campaign will invest R34.5 million in more than 50 kasi companies from now until the end of 2023.

“As a brand, we recognize that our townships and Kasis have been completely transformed – this is where the good stuff happens, it’s a place of excellence, where people choose to do business in their local neighborhoods,” said Castle Lager Brand Director, Wendy Bedforth.

“44% of South Africans say they are spending more at Kasi and 75% say they would buy local brands rather than international fashion brands. Castle wants to give South Africans hope by supporting these local businesses because we know that when we focus on the base of the good, the good becomes even better”.

The campaign will feature 16 kasi companies putting their faces on the limited edition 500ml cans of Castle Lager.

Since the beginning of November, the beer brand has released its first batch of cans. It will continue to release 16 new batches profiling other small businesses each quarter through the end of 2023.

Businesses that qualify for the marketing campaign will also gain exposure on Cast Lager’s website and social media pages.

Small businesses featured on the current 500ml cans (Kwa Mamazala Cafe via Instagram)

Here’s How To Put Your Business On Caste Lager Cans And Get Some Financing

• To nominate a business, consumers 18 years and older must purchase a select Castle Lager pack and check *120*1895*unique code# to nominate one. Entry is 20c for 20 seconds in USSD for all networks.
• Businesses will be randomly selected through a draw for USSD tickets.
• Those selected will receive specific training in business and marketing development as part of the digital entrepreneurship program, in partnership with My Dough, a business accelerator and venture capital firm.
• At the end of the quarter, one of the 16 businesses will be selected for financing and will receive R40,000 for business development.

The campaign is open to companies from all sectors, but companies nominated will have to go through Castle Lager’s vetting process.

These are some of the criteria used in the research.

• Owners must be South African citizens and over 18 years of age, with no criminal record.
• Both the business and the owner should not have controversial content on social media that could pose a risk to the brand.
• The competition is open to licensed traders only, not informal businesses.
• There should be obvious contact details for the business, including a physical address.
• The business must have an impact in the community.