The city of Usumbura (now Bujumbura), on the northern shores of Lake Tanganyika, was selected to house the new brewery whose name was Brasserie du Rwanda-Urundi.

In November 1957, Bralima started the construction work for a second brewery to be located in Gisenyi on the northern shores of Lake Kivu under the name Brasseries et Limonaderies du Rwanda.

[3] Upon independence, Bralima was incorporated in Congo Léopoldville, Brarudi in Burundi and Bralirwa in Rwanda.

[3] In 1975, the Government of Burundi acquired 40% control of Brarudi while Banque Bruxelles Lambert (BBL) retained its 60% shareholding.

[3] BBL exited Brarudi in 1982 through a selling its 60% stake to Heineken, a Dutch brewing conglomerate.