Co-op is preparing to sell Palestinian lager just a few weeks after the supermarket banned Israeli produce from its stores.
Announcing the plans, the retailer proclaimed it was “proud to be able to sell the beer in our stores” from Palestine’s first-ever brewery, Taybeh Brewing, based in the West Bank.
Co-op plans to stock the beer Sun & Stone from the family-run business across 1,600 of its British stores from September 10.
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The supermarket said it was 'proud' to sell Palestinian lager just weeks after axing Israeli produce from its shelves
|TAYBEH BEER / FACEBOOK
The partnership will allow Taybeh to continue exporting freely after it struggled to do so “because of checkpoint delays, customs restrictions and soaring operational costs under occupation”.
With the assistance of local company Brewgooder, the Palestinian brewery will create and bottle the beer in Scotland according to Taybeh’s traditional recipe.
Founded in the West Bank village of Taybeh in 1994, the controversial establishment is believed to be the first microbrewery across the entire Middle East.
Since 1995, the brewers have built up a following worldwide, sold in stores across the UK, US, Germany, Sweden and Japan.
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The first female brewer in the Middle East, Madees Khoury, who runs the company, said: “Things are getting worse, but we’re still here, still making beer ... We always find a way, and this partnership with our friends at Brewgooder, which will help us provide beer to the UK, is another example of that.”
The introduction of the Palestinian beer has coincided with the retailer caving to pressure from its members who urged the British supermarket to exhibit “moral courage and leadership” on the situation in the Middle East.
As a result, Co-op banned Israeli produce from its stores in June, boycotting Israel as well as the likes of Russia, Iran and Syria.
The decision sparked significant backlash from top politicians, while the Board of Deputies of British Jews declared that such a boycott would “do nothing to advance peace in the Middle East”.
The beer will be sold across 1,600 Co-op stores from September 10
|TAYBEH BEER / FACEBOOK
Additionally, Labour MP Damien Egan urged the UK to turn its focus to uniting Israel and Palestine, rather than "driving them apart through divisive boycotts”.
In response, Co-op’s chairman Debbie White said: “As a business, we have a long-standing legacy of doing the right thing, supporting Fairtrade and championing ethical sourcing, and this policy is a natural progression of this.”
The money made from sales will go towards the brewer and the charity Disasters Emergency Committee.
The organisation’s director of campaigns, public affairs and policy Paul Gerrard insisted that the move would offer “essential funds to those who need it most”.