In 1993, MetaCorp entered into a partnership with Brewtech, a brewing engineering subsidiary of M.P. Farm, to establish a high-tech brewery on the island of Aruba. The first product launched by the brewery in October 1999, Balashi Pilsner Beer, took the market by storm. Balashi Beer was unique to Aruba, made with the island’s pristine desalinated water, malt imported from Scotland, and hops from Germany. The bottles were returnable, which highlighted the company’s leadership in the field of environmental sustainability.

In 2001, MetaCorp purchased all shares in Balashi from M.P. Farm to strategically combine Tropical Bottling Company and Balashi Brewery operations at the same plant. Additionally that same year, the brewery launched another product, Malta Balashi, an energy-based, non-alcoholic beverage.

In 2011, Chill was introduced to the market as a refreshing summertime beach brew with a unique formula and flavor profile. The immediate demand was so high that the company decided to add Chill to its core portfolio.

In 2019 Balashi Brewery celebrated its 20th anniversary, launching a limited brew, B Sixty 2, to mark the occasion.

A MAGICAL beginning…

In 2020, Aruba’s first fruit-forward craft brew, Magic Mango, was developed at the brewery and introduced to the local market. Respecting Covid restrictions and protocols during this time, the brewery was not able to hold any formal launch or promotional events, relying on customer feedback and word-of-mouth once the product hit shelves.  Magic Mango, an Aruba Pale Ale with essences of freshly-picked mangoes balanced with malt, grain, and tempered with a light hoppy kick, set the standard for an expertly crafted, fruit-driven beer of the tropics. It was an immediate success out of the gate, with overwhelming response and embraced wholeheartedly in the market. Originally conceived as a seasonal/specialty beer, Magic Mango’s popularity and demand led to year-round production, followed by another fruit-infused beer added to the Magic portfolio in early 2022—Magic Orange.  Bright and lightly sweet citrus notes merge with malt in this hazy Aruba Pale Ale that’s loved for its smooth and easy-drinking style. Stay tuned for more exciting MAGIC in the future! 

Tropical Bottling and Balashi Brewery are certified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the categories of quality, environment, safety, and food safety.

ISO is an independent, non-governmental, international organization that develops standards to ensure the quality, safety, and efficiency of products, services, and systems. ISO certification ensures that an organization runs its business using international standards for products, services, and processes. These can include business management, environmental policies, or they can be standards that were developed by the ISO for specific business sectors.

	FSSC 22000 - The Foundation Food Safety System Certification 22000 (FSSC 22000) offers a complete certification Scheme for the auditing and certification of Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS).
	OHSAS 18001 focuses on managing your organization's internal environment to ensure a safe and healthy workplace.
	ISO 14001 is the international standard that specifies requirements for an effective environmental management system.
	ISO 9001 is the international standard for a quality management system (“QMS”). The standard is used by organizations to demonstrate their ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements and to demonstrate continuous improvement.