Corona, a brand committed to nature and renowned for its sustainable practices, collaborated with local governments in China and South Africa to create a new farming infrastructure to teach farmers to grow and yield high-quality “extra limes” all year round. Through the establishment of the Extra Lime Company, Corona empowered farmers as stakeholders. Ensuring year-round harvests which means year-round jobs, increasing farmers’ incomes and improving their lives while facilitating and inspiring Corona’s signature lime ritual each season.

As a brand that was born at the beach, Corona believes the best things – including limes - are made in nature. The popular ritual of squeezing lime juice into a Corona, then pushing the lime wedge into the bottle, made us a global favorite. Except, in countries where quality limes weren’t plentiful. In China and South Africa, we faced different challenges among high-quality lime shortage, difficulty for bearing limes year-round, and high unemployment rate. These challenges posed a significant threat to our business: Without limes, there could be no lime ritual, ultimately impacting the enjoyment of Corona.

Four years ago, we realized that China, the biggest beer market in the world, didn’t have good-quality limes. And as the beer that’s best enjoyed with one we made a bold decision: not to import limes but to grow them. That’s how the Corona Extra Lime was born. A completely new lime brand with the highest quality in the market that improved the experience of drinking a Corona, but also the life of thousands of Chinese farmers.

But China wasn’t the only big market with lime issues. South Africa is another key market for our business, but the lime shortage and the challenge of bearing them plus the high unemployment rate posed a significant business threat. So, again, instead of importing limes, we decided to grow the idea of something bigger. By establishing Extra Lime Company we created a new farming infrastructure that empowered farmers into stakeholders.

Instead of simply importing limes, Corona, a brand rooted in nature and known for sustainable practices, partnered with local governments in China and South Africa to fund a new farming infrastructure to teach farmers to grow and yield high-quality, “extra limes” all year round. Empowering them into stakeholders. Through Corona’s formation of the Extra Lime Company, year-round harvests generated year-round jobs, significantly increasing farmers’ incomes, while facilitating and inspiring Corona’s signature lime ritual each season. The enduring idea of sustainable lime production buoyed beer sales and farmer incomes simultaneously.

Corona pioneered its global farm-to-bottle strategy first in China, the world’s largest beer drinking market, where the brand’s lime ritual was not as familiar as in other parts of the world until local farmers began growing top quality limes and distributing them to markets, bars and restaurants. Extra Lime Company success saw rapid expansion to multiple Chinese provinces. Then moved quickly to South Africa, where only 10% of the harvest grew limes. We collaborated with a community organization and local fruit company to create a sustainable lime farm that guarantees a year-round harvest of Moletele Corona Limes, as they’re called in the Moletele community where they’re grown.

4 years ago, we launched a new lime brand to ensure Corona enjoyment in these countries. The success of Extra Lime is a tale of transformation—not just growing limes but growing a sustainable business that changed lives.

What began in a small community in Anyue, China, quickly moved to Moletele, a community in South Africa facing similar challenges as China. By innovating in farming methods, technologies, and partnering with local authorities, we helped farmers increase their harvests and yield top-quality limes. Ensuring year-round lime production, which means year-round jobs. Increasing the income for local farmers, their families, and their communities.

In 2024, Corona Extra Lime Company plans to scale up its global lime production, ensuring longevity to a new practice.

China: 279% cultivated area expansion

China: 20% of net profits redirected to farmes

South Africa: 70% of the country’s limes are produced

2170 farmers joined the company

Up to 87.8% increased income

7048 families impacted positively

122 Coronas served per min with our limes

+37.000 tons of lime produced

+59% Boost global sales

China: +21% Brand power

South Africa: +17% South Africa

In 2024, Corona plans 200% yield expansion to come which means 584 yields in total.