Whole Foods will source Fonio Rising Double Pilsner in early October, a collaboration between Brooklyn Brewery and Yolélé, a brand harnessing the power of the climate-resistant West African ancient grain fonio. The beer is a golden lager made from the fonio grain and is 6.4 percent ABV.
Yolélé’s mission is to bring underutilized African ingredients to global tables. Known as the "seed of the universe,” fonio has gained attention recently for its exceptional nutritional profile and culinary versatility, according to Brooklyn Brewery.
Prior to the creation of Fonio Rising, fonio had been featured in several limited-edition beers. In 2022, Brooklyn Brewery and Yolélé’s first partnered on Brooklyn Brewery x Yolélé Fonio White Beer, which was released regionally in the U.S., as was the Brewery’s collaboration with Run The Jewels, a beer dubbed 36” Chain. Additionally, in 2021, fonio was used in Seed, Stalk, And Root, a dark lager brewed in partnership with U.S.-based Cajun Fire Brewing Co. Most recently, in the U.K., Brooklyn Brewery teamed up for a fonio session IPA release with beer brand Brewgooder.
Fonio is drought-resistant and helps regenerate the soil within a two-month growing period, resulting in bountiful harvests, and providing a vital source of income for rural communities in fonio-farming countries. Fonio can play a role in efforts to forge a sustainable, biodiverse food system that addresses the effects of climate change.
"No fertilizers, no irrigation, no pesticides, no insecticides, no fungicides – nothing. Whether you look at it from an environmental perspective, a social benefit perspective for the farming communities, or from a brewing perspective, fonio is so good that it seems like someone must have just made it up,” said Garrett Oliver, brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery, in a statement. “But fonio is real, and Africa grows 700,000 tons of it every year. Fonio is easy to brew with and gives beautiful flavors to beer. This is very exciting stuff, and I can easily envision a future where fonio is widely used as an everyday brewing ingredient, bringing vast benefits to brewers, beer drinkers, farmers, and the planet."
Fonio Rising will be sold in a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans and will soon be available at Whole Foods Markets across the U.S.
Related: SFA Podcast: Bringing Fonio to the World Stage With Pierre Thiam, Yolélé; Yolélé, Brooklyn Brewery Debut Fonio Beer