Food Business Africa

Fast growing Nigerian beverage maker Rite Foods drags NBC to court over alleged trademark infringement

Mar 24, 2021Mar 24, 2021 Editor

NIGERIA – Rite Foods, a fast-rising indigenous food and beverage company in Nigeria has taken to court giant beverage maker Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), over allegedly infringing on its trademark. According to the maker of the famous Bigi brand, NBC’s Predator Energy drink logo and brand share a resemblance with its own Fearless drink, which had existed for three years before NBC began to produce Predator, reports Guardian Nigeria. The plaintiff, Rite Foods Limited, has filed for an interim injunction against the defendant, NBC, restraining it from further promoting or…

Vineet Sharma to head AB InBev’s marketing and new business development in South Asia

Mar 23, 2021Mar 23, 2021 Editor

INDIA – Belgium-based and World’s largest beer company AB InBev has appointed Vineet Sharma as Vice President incharge of marketing and new business development for South Asia. Sharma, who joined AB InBev in 2016, was the trade marketing director for South Asia before his promotion to the new role. “I am thrilled to embark on this new journey to accelerate AB InBev’s business transformation agenda in South Asia,” Vineet Sharma said. “I look forward to working closely with our teams, business associates and partners to lead the charge through a…

South Africa’s Natures Own Beverages heightens frequency on hard seltzer buzz, launching Freely

Mar 23, 2021Mar 23, 2021 Editor

SOUTH AFRICA – Natures Own Beverages (Pty) Ltd, a small independent local producer of liquor in South Africa has introduced Freely, the new zero sugar, low alcohol hard seltzer in the market. Freely joins the recently launched Vawter Hard Seltzer by Distell Group and has hit the market before South African Breweries (SAB) introduces Flying Fish Seltzer in April. Claiming to be the latest buzzword on the South African drink scene, the new product comprises of sparkling water with a splash of premium distilled vodka and pure fruit taste tailormade…

Pepsi Bottling Ventures acquires Pepsi-Cola Roxboro as Frucor makes progress against sustainability commitments

Mar 23, 2021Mar 23, 2021 Editor

US – Pepsi Bottling Ventures (PBV), America’s privately-held manufacturer, seller, and distributor of Pepsi-Cola beverages, has completed its acquisition of Pepsi-Cola Roxboro, a franchise bottler based in North Carolina, US. The acquisition of the Roxboro bottler expands Pepsi Bottling Ventures’ distribution and sales territory to the North Carolina counties of Caswell, Person, Granville and Orange. Headquartered in North Carolina, PBV also has distribution locations in South Carolina, Maryland and Delaware. “We are very excited to be a part of the historic Roxboro community,” said Pepsi Bottling Ventures president and CEO,…

Diageo to expand US RTD operations as Heineken launches Pure Piraña hard seltzer across Europe

Mar 22, 2021Mar 22, 2021 Editor

US – UK-based alcoholic beverages giant Diageo is expanding its US ready-to-drink (RTD) operations as part of efforts to support its growth strategy in the rapidly expanding category. Consiquently, Diageo’s new Plainfield, Illinois site will be expanded to a tune of US$80 million. According to a statement from Diageo, the expansion project will include the installation of two high-speed can lines with the capacity to produce over 25 million cases of RTDs per year. Products to be produced at the Plainfield site include Smirnoff seltzers and Diageo’s newly-launched spirits-based RTD…

AB InBev doubles down on sustainability efforts with new barley-based packaging for Corona Beer

Mar 22, 2021Mar 22, 2021 Editor

US – In an effort to scale up its sustainability efforts, World’s largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev, has unveiled a new barley-based six pack beer packaging for its Corona beer brand. The company said it was repurposing surplus barley straw from beer-making supply chains into new packaging material for one of the world’s most popular beer, in a circular process targeting waste elimination. The new concept is based on three years of research, by AB InBev’s Global Innovation and Technology Center (GITEC). The research resulted in a packaging that uses 90…

African Distillers Zimbabwe appoints Stanley Muchenje as Managing Director

Mar 19, 2021Mar 19, 2021 Editor

ZIMBABWE – Zimbabwean wine and spirits manufacturer, African Distillers Limited (Afdis) has announced the appointment of Stanley Muchenje as the Managing Director of the company with effect from 1 April 2021. Stan will be taking over the helm of the organization from Cecil Gombera who retires from the company effect from 31 March 2021. Cecil joined the Afdis in October 2012 as the Chief Operating Officer. On 01 July 2013 he was appointed as the Managing Director, a position he held for 8 years. “The Board is grateful to him…

Zimbabwe’s leading beverage manufacturer Delta Corporation expands soft drink distribution network

Mar 19, 2021Mar 19, 2021 Editor

ZIMBABWE – Delta Corporation Limited, leading manufacturer and marketer of beverages in Zimbabwe has received the approval of the Competition and Tariff Commission (CTC) to expand its soft drink footprint and distribution network in Manicaland province. The beverage maker is involved, through its principal subsidiary Delta Beverages, in the brewing of lager and traditional beer and the bottling of soft drinks under licence from the Coca Cola Company. Following the approval, The Coca-Cola Company has extended its sparkling beverages franchise arrangements to cover the Eastern part of Zimbabwe. This cements…

World’s largest craft brewer BrewDog officially opens in India, plans to open 35 pubs by 2025

Mar 19, 2021Mar 19, 2021 Editor

US – BrewDog, the world’s largest craft brewer, has officially opened its first bar in India as part of an ambitious expansion that will see the brewer open 35 pubs across the nation and launch nearly a dozen bottled beer brands over the next four years. Initially, it will launch 22 tap beers and three bottled ones, including its flagship brand Punk IPA and a wheat beer brewed specially for the country. However, these will be imported for the first few months and hence will carry a 10% higher price…

PepsiCo expands Mountain Dew portfolio as RedBull debuts new limited edition dragon fruit energy drink

Mar 18, 2021Mar 19, 2021 Editor

US – U.S. multinational food and beverage company, PepsiCo has expanded its Mountain Dew portfolio with the launch of a zero-sugar version of its Mountain Dew Frost Bite drink. The new Mountain Dew Frost Bite Zero Sugar will be sold in 20oz bottles and 12-packs of 12oz cans and comes on the heels of the Mountain Dew Frost Bite launch at Walmart last year. “Dew is thrilled to introduce Mountain Dew Frost Bite Zero Sugar for fans who want a delicious zero-sugar option,” said Nicole Portwood, vice president, marketing, Mountain…