NB wins approval to merge Consolidated Breweries
NIGERIA – Nigerian Breweries (NB) said on Monday it won regulatory approval to merge its operations with rival Consolidated Breweries, majority owned by its parent firm Heineken.
Beverages
African Distillers goes regional with a new cider production line
ZIMBABWE – African Distillers Ltd (Afdis), one of the best wines and spirits maker in the region has said it would focus on exporting ciders into the regional market.
SABMiller has ‘plans to expand beer’s appeal in mature markets’
UK – SABMiller plc has a long-term vision of expanding the boundaries of the beer category and appealing to more consumers through innovation and by challenging traditional perceptions of beer, SABMiller CEO Alan Clark said at an investor seminar in London on Monday.
East Africa Bottling to launch Coca-Cola branded water to Ethiopia
ETHIOPIA – The East African Bottling Company, Coca Cola’s maker, is introducing the brand’s bottled water, Dasani, to the market.
Sorghum farmers call for review of tax on keg beer
KENYA – Sorghum farmers want the Treasury to review the 50 per cent excise duty imposed on keg beer in this year’s budget, saying it is hurting production.
EABL owner Diageo signs pact to reduce alcohol abuse
UK – EABL’s main shareholder, Diageo PLC, Thursday joined the world’s 13 leading alcohol and wine makers in signing a commitment to reduce harmful consumption of their products.
Price-sensitive consumers shift brewers’ focus to value brands
NIGERIA – Nigerian beer consumers are becoming increasingly price-conscious and are opting more for products in the value segment which are more affordable than the well-known mainstream brands.
Afdis profits to jump 15 percent
ZIMBABWE – Spirit maker African Distillers Limited (Afdis) is expected to increase its profits in the half year to December by 15 percent to $2,3 million from $2,08 million recorded in the full year to June 2014, market experts say.
Coca-Cola Nigeria appoints new PR agency
NIGERIA – Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited has announced the appointment of The Quadrant Company as the new public relations consultants to steward her corporate and beverage brands, effective from September 2014.
Namibia brewery builds up steam for SABMiller
NAMIBIA – SABMiller’s first Namibian brewery, which cost $33m (R367m) to build, has started producing its Carling Black Label brand, and will be fully operational later this year, the company said on Thursday.
SABMiller leaps as merger talk follows Heineken ‘no’
SOUTH AFRICA – SABMiller’s value on the JSE ballooned by R94bn to R1.08-trillion on Monday after reports suggested it was likely to be at the centre of any mooted consolidation among the world’s biggest brewers.
Heineken rejects takeover offer from SABMiller
HOLLAND – Dutch brewing giant Heineken has rejected a takeover offer from London brewer SABMiller saying the proposal is “non-actionable”.
Guinness Nigeria reports N109bn revenue
NIGERIA – Guinness Nigeria Plc, has released its results for the year ended June 30, 2014.
Bottled water brands undergo strict new standards assessment
ETHIOPIA – Aimed at insuring compliance to the mandatory standards the government has set for the manufacturers of packed mineral water, the Ethiopian Conformity Assessment Enterprise (ECAE) has announced that only six of the 32 bottled mineral water brands in the market have so far under gone laboratory testing and inspection, thereby securing a quality compliance certificate.
Brewers’ strategy change intensifies competition
NIGERIA – A change in strategy by Nigeria’s dominant brewers has intensified competition in the sector.
Volume growth spurs Afdis performance
ZIMBABWE – Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed African Distillers Limited posted a 150 percent increase in profit for the year ended June 2014 spurred by volume growth, cost management and improved productivity.
Guinness directors meet to recommend dividend
NIGERIA – Guinness Nigeria Plc has notified the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) that it has scheduled a board of directors meeting to hold on Thursday, September 4, 2014.
Distell earmarks R500m for its foray into the rest of Africa
SOUTH AFRICA – Distell Group has earmarked more than R500m for investments into various African countries and it will partly fund the war chest through a cost saving and supply chain efficiency programme, the liquor group said on Monday.