Category: Company Features, Interviews & Reports

 
 

Top 100 Food Companies in Africa 2020: Celebrating An Industry in Transformation

Editor

The food industry in the continent of Africa is on a long journey of transformation. A transformation that pits local startups against medium scale family groups, regional giants and conglomerates and last but not least, international behemoths that call Africa home, and which continue to vote with their top dollars on a continent that they do believe, is the future of their ambitions. The Food Business Africa Top 100TM is a biennial listing of some of Africa’s leading food, beverage and milling companies – the first such listing by any…

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The dairy industry in Uganda offers glimmer of hope for the country’s food industry

Editor

Since we last ran a profile of the dairy industry in Uganda in 2015, a lot has changed in the sector, as country continues to attract new investments and the sector becomes more sophisticated, to meet increasing demand for dairy products in the country, region and internationally. From its lush green fields, abundant rainfall and fertile soils, Uganda has made long strides in its food security journey over the last nearly four decades, since peace was restored in the East African country, following more than 20 years of instability and…

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Kwanza Tukule Foods: Tough times, new strategy to serve low income urban areas

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The World has changed significantly since we last featured Kwanza Tukule Foods in our sister publication Africa Inc. in early 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the business, just like many others across the World. We had a chat with company’s Founder Khadija Mohamed-Churchill on how the company has weathered the storm and pivoted into the future The Covid-19 pandemic outbreak has shown to the world of business the importance of last-mile connectivity and the opportunities that abound by adopting mobile and digital tools for the successful running of businesses.…

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AFEX Nigeria: Transforming Grains Commodity Markets with Technology

Editor

Developing viable commodity markets in Africa is fraught with failures and disappointments. AFEX, a private commodity trading enterprise based in Nigeria has shown that there are many opportunities in the sector. Food Business Africa had a conversation with the firm’s CEO, Ayodeji Balogun on his company and the opportunities in the sector. Authorities across Africa have failed at attempts to establish and streamline the warehousing receipt systems that would lead to organized, working and transparent commodity exchange systems that eventually lead to food security and improved trade in the Continent.…

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2020: A Review: Investments in new plants continue in Africa but Covid-19 impacts pace

Editor

Africa’s food and beverage market is worth more than US$313 billion and is projected to reach US$1 trillion by 2030. To spearhead growth, players in the industry have been raking in huge amounts of investments channelled towards upgrading facilities and systems, product innovations, expansions, technological advancements, among many others, with the anticipation of more efficient and cost-effective operations, which ensure higher returns and leadership in the market place. By Catherine Wanjiku Nigeria In Nigeria both local companies and multinationals with subsidiaries in the country invested in their organizations and the…

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2020: A Review: Covid-19 knocks the sail on deals in 2020 but Africa’s food industry remains positive

Editor

Deals are the lingo of businesses and the food and beverage industry in Africa had its fair share in 2020. Despite the pandemic, companies found ways to streamline their operations with the clinching of extra funding, acquiring and merging businesses, forming strategic partnerships and in some instances divesting to accelerate growth and create synergies in operations. By Catherine Wanjiku January January started with the government of Rwanda offloading 98.3% shareholding in Burera Diary Limited to African Solutions Private Ltd (Afrisol), a Zimbabwean firm. Burera Diary Ltd was one of three…

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Sustainability and Health Concerns Drive Innovations in Fruit Juice Processing

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By Paul Ongeto Fruit juice is as bad as soda’. ‘Cutting a glass of juice a day sharply reduces diabetes risk’. ‘Fruit juices linked to cancer’. These and other negative headlines have hit fruit juice producers almost weekly over the past decade – and consumers have noticed. The fruit juice industry today is grappling with reduced consumer demand in key markets as more and more people replace the drink with other alternatives perceived as superior in nutrition and functionality. According to data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the…

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Keeping up with the evolving clean label concept in dairy products

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Consumers across the World are seeking dairy products with natural and wholesome ingredients, especially in the yoghurt space – as the clean label trend evolves into the mainstream By Catherine Wanjiku The popular trend of healthy living has made consumers to demand the freshest, most natural, organic and wholesome food products. This shift has led to rise of a mega global trend known as “clean label.” A juggernaut it has become that the clean label ingredients market was valued at US$38.8 billion in 2018, and is projected to reach US$64.1…

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My Corporate Journey – Yinka Ogundana – FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria PLC

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Describe your current role, your key responsibilities and the most critical deliverables? What are the most important skills sets in achieving success in your role? Currently as a Plant Manager, my role entails end-to-end responsibility, from raw materials to every form of resources required to produce quality dairy nutrition products for our consumers. This requires raw materials coming in at the right time in the right quality specifications, involving good manufacturing practice, and that the entire process runs at specific and set food quality standards and that are produced at…

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2020: A Review: The executive corner in Africa’s food industry gains new talent in 2020

Editor

By Catherine Wanjiku As the saying goes, “To win in the marketplace you must first win in the workplace.” The food industry in Africa understands this too well as companies recruited the crème de la crème to join their organizations in 2020, especially at the senior most levels to exude their leadership prowess during these uncertain times characterized by multiple disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the notable appointments that made headlines in 2020 include: South African food manufacturing giant Tiger Brands, announced the stepping down of Khotso…

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