AFRICA'S NO.1 FOOD, BEVERAGE & MILLING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

South Africa’s newly launched herbal tea brand Bospresso gains Rainforest Alliance certification

Jul 26, 2021Jul 26, 2021 Editor

SOUTH AFRICA – South African beverage firm, BOS Brands, has launched a Rooibos espresso dubbed Bospresso. Rooibos also known as bush tea or red tea, is a herbal hot beverage drink originating from a leguminous plant, widely enjoyed in South Africa. The new product, according to reports by Bizcommunity, bears the little green frog seal, making it the first Bos product boasting of attaining the Rainforest Alliance certification. The Rainforest Alliance seal indicates that the product is produced using methods that support the three pillars of sustainability i.e., social, economic,…

Dole Foods expands into functional foods, targets US$2.1B valuation in IPO

Jul 25, 2021Jul 26, 2021 Editor

US – Dole Packaged Foods has expanded into the increasingly popular functional food products category with the launch of Dole Fruitify juices and Dole Essentials fruit bowls. Fruitify with 65% juice and less than 100 calories per can has three varieties that combine pineapple juice with ingredients such as turmeric, green tea extract and coconut water. Dole Essentials fruit bowls are, on the other hand, available in three varieties that mix chunks of pineapple, mandarin oranges, or mixed fruit in 100% fruit juice with ingredients such as cucumber and mint, turmeric, and green tea extract. Both Dole Fruitify juices and Essentials fruit bowls have no added sugar, helping…

Delta Corporation revenue jumps 114% on back of recovered volume sales from low prior year base

Jul 16, 2021Jul 16, 2021 Editor

ZIMBABWE – Zimbabwe’s largest beverages maker, Delta Corporation, has registered a 114% growth in revenue in the first quarter to June 2021, in inflation adjusted terms, following significant recoveries in volumes, coming from a tight lockdown that disrupted business in the same period last year. The manufacturer of leading brands like Castle lager, Zambezi lager, Pilsener, Coca Cola and Chibuku in Zimbabwe, said on a historical basis, total revenue was 391% better than prior year. Delta attributed the first quarter volume recovery to a low base the group was coming…

Coca-Cola introduces Minute Maid brand in Angola through partnership with local beverage company Refriango

Jul 13, 2021Jul 13, 2021 Editor

ANGOLA – Refriango, one of Angola’s leading producers and distributers of soft beverages, energy drinks and alcoholic beverages, has entered into a partnership with one of the world’s largest soft drink companies, Coca-Cola. Under the agreement, Refriango will commence local production of Coca-Cola’s fruit-based juice brand Minute Maid, coming in three flavours tropical, orange and apple. The partnership is also aimed to open new market opportunities for the Angolan company, as it is eyeing the export routes to Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. “We…

Coca-Cola to open new tech center in South Africa, expanding its global digital network

Jul 7, 2021Jul 7, 2021 Editor

SOUTH AFRICA – The coronavirus pandemic has triggered seismic shifts in shopping behaviour, challenging The Coca-Cola Company to reinvent its approach towards brand launches, marketing campaigns, establishment of routes to market, and revenue growth management strategies. To this end, the soft beverage major, is driving digital transformation through its consistent messaging and movement into a more agile and growth-minded work environment. Furthering its pursuit to become nimbler and more responsive to the market, Coca-Cola is seeking to open a new digital delivery center in Johannesburg. This hub will be Coca-Cola’s…

Soft beverage manufacturer Schweppes Zimbabwe earmarks US$35m investment in citrus production

Jul 5, 2021Jul 5, 2021 Editor

ZIMBABWE – Schweppes Zimbabwe, manufacturer and distributor of non-carbonated beverages in Zimbabwe, is seeking to invest US$35 million in the next 10 years into a 2 700-hectare citrus plantation. This is in a bid to increase production and valued addition at its Beitbridge Juice Processing Plant. Shweppes, operating under a licence from The Coca-Cola Company Limited, currently processes 20,000 tonnes of fruits annually, against a target of at least 40,000 tonnes. The deficit is due to limited supply of raw materials in the local market, necessitated by the fact that…

Uganda beverage maker Hariss International expands Oner Fruit Juice offering with launch of new pack sizes

Jul 5, 2021Jul 5, 2021 Editor

UGANDA – Hariss International Limited, Uganda’s fast-growing manufacturers of food and beverages, has fostered convenience in its drink offering with launch of additional pack size for its renowned Oner Fruit Juice. The popular drink which is available in Mango, Apple and Berries flavours, was previously coming in a 500ml PET bottle only and is now available in a family size 1 litre bottle and an ‘on the go’ 200ml bottle. The innovation was driven by the increasing market demand from a cost-friendly, convenient and functional size of the product, meeting…

Coca-Cola transitions to 100% rPET bottles in UK as PepsiCo Europe commits to slash 25% sugar levels in sodas

Jul 2, 2021Jul 2, 2021 Editor

EUROPE – American beverage manufacturing giant is taking sustainability in beverage manufacturing a notch higher by transitioning to 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) bottles in all on-the-go bottles in Great Britain. According to a statement from the company, the transition involves all 500ml or less plastic bottles and covers the company’s entire portfolio of brands. With the transition, Coca-Cola brands in the Great Britain including Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Dr Pepper and Lilt will all be packaged in rPET bottles. The achievement sees Coca-Cola Great Britain up…

South Africa scratches its head to find balance between health, economic impact of sugar tax

Jun 30, 2021Jun 30, 2021 Editor

SOUTH AFRICA – The South African sugar industry has always publicly lamented the negative impact of the Health Promotion Levy (HPL) that was introduced in 2018 to the already distressed sector. The HPL on sugar-sweetened beverages, popularly known as “the sugar tax”, was implemented in April 2018, as one of the measures by the Department of Health to address obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in South Africa. Initially the HPL was set at 2.1 cents (US$0.0015) per gram of sugar content that exceeds 4 grams per 100ml, which means that…

Coca-Cola Nigeria ups fight against plastic waste by setting up its first recycling bank

Jun 30, 2021Jun 30, 2021 Editor

NIGERIA – As part of its commitment to driving its global World Without Waste agenda, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited’s bottling partner, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC), has launched a Plastic Recycling Bank in partnership with Recycle Points. The recycling station, which is located at its Ikeja manufacturing plant in Lagos, will aid the collection of PET plastics and ensure they are recycled. Recycle Points, a waste recycling and social benefit organization at the forefront of tackling the challenge of improperly disposed plastic waste in the country, will operate the recycling bank,…