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 publication.
Brought to you by the team at FW Africa, the publishers of Africa’s No.1 Food, Beverage & Milling Industry magazine Food Business Africa, the Food Business Africa Top 100TM is a celebration and acknowledgment of the huge progress and revolution of the food industry in Africa. It celebrates resilience, innovation and impact of the vital food industry in the world’s last frontier.
Every two years, our editors have committed to avail this listing in this publication for our readers to have their say as well, in what they do think are some of the companies that are moving the needle of Africa food industry’s progress.
The listing’s key consideration criteria for a company to make it to the listing includes industry leadership, innovations and sustainability credentials and community impact.
From our own perspectives, the companies on this list have had the most positive impact on the food industry in Africa in the last 1-3 years – and we do know that we may be wrong in some few cases, but we stand by our perspective.
Please note that the editors have taken into consideration regional and industry coverage to come up with this listing.
An industry revolutionised in two decades
The very fact that this listing is possible in 2021 is in itself a testimony to the growth and transformation of the food industry in our Continent! If we are take a journey back to the year 2000, at the turn of the millenium – and when yours truly was just a young food scientist joining the industry from the university – I doubt if we could have managed to put together a Top 100 listing of Africa’s food industry, and in the scale and diversity we have witnessed as I and my team of editors pored over websites and company reports to come up with this listing. It is interesting to note that a substantial number of companies on this list did not even exist in 2000 – or were at the basic formative stages of their journey.
Over the past two decades, not only have we seen the the African entreprenueral spirit come into the fore, with local businessmen investing in food companies, but we have also seen the entry of more international giants from Europe, Americas and Asia into the continent’s food industry, investing billions of dollars in the process in the local agricultural value chains, production plants and into the supply chain.
Gone are the days when the likes of Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestle, Unilever, Diageo and Heineken were the only major international players in Africa. Others like FrieslandCampina, Kellogg, Danone, AB InBev, among many others have followed suit.
But the story of the African food industry can no longer be talked about by just listing the multnational companies; the majority of the companies on our list are younger than 30 years and are family-owned local businesses that have grown and created the space in their own right and deserve the accolades that come with this listing.
We are sure that when the story is told 20 years from now, the structure and the listing of the major players in Africa’s food industry will have gone even more transformation – even more revolutionary than what we have witnessed in the past two decades.
We hope we shall continue keeping tabs on the progress in Africa’s food industry – and that in early 2023, you shall join us to read our next listing in this publication!
THE LISTING FROM A-Z
Country: Egypt
Sector: Alcoholic Beverages
Description: With a history that dates back to 1897, Al Ahram Beverages has proved to be one of the most resilient business enterprises in Egypt. For the 123 years of existence, the company has continuously quenched the thirst of beer drinkers with its most popular and arguably the most successful beer in Egypt – Stella. The brewing giant controls over 70% of Egypt’s beer industry and has introduced a number of non-alcoholic beverages including Fayrouz, Birell and Amstel Zero.
Country: Rwanda
Sector: Grains processing
Website: www.africaimprovedfoods.com
Description: Founded as a joint venture between the government of Rwanda and a consortium of companies led by DSM, Africa Improved Foods is a game changer in Rwanda’s food industry. The company’s state of the art milling plant is a trendsetter in quality milling and food safety management. Its food products are aimed at addressing malnutrition, with a focus on social impact, for which it has won a number of global awards including the 2018 World Changing Ideas awards and the 2019 SDG award for sustainable consumption.
Country: Ethiopia
Sector: Fruit Juice
Website: www.africajuice.com
Description: Located in the lush green Upper Awash Valley, Africa juice is revolutionizing how tropical fruit juice business is done in sub-Saharan Africa. With an investment of US$10 million, Africa Juice transformed a former state-owned fruit farm to create a modern tropical fruit plantation and built a new processing facility. The company has recently invested in a new processing line to produce emulsions and compounds for local and regional beverage companies. It has also added papaya products to its local offering and is finalising plans to add organic products as from mid-2021.
Country: Zambia
Sector: Milling
Website: www.africanmillingzambia.com
Description: African Milling Limited, with barely 15 years of operations, has grown to become one of Zambia’s largest integrated wheat and maize flour milling operations. The company produces and sells breakfast and roller maize meals. It also produces different types of bread flour traded under the name AFAM. In 2019, the company commissioned its newly installed maize mill with a capacity of 336 tonnes per day and 50,000MT storage. It also operates a 120 metric tonnes wheat mill plant since the year 2010.
Country: South Africa
Sector: Poultry
Website: www.astralfoods.com
Description: Astral Foods Limited is one of the leading integrated poultry producers in South Africa. It is engaged in manufacturing of animal feeds, broiler genetics, production and sale of day-old chicks and hatching eggs, breeder and broiler production, abattoir and further processing operations and sales, and distribution of various poultry brands. It has 4 fully integrated broiler production facilities, 9 feed mills and 180 agricultural sites. In 2020, the company processed approximately 5.2 million broilers per week, 447, 918 tonnes of poultry products and produced 1,355,230 tonnes of feed.
Country: Sudan
Sector: Flour Milling, Food and Beverage
Website: www.araak.com
Description: The Araak Group is a leading food company in Sudan with interests in flour milling and beverage bottling. The Group’s bottling business is the largest of its kind in Sudan, producing in partnership with PepsiCo, the country’s popular soft drinks Pepsi, Mirinda, and 7Up. Its milling subsidiary, Wheata Flour Mills, is one of the largest in the country. It recently launched Tornado, the country’s first energy drink and has since diversified to bottled water and fresh juices.
Country: Ethiopia
Sector: Alcoholic beverages
Website:
Description: With an history of making wine that spans over 70 years, Awash Wine Share Company is an industry leader in Ethiopia’s alcoholic beverages industry. Despite being the oldest wine estate in the country, Awash Wine has stood the test of time, producing quality wine such as Awash, Kemila, and Gouda for both export and local consumption. The company recently commissioned a new production line at its Mekanisa Winery and also launched Dankira – Ethiopia’s first cocktail wine, in an effort to bring modern wine drinking habits to Ethiopia.
Country: Tanzania
Sector: Grain processing, Bakery, Dairy & Soft Beverages & Sugar Processing
Website: www.bakhresa.com
Description: With a total investment that is estimated to be in excess of US$10.5 billion, the Bakhresa Group is the largest industrial conglomerate in Tanzania. With the largest wheat milling capacity in Eastern Africa, the company is also a significant player in the soft beverages and dairy sector in Tanzania. The company’s presence in Tanzania has been critical in propelling Tanzania into a food manufacturing hub, producing enough for exports to neighbouring countries. One of the most admirable brands Africa, according to Brand Africa, the Group has diversified its operations into other countries in the region, with its milling plants in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. The company has entered the sugar sector and is building a new sugar mill called Bagamoyo Sugar Ltd, to boost local production.
9. Barry Callebaut Ivory Coast
Country: Ivory Coast
Sector: Cocoa & Chocolate
Website: www.barry-callebaut.com
Description: Barry Callebaut Group is a leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products and also undertakes sourcing and processing cocoa beans. In Ivory Coast, the company recently launched a new grinding unit at its SACO plant, part of a CHF 55 million (US$61m) investments aimed at increasing its cocoa bean processing capacity by over 40% by 2022. Barry Callebaut has also made strides in boosting transparency and traceability in its cocoa supply chain with farm mapping in the region.
10. Beloxxi Industries Limited
Country: Nigeria
Sector: Grains, Milling, and Pastry
Website: www.beloxxigroup.com
Description: Founded in 1994 as an importer and distributor of internationally branded biscuits in Nigeria, Beloxxi Industries has grown to become one of the leading biscuit manufacturing brands in the West African nation. Its turning point came in 2003 when Nigeria banned importation of biscuits. Beloxxi snapped this opportunity to build one of the most advanced biscuit plants in West Africa and has since upgraded twice in response to consumer demand. The company’s ability to evolve in a dynamic African market and create employment for over 2,300 people is unique and qualifies it to be a top African company.
Country: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania
Sector: Fast Moving Consumer Goods
Website: www.bidcoafrica.com
Description: Bidco Africa is East Africa’s leading manufacturer of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and home of some of the region’s brands across the edible oils and fats segment such as Golden Fry and Kimbo. The company most recently expanded its portfolio to incorporate noodles and soft beverages. It also undertakes production of animal feed through a joint venture with Land O’Lakes, when they invested US$12m in the upgrade of its animal feed factory in Nakuru County. The company also collaborated with Danish firm Co-Ro Foods in a multi-million juice production factory near Nairobi.
Country: Kenya
Sector: Dairy
Website: www.biofoods.co.ke
Description: Bio Food Products is a leading premium dairy food company in Kenya, pioneering new concepts in products and packaging within East Africa. The company was the first to introduce Greek-style yoghurt in the region, unique flavour combinations and also leads on the sustainability front with its introduction of lightweight milk bottles for their long life milk. As the first in East Africa, Bio Food also launched fat-free and no added sugar yogurt and lactose free milk. In the recent past, they received an investment of an undisclosed amount from TBL Mirror, which gave it the muscle and impetus to be a leader in innovations in the sub-sector. The company has expanded its portfolio to include culinary products such as ketchup sauces, mayonnaise and cheese.
Country: Ethiopia
Sector: Alcoholic beverages
Website: www.bgiethiopia.com
Description: BGI Ethiopia is the custodian of Ethiopia’s oldest brewery – St. George brewery – and the country’s oldest and most popular beer – the St. George beer. BGI also holds the title of the earliest foreign investor in Ethiopia’s brewery sector, entering the business in 1982 through the acquisition of St. George. The company is accredited with upgrading Ethiopia’s beer industry to international standards and for bringing down the cost of beer. Even with the entrance of other foreign companies, BGI still remains the company that brews the country’s popular and historic beer.
Country: Botswana
Sector: Meat
Website: www.bmc.bw
Description: The Botswana Meat Commission has been a key driver of development in Botswana since 1965. The corporation, which is the only licensed meat exporter in the country, is a source of income to thousands of Batswana who keep beef animals. The 9th largest exporter of beef to the European Union, BMC continues to seek new markets particularly in China, Russia, and USA in an effort to secure better prices and direct market for its products.
Country: Kenya
Sector: Dairy
Website: www.brookside.co.ke
Description: Brookside Dairy Limited is Eastern Africa’s largest dairy processing company, engaged in procuring, manufacturing and marketing of milk and milk products. The company has expanded its influence into more than 12 countries, priding itself to have more than 200,000 farmers in East Africa, delivering milk to it each day. It sells a wide range of products that include fresh milk, long-life milk, fermented milk, yoghurt, flavoured milk and butter under its brands Brookside, Delamare, Ilara, Tuzo and Molo Milk. In 2014, the company upped its game investing US$35 million in a milk powder plant, to tap into the excess milk volumes during the flash period in the region.
Country: Nigeria
Sector: Flour milling; sugar refining; rice and oil processing
Website: www.buagroup.com
Description: BUA Group is one of Africa’s leading food and manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Nigeria. The company’s investments in agriculture value chain are spread across various industries from flour, pasta to sugar plantation & refining and edible oils. It has invested north of US$300 million in backward integration programs to boost Nigeria’s capacity to grow and process its own sugar. While in the flour and pasta segment, the company has recently inked agreements to increase its wheat and pasta processing capacities.
Country: Ghana
Sector: Cocoa & Chocolate processing
Website: www.cargill.com/worldwide/ghana
Description: Cargill Ghana sources and processes cocoa, supplying high quality cocoa powders and cocoa butter to global food manufacturers for use in products like chocolate, biscuits, chocolate drinks and ice cream all over the World. The company recently announced an investment of US$13 million in the expansion of its cocoa processing site in Ghana to increase production capacity by 20%. It further committed US$3.4 million to spearhead the sustainability programs and cocoa traceability efforts in the country.
Country: Morocco
Sector: Dairy
Description: Controlling a market share of 30%, Centrale Danone is Morocco’s largest dairy company. The company has over 28 dairy products with the Centrale Fresh milk product being the most popular. Working with over 116,000 dairy farmers across Morocco and employing over 8,000 people, Centrale Danone is a true leader in Morocco’s food industry. During the pandemic, the Centrale Danone launched Ana Jay, an innovative home delivery solution during the pandemic.
Country: Nigeria
Sector: Dairy, Soft Beverages & Snacks
Website: www.chilimited.com
Description: Chi Limited is a fast-moving consumer goods company producing dairy, beverages and snacks products with notable brands such as Capri-sun, Chivita and Hollandia. The Coca-Cola Company acquired full ownership of the leading juice producer in 2018. The company recently launching the country’s first lactose free milk dubbed Hollandia Lactose Free and a partially skimmed evaporated milk product, Hollandia Slim Evaporated Milk. Contributing to the development of the country’s dairy sector, CHI is currently undertaking infrastructural developments of facilities at the Bobi Grazing Reserve in Niger State to contribute to the country’s dairy development.
Country: South Africa
Sector: Dairy
Website: www.clover.co.za
Description: Clover Industries is a branded foods and beverages group in South Africa majorly dealing with dairy products through its subsidiary Clover S.A. It processes its milk into a range of household name brands of milk, yogurt, butter and cheese, among many others. The company’s other unit is known as Clover Beverages, which produces and distributes branded fruit juices and flavored milk drinks. Clover has one of the largest and most extensive distribution networks in South Africa, giving it extensive reach. In 2019, the company was acquired by Milco SA for more than US$330 million.
Country: Uganda
Sector: Soft beverages
Description: Founded in 1993, Crown Beverages is probably one of the youngest franchise bottlers of PepsiCo- an American multinational soft beverage manufacturer known for its flagship sodas, Pepsi and Mountain Dew. It was awarded the 2018 PepsiCo Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa Bottler of the Year award.
22. Coca-Cola Beverages Africa in Kenya
Country: Kenya
Sector: Soft Beverages
Website: www.ccbagroup.com
Description: Coca-Cola Beverages Africa in Kenya is the bottler of the multinational soft drink company, Coca-Cola. CCBA Kenya operates four subsidiaries: Nairobi Bottlers, Equator Bottling Company, Crown Beverages Ltd and Almasi Beverages Limited. Its recent major investment in the country was the US$30 million juice plant that was commissioned in 2017. Some of its well-known brands include Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprit, Dasani water, Minute maid, etc.
23. Coca-Cola Beverage South Africa
Country: South Africa
Sector: Soft Beverages
Website: www.ccbsaco.com
Description: Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) is a subsidiary of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) and manufacturer, bottler and distributor of a wide range of non-alcoholic beverages for The Coca-Cola Company. The company has 12 manufacturing plants, which it has recently revamped with the installation of solar power, aiming to meet 25% of its electricity needs supplied by renewable energy sources by 2025. CCBSA is committed to the ideal of transformation and Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment, as the beverage maker recently made its 8,000 employees a lucky lot by allowing them to ‘taste the feeling’ of its shares through the Ikageng Employee Share Trust created to offer workers shares and direct economic participation in the business.
Country: Morocco
Sector: Dairy, meat, juice, fruits and vegetables
Website: www.copag.ma
Description: With over 5,800 employees and annual revenues that exceed US$400 million, The Copag Agricultural Cooperative is among the largest institutions of its kind in the Kingdom of Morocco. Drawing a membership of some 20,000 smallholder farmers, the cooperative is a leader in the country’s dairy industry, accounting for 11% of the total milk sold. Apart from Jaouda, its yogurt and fresh juice brand, Copag also has interests in meat processing trading under the Jayda brand, and in fruits and vegetables, where it trades under the Copag Delight brand.
Country: South Africa
Sector: Dairy
Website: www.dairygroup.co.za
Description: Dairy Group South Africa was formed from the merger of Dairy Farmers of South Africa (DFSA) and Coega Dairy in 2020 – becoming South Africa’s largest UHT milk processor. The new joint venture combines offerings from both companies with DFSA bringing it’s over a century long experience as a market leader in the procurement of raw milk and supplying premium brands such as Clover, matching with Coega Dairy’s low-cost efficiency and house-brand knowledge. The company produces UHT milk, sterilized milk, powder milk, butter and other dairy products.
Country: Sudan
Sector: Flour Milling, Dairy, Food & Beverages
Website: www.dalgroup.com
Description: Dal is an industry leader in Sudan and the country’s largest foods and agribusiness company. Its dairy subsidiary, Capo Dairy, is the country’s largest, supplying over 70% of Sudan’s total yogurt demand and about 40% of the fresh milk. Dal also has interest in the grains and milling industry and owns Sudan’s largest mill Sayga, which produces wheat flour, pasta, sugar, tea, biscuits, and powdered beverages. Its most popular brands include the Cap Yogurt and the Capo UHT milk. The company is the local partner for two international food brands; Unilever and Kraft Heinz and is also the bottling company for Coca-Cola. In March 2020, the company received a US$75 million loan from the African Development Bank to increase capacity to source and produce raw materials locally.
Country: Morocco
Sector: Grains & Milling
Website: www.dalia.ma
Description: The Dalia Food Group is a force to reckon with in the Moroccan food space, with interests in agricultural commodity trading, grain milling and food processing. The Group recently merged its commodity trading subsidiary Dalia Commodex with its grain handling business Dalia Grains to improve operational efficiency. Dalia Corp, its milling subsidiary is a leader in the country’s flour industry and has capacity to process more than 680 tonnes of wheat in a day. Closing the group’s value chain is Dalia Food, a subsidiary focused on processing of semolina into pasta, with capacity to process 20,000 tonnes of couscous and 40,000 tonnes of long and short pasta in a year.
Country: Nigeria
Sector: Sugar milling, salt and seasoning processing, tomato processing
Website: www.dangote.com
Description: Dangote Group is a leading diversified investment holding firm in Nigeria with focus on sugar milling and refining through its Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc., with a capacity of 1.49 metric tons per annum. This is in addition to its salt, seasoning and tomato processing facility supported by the group’s recently established N3 billion (US$7.7m) greenhouse nursery in Kano, which is designed to process between 300 and 350 million tonnes of hybrid tomato seedlings. The business giant is also in the process of establishing a fertilizer complex in Lagos State deemed to be the largest in the World, with a 3 million tonnes per annum capacity worth US$2.5 billion.
29. De-United Foods Industries Limited (DUFIL)
Country: Nigeria
Sector: Noodles
Website: www.dufil.com
Description: DUFIL is Africa’s largest instant noodles manufacturer and home to the famous Indomie brand. The company is comprised of six subsidiaries: Dufil Prima Foods, De United Foods Industries and Northern Noodles Limited undertaking Noodles production; Pure Flour Mills Limited supplying the noodle divisions with flour; Insignia Print Technology LFTZ Enterprise, printing flexible packaging material to meet DUFIL’s requirement; and Raffles Oil LFTZ Enterprise, a palm oil refinery.
Country: Zimbabwe
Sector: Soft & Alcoholic Beverages
Website: www.delta.co.zw
Description: Delta Corporation, the Zimbabwe franchise partner for Coca-Cola, is major player in the country’s beverage sector. It not only bottles and distributes Coca-Cola beverages but also manufactures lager beer, traditional sorghum beer and other sparkling soft drinks, including Schweppes. The company recently announced plans to purchase assets of a local bottling company and is finalising discussions with The Coca-Cola Company for the extension of the sparkling beverages franchise territory in the country.
Country: Egypt
Sector: Dairy, Fruits and Vegetables
Website:
Description: Spreading over some 10,000 acres and being home to at least 17,000 cattle, Dina Farms is arguably Egypt’s largest agricultural venture. The company does not just produce milk; it processes into a wide range of products including fresh milk, flavored milk, yogurt and cheese. Its fresh milk is particularly popular and the firm is believed to control over 70% of Egypt’s fresh milk market. The farm has also diversified into producing other farm produce including mangoes, grapes, olives, wheat and potatoes among others. In 2019, the farm attracted an investment of about US$24 million from Qalaa Holdings, which it invested in upgrading of facilities at its dairy farming section.
Country: South Africa
Sector: Alcoholic Beverages
Website: www.distell.co.za
Description: Distell is Africa’s leading producer of spirits, wines, ciders and ready-to-drinks (RTDs) as well as the world’s second largest producer of ciders. The company produces and markets a diverse portfolio of alcoholic brands such as Amarula, Savanna, Bain’s, Hunter’s Dry, Durbanville Hills, Scottish Leader and Nederburg across the World. Since 2015, it has spent 3.87 billion Rand (US$254 million) on expanding its capacity, including manufacturing and distribution in Africa. With operations and ambitions into the rest of Africa, the beverage maker is seeking to enter the CBD infused drink market with its recent acquisition of a minority stake in South African cannabidiol brand RETHINK.
Country: Kenya
Sector: Coffee
Website: www.dormanscoffee.com
Description: Dormans Coffee is East Africa’s leading coffee trading, roasting and agronomy company. The company has a leading position in Kenya for a number of coffee products including roast and ground coffee, instant coffee, coffee capsules, premixes, syrups and premium tea, all sold under its Dormans brand. The coffee processor is passionate about the growth of the industry, which led it to established Africa’s first Barista training school, The Nairobi School of Coffee. One of its notable sustainability projects is the installation of 2,880 solar modules at its new facility, which produces 1.4 million kilowatt-hour of electricity per year.
Country: Kenya
Sector: Bakery
Website: www.dplfestive.com
Description: DPL Festive is one of the leading bakeries in Kenya, producing the market dominant Festive brand. The bakery’s main product range include breads, sandwich breads, burger buns, hot dog rolls and cream rolls, coming in either white, brown, white milky or whole meal brown variety. Its other brands include Nature’s Gold and Festivita.
Country: Egypt
Sector: Snacks & Confectionary
Website: www.ir.edita.com.eg
Description: Edita is a leading Egyptian snack food producer in the Middle East and North Africa. The company has 10 leading brands spread across its six segments including cakes, bakery, rusks, wafers, candy and biscuits. In 2019, the company acquired full control of its confectionary venture after buying the minority interest for US$3.1 million. An innovations led company that is listed on both the Egyptian and London Stock Exchange, it recently secured a US$8.1 million from Arab Bank to finance construction of its new factory in Morocco, as it expands into the region.
36. Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company
Country: Equatorial Guinea
Sector: Non-Alcoholic beverages
Website: www.eccbc.com
Description: Founded in 1989 in Equatorial Guinea, the Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company has grown to become one of the largest bottling companies in Africa with presence in 13 countries in the north and west of the continent. Apart from Equatorial Guinea, the company has a presence in Guinea Conakry, Mauritania, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, The Gambia, Ghana, Morocco and Algeria.
Country: Ghana
Sector: Dairy
Website: www.fanmilk.com
Description: Fan Milk Limited manufactures and markets dairy products and fruit drinks in Ghana. The company produces a range of frozen yoghurts, chocolates, ice cream, snacks, ice-lollies and citrus drinks under the brand names FanYogo, FanChoco, FanIce, FanDango and FanPop. Fan Milk is the perfect definition of Ghana to the world as it has also set base in six other countries i.e., Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Nigeria, Liberia, Burkina Faso and Benin.
Country: Egypt
Sector: Grains & Milling
Website:
Description: Opened in 1998 with a grain milling capacity of 450 tonnes per day, Five Star Flour Mills has grown over the years to become one of Egypt’s largest private flour milling companies. The company has a milling capacity of 1,250 tonnes and produces a wide range of flour products. It owns a dedicated berth at Adabiya port in Suez, fitted with a grain unloader capable of processing 600 tonnes/hour from Panamax size vessels and grain silos with storage capacity of 125,000 metric tons, which is also the largest in Egypt.
Country: Nigeria
Sector: Grain milling, sugar refining, edible oil processing
Website: www.fmnplc.com
Description: Flour Mills Nigeria Plc, is Nigeria’s leading foods and agro-allied group, with business interests in food production, packaging, agricultural industries, port operations and logistics. The company manufactures and sells wheat flour, pasta, noodles, edible oil and refined sugar under its iconic brand “Golden Penny” as well as livestock feeds; fertilizers, polypropylene sacks and flexible packing materials. The firm also grows and processes sugar cane, oil palm and cassava. Reputed as Africa’s largest single site wheat miller, FMN celebrated its 60-year anniversary in 2020.
Country: Nigeria
Website: www.frieslandcampina.com.ng
Sector: Dairy
Description: Nigeria’s leading dairy processor and affiliate of Royal FrieslandCampina, it provides high quality dairy products through its brands Peak, Three Crowns and Friso. At the heart of its operations in Nigeria is the dairy development programme, a backward integration plan, which has recorded an increase in fresh milk collection from farmers to hit an all-time high record of 40,000 litres of milk per day. The company has also recently ramped up its operations with acquisition of Nutricima’s dairy business from PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc and commissioning of state-of-the-art plant for local production of its Peak brand yoghurt.
Country: Nigeria
Sector: Culinary
Website: www.thegbfoods.com
Description: GB Foods is a culinary products manufacturer that produces tomato sauce, bouillon cubes, curry powder and mayonnaise. The company recently invested in Nigeria, inaugurating its N5.5 billion (US$14.3m) state-of-the-art production factory for its leading mayonnaise brand, Bama Mayonnaise and opened a N20 billion (US$51.9m) tomato processing factory in Kebbi state, aimed to help the country achieve self-sufficiency in production of tomatoes and its related products.
Country: Kenya
Sector: Milling
Website: www.grainindustries.com
Description: Grain Industries Limited (GIL) has invested in a state of the art milling plant producing wheat flour products, that has catapulted the Mombasa-based miller into the leading wheat miller in Kenya, in a few short years. The products are sold under its flagship brand Ajab, which has taken the Kenyan market by storm, adding a maize meal plant in 2020.
Country: Ghana
Sector: Beverage
Website: www.diageo.com/en/our-business/where-we-operate/africa/guinness-ghana-breweries-plc
Description: Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited, a subsidiary of Diageo Plc. manufactures and markets a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages for the Ghanaian domestic market and for international export. Its product offering includes spirits, beers, lagers and stouts as well as ready-to-drink products. Popular brand names include Guinness, Orijin, Ciroc Vodka, Johnnie Walker Whisky, Star Lager, among many others. Its non-alcoholic beverage, Malta Guinness, is popular and has captured 70% of the Ghana non-alcoholic beverages market. The company is the only beverage firm currently listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange and has invested over US$50m in the Ghanaian economy over the last five years.
Country: Uganda
Sector: Soft beverages, Snacks
Website: www.harissint.com
Description: Harris International, the maker of the Riham line of products since 2005, has a range of soft beverages, malt drinks, biscuits, and fruit juices. The company recently unveiled Oner Apple No-Added Sugar, a new sugar free version of its Oner Apple Juice brand for the health conscious consumer.
Country: Ethiopia
Sector: Alcoholic Beverages
Website: www.heinekenethiopia.com
Description: Within less than a decade since its entry into Ethiopia, Heineken Breweries has grown into the country’s largest maker of alcoholic drinks. A few years after buying two state-owned breweries, Heineken spent over US$376 million in upgrades and in building the Kilinto brewery, Ethiopia’s largest facility of its kind to date. As part of its sustainability efforts, Heineken has also supported over 24,000 farmers to plant barley and also carried out water access projects for the benefit of over 300,000 inhabitants.
Country: Mozambique
Sector: Alcoholic Beverages
Website: www.theheinekencompany.com
Description: Opened in early 2019, Heineken Mozambique is one of the most modern brewing facilities in Africa. The US$100 million investment in the country has had a far-reaching benefit to Mozambicans, providing a variety of brews, creating jobs, and providing a stable source of income to more than 1,000 maize farmers in the country. The also launched a home grown beer from cassava, Txilar, which has fared well in the market and even managed to create a substantial following among Mozambican beer drinkers.
47. Inyange Industries Limited
Country: Rwanda
Sector: Dairy & Soft Beverages
Website: www.inyangeindustries.com
Description: A pioneer in Rwanda’s food industry is Inyange Industries Limited, a bustling dairy and drink factory that has remained committed to Rwanda’s economic Agenda for about 20 years. Its presence has been critical in the development of Rwanda’s dairy sector, providing employment, direct markets to farmers, and high quality products to consumers. The company recently announced plans to set up a US$20m milk powder plant in the country’s northern region, reviving hopes for the dairy farmers and further developing the dairy sector.
48. International Breweries Plc
Country: Nigeria
Sector: Alcoholic & Soft Beverages
Website: www.internationalbreweriesplc.com
Description: International Breweries Plc., a subsidiary of the World’s leading beer maker AB InBev, commenced production with an installed capacity of 200,000 hectoliters per annum but has over time ramped up its output with the acquisition of Intafact Beverages Limited and Pabod Breweries Limited in 2017. The company also recently commissioned a new US$250 million brewery in Sagamu, Ogun State. Its flagship products are Trophy Lager and Betamalt malt drink.
Country: Egypt
Sector: Dairy & Juice
Website:
Description: Juhayna is a market leader in Egypt’s food industry, with its dairy division controlling 58% and 53% of the fresh milk and yogurt market in the country, respectively. The company has continued to innovate, introducing new products to the Egyptian market, almost on annual basis. In 2019, it introduced lactose free milk and added flavoured milk to its Bekhero range, all of which were a market success. Today, Juhayna boast of over 200 products spread across its milk, yogurt, juice, and UHT cream product lines.
Country: Uganda
Sector: Sugar, Confectionery
Website: www.kakirasugar.com
Description: Kakira Sugar, part of Madhvani Group – Uganda’s largest and most diversified private sector group – has a production capacity of 7,000 tonnes of cane per day and is among the largest sugar processing facilities in the East Africa region. The company is a major contributor to Uganda’s export volumes, employs over 7,500 employees and supports livelihoods of an additional 7,000 through its out-grower farmer scheme. Apart from being a source of livelihoods for many, the company has also invested in impact projects such as a hospital and 12 schools for the benefit of the community around it.
Country: Ghana
Sector: Soft Beverages
Website: www.kasapreko.com
Description: Kasapreko is a leading manufacturer of alcoholic and soft beverages in Ghana. Its flagship product is Alomo Bitters, a herbal alcoholic drink. The company is one of the beneficiaries of the One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) project by the government of Ghana. Under the initiative, it recently launched a new factory with the capacity to produce about 35,000 bottles per hour of soft drinks and 15,000 bottles per hour of water.
Country: Zimbabwe
Sector: Dairy
Website: www.kefalosfood.com
Description: Kefalos is a highly respected dairy brand in Zimbabwe, known for its range of high quality cheeses, ice creams, fresh milk, yoghurts among other dairy products. The company, with a history dating back to 1962, has been resilient, consistently maintaining high quality production standards and staying in operation even when the economy underwent a super inflation that threatened the existence of many food companies. The company’s products have began to be exported to neighbouring countries.
53. Kellogg Tolaram Nigeria Limited
Country: Nigeria
Sector: Cereals & Snacks
Website: www.linkedin.com/company/kellogg-tolaram-nigeria-limited
Description: Kellogg Tolaram Nigeria Limited is a Joint Venture between Kellogg Company USA and Tolaram Group of Singapore, which was incorporated in 2015 to develop the cereal and snack business in Nigeria and other West African countries. The JV set up one of the most modern cereal plants in West Africa, which commenced commercial production in 2018. Along with the cereals, KTNL has also introduced a new snack product in the market under the brand name Munch IT.
Country: Kenya
Sector: Food and Beverage
Website: www.kenafricind.com
Description: Kenafric Industries, part of the Kenafric Group of Companies, is Eastern Africa’s largest confectionery manufacturer famously known for its sweets. Its confectionery portfolio is made up of candies, toffees, lollipops, bubble gum, ball gum, chewing gum and chiclets to include brands such as Fresh, Ting Ting, Bing Bang, among many others. Other than confectionery, Kenafric manufacturers ready to drink and powdered beverages, biscuits and culinary products. To expand its processing capacity, the company opened a new US$1 million biscuit manufacturing line in 2018, and recently entered the water and soft beverages markets
Country: Kenya
Sector: Poultry
Website: www.kenchic.com
Description: Kenchic Limited is the leading producer of poultry in East and Central Africa. Since its inception, the company’s main activity has been the production of broiler, Kenbro and layer day old chicks. Over the years the company has expanded its operations to include processed chicken and other products such as smoked, choma and chicken sausages sold under the Kenchic brand. Kenchic recently opened its US$3.5 million, fully automated processing plant with a capacity to handle 6,000 birds per hour.
Country: Kenya
Sector: Alcoholic Beverages
Website: www.eabl.com
Description: KBL is the leading brewery in Kenya, celebrating its centenary in 2022. The alcohol maker produces and markets a range of beer, spirits and malt drinks including Smirnoff vodka, Chrome Gin, Johnnie Walker whisky, among many others. In 2018, KBL completed the construction of its new plant in Kisumu worth US$150 million. Its recent notable initiative is the Raising the Bar with Tusker, which seeks to support recovery of Kenya’s hospitality industry by availing a US$3 million fund.
Country: Kenya
Sector: Beverage and Culinary
Website: www.keviankenya.com
Description: Kevian Kenya is one of the leading beverage manufacturing companies in Kenya, which ventured into the market with its flagship bottled water brand know as Mt. Kenyan water. Since its inception, the company has expanded its portfolio to include juices, nectars, malt drinks, energy drinks and carbonated soft drinks, which have dominated the market with labels such as Peek n Peel and Afia. Further to that, Kevian has launched culinary options such as Kevian Sauces. The firm recently invested US$3.37 million in the establishment of a new waste packaging papers recycling plant, Ramani Recylers.
Country: South Africa
Sector: Dairy
Website: www.lactalis.co.za
Description: Lactalis South Africa is the successor to Parmalat South Africa. A subsidiary of French dairy giant Lactalis is a leading player in South Africa’s highly competitive dairy industry and is also responsible for the former business of Parmalat in southern Africa, including Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Botswana and Eswatini. The company’s innovative brands have won a number of the prestigious Product of the Year prize at the South African Dairy Championships.
Country: Zimbabwe
Sector: Aquaculture
Website: www.lakeharvest.com
Description: In just 23 years of existence, Lake Harvest, part of African Century Group, has managed to carve a name for itself in Africa’s food industry. The company is home to the largest integrated Tilapia operation in the continent, from where high quality, sustainably produced fish is sourced, processed and marketed to 6 African countries including South Africa, Zambia and Malawi.
Country: Tunisia
Sector: Dairy
Description: Land’Or is Tunisia’s second largest dairy, specializing in cheese making. It produces a number of popular cheese brands such as Land’Or, Tartoo, Désir and Le Fondant, which are popular in Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria. The company secured a total of US$37 million from EBRD in 2020 to support construction of a new processing facility in Morocco and to carry out capacity expansion and process optimisation of its Tunisian plant. The Moroccan plant is expected to start operations in early 2021 and will have capacity of processing 5,000 tonnes of fresh, melting and canned cheese.
Country: Sudan
Sector: Vegetable oil refinery, confectionary, meat processing, grain milling
Description: The MSG group is one of the premier food companies that started out as an agricultural company with about 42,000 hectares of land. Over time MSG has increased its agricultural land base to over 200,000 hectares. As from 2016, MSG invested in food processing, using sesame from its farm to produce vegetable oil at its Delta refinery and transporting another batch to the Almahgoub sweet factory, while another is processed as grains and packaged for export. The company has recently invested in livestock production and is producing chilled and frozen meats for both local consumption and export. It has future plans to invest in tomato paste, French fries, crisps, biscuits, and sweets, with a target to capture 30% market share of Sudan’s local foods market.
Country: Mozambique
Sector: Grain Milling
Website: www.merecindustries.com
Description: In a span of 20 years, Merec industries has managed to grow from a small milling company into one of the leading milling companies in Southern Africa, North of Limpopo. Today, Merec not only mills maize and wheat but also produces pasta, biscuits, and animal feed. Its presence in Mozambaique not only creates employment for the 520 workers it directly employs but also to hundreds of farmers and thousands of distributors who get income from selling Merec’s products. The company is also a foreign exchange earner for the country as it exports its pasta and biscuits to neighbouring countries including South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Country: Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi & Uganda
Sector: Oilseeds processing, Bakery
Website: www.mountmerugroup.com
Description: From its humble beginning in Arusha in Tanzania, Mt. Meru Group has grown into a leading producer of cooking oils from local sources of raw material in the region: sunflower, soya, cotton and sesame, with a presence in six African countries including Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi, Uganda, and Mozambique. In Zambia and Tanzania in particular, Mt. Meru has been critical in developing the vegetable oil industry through modern oil extraction plants and providing a source of livelihood to thousands of farmers. It entered the bakery sector in Zambia in 2019.
Country: Tanzania
Sector: Soft beverages, Snacks
Website: www.motisungroup.com
Description: Through its Sayona Drinks Limited & Sayona Fruits Ltd, the Motisun Group has a strong impact on the food industry in Tanzania. The company’s new fruit processing plant that is located in the remote region of Chalinze, near Dar es Salaam is the anchor to the company’s impact in the country, while its original plant, based in the capital city produces water, tomato sauces and ketchups and snacks.
65. Mohamed Enterprises (MeTL Group)
Country: Tanzania
Sector: Soft beverages, Grain milling
Website: www.metl.net
Description: Tanzania’s largest home grown industrial group MeTL Group is a force to reckon with in the food industry and a major contributor of the country’s GDP. Its food division, with interests spread across agriculture, milling, and beverage production has invested over US$137.17 million in the country with its latest investment being a modern US$89.17 million wheat and maize milling facility. The company says that for the 5 years ending 2018, it had invested over US$300 million on a number of community projects, including water supply, healthcare, education, and sports programs.
66. Mars Wrigley Confectionery Kenya
Country: Kenya
Sector: Confectionery
Website: www.mars.com
Description: Mars Wrigley Confectionery Kenya is the leading manufacturer and marketer of chocolate, chewing gum, mints and fruity confections. Some of its famous brands in the market including Orbit, Doublemint, Juicy fruit, Mars, M&M’s, among many others. During its 50th anniversary in Kenya (2019), the company inaugurated its new US$70 million plant, enabling it to introduce new product lines into the market. The candy maker undertakes its operations in a sustainable way and has increased the use of clean renewable energy, promotes energy efficiency and reduction in C02 emissions.
Country: Namibia
Sector: Alcoholic Beverages
Website: www.nambrew.com
Description: Namibia Breweries Limited is a leading beverage manufacturing company in Namibia with 100 years of operations. The company majors in production of beer under brands such as Windhoek and Tafel, and also produces a range of soft beverages and low/non-alcoholic products. NBL mostly undertakes its production at its Windhoek brewery, with a total technical brewing capacity of 3 million hectolitres. In 2019 it injected US$ 3.2 million to upgrade its lines and invested in 12-pack capability. About 50% of its production is packaged in returnable containers.
Country: Zimbabwe
Sector: Grain Milling
Website: www.nationalfoods.co.zw
Description: National Foods is Zimbabwe’s largest food manufacturing company, producing a broad range of foods including maize meal, flour, cooking oil, and margarine among others. The company has history dating back to the colonial era with some of its popular brands such as Gloria and Red Real, having been in existence for more than 100 years now. Being a century old, the company has been a main stay in Zimbabwe’s economy, providing a source of livelihoods to thousands of farmers and employees and also contributing towards the development of the country’s food industry.
69. National Milling Corporation
Country: Zambia
Sector: Milling
Website: www.seaboardoverseas.com/location/namilco-zambia
Description: The National Milling Corporation is an affiliate of American agribusiness and transport conglomerate, Seaboard Corporation, and the pioneer and leading miller in Zambia. The company in 2019 commissioned a new US$37.5 million milling plant in 2019 in Lusaka, with a capacity to mill 600 metric tonnes of wheat per day. The company’s main products are wheat flour, maize meal, animal feeds, oilseed crushing and bakery products.
Country: Nigeria
Sector: Food and Beverage
Website: www.nestle-cwa.com/en/csv/nestl%C3%A9-nigeria/about-nestl%C3%A9-nigeria
Description: Nestle Nigeria Plc is one of the largest food and beverage companies in Nigeria with a staff strength of over 2,300 direct employees, 3 manufacturing sites, 8 branch offices and a head office located in Lagos. It produces an extensive range of products for the retail and wholesale sectors, including baby foods, soft beverages, breakfast cereals, hot drinks and culinary products. Some of its famous brands include Maggi, Golden Morn, Nan, Cerelac, Nescafe, Nestle Pure Life etc. The company is majority owned by Swiss food giant Nestlé, which recently cemented its position as the company’s majority shareholder with 66.5% ownership after a series of transactions.
Country: South Africa
Sector: Food and Beverages
Website: www.nestle-esar.com
Description: Nestlé South Africa is home to the East and Southern African Region Head Office of food giant Nestle, with 5 factories and 2 distribution centers. The company manufactures and distributes food and beverage products such as chocolate, coffee, ice cream, cereals, beverages, dairy, etc. Some of its leading brands include Ricoffy, Milo, Cremora and Maggie noodles. Showing its commitment to the South African community, Nestle invested over R1.4 billion (US$91m) in 2019 towards the B-BBEE procurement program aimed to empower black suppliers and in turn, creating jobs through various Enterprise Development initiatives. It also recently launched its RE sustainability initiative, aimed at reinforcing all its sustainability initiatives, strategies and resources to help mitigate sustainability challenges and strengthen its contribution to a waste-free future.
Country: Kenya
Sector: Dairy
Website: www.newkcc.co.ke
Description: New KCC is Kenya’s leading dairy company involved in the procurement of raw milk, processing, packaging and marketing it in form of butter, cheese, flavoured and unflavoured long life milk, fermented milk and milk powder under its brand names Gold Crown, KCC and SafariLand. The dairy processor is in the process of rejuvenating its ageing plants including Dandora, Eldoret, Kiganjo, Sotik plants, with plans to roll out investments at the other plants. It recently broke ground on a US$2.5m milk cooling plant in Central Kenya. Tapping into the growing healthy lifestyle market, New KCC launched a low lactose milk product.
Country: Nigeria
Sector: Beverage
Website: www.ng.coca-colahellenic.com
Description: Nigeria Bottling Company (NBC) is a member of the Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, one of the largest bottlers of The Coca-Cola Company across the globe. NBC offers a wide range of carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks, fruit drinks and juices, bottled water, and energy drinks. It bottles various brand name products, including Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Schweppes, Eva Water, and Five Alive. The company undertakes its operations in 8 of its plants, in which it has invested over Euro650 million in the expansion and extensive upgrade of its manufacturing facilities since 2015. As part of its business optimisation and transformation plans, NCB recently completed the installation of a new high-speed canning line at its Ikeja plant. The company also developed a green-field factory in Challawa plant, Kano State, which commenced operations in February 2020.
Country: Nigeria
Sector: Beverages
Website: www.nbplc.com
Description: Nigerian Breweries, a subsidiary of Dutch multinational Heineken, is the largest brewing company in Nigeria, producing the nation’s favorite beer, STAR and franchise bottler of Heineken Lager. The company boasts of having one of the most modern brew houses in the country that produce a range of lager, stout, malt drinks, ready-to-drink beverages, cider, carbonated soft drinks and energy drinks for local consumption and for export. It has 11 breweries, 2 malting plants and 26 sales depots. The company installed a 650 kW solar plant at the Ibadan brewery in 2019, which supplies 1 GWh annually, reducing the site’s CO2 emissions by more than 10,000 tonnes over the lifespan of the plant.
Country: Uganda
Sector: Soft beverages, Snacks
Description: Since 1951, Nile Breweries (now part of multinational brewing company AB InBev) has been producing crisp, fresh, and unique beers for Ugandans, the most notable of them being Nile Special. Its brand Nile Special is among the top African beer brands. The firm operates two brewing plants in the country. It not only provides a source of livelihood for more than 15,000 farmers under its contract farming program.
Country: South Africa
Sector: Fish
Website: www.oceana.co.za
Description: The Oceana Group is a global fishing company and a market leader in South Africa, with subsidiaries in Namibia and USA. Its core business is the catching, processing, marketing and distribution of canned fish, fish oil, lobster, horse mackerel, squid and hake. Oceana’s operations include mid-water fishing (horse mackerel), deep-sea trawling (hake), and inshore fishing for pelagic fish (anchovy, Gulf Menhaden, redeye herring and pilchard). They also provide refrigerated warehouse facilities and logistical support services. The company’s annual turnover is over US$400 million.
Country: Nigeria
Sector: Food processing
Website: www.olamgroup.com/locations/west-and-central-africa/nigeria
Description: Olam Nigeria is a subsidiary of Olam International. In Nigeria the company focuses on 3 major business streams, namely exports, imports, and branded packaged food products. It undertakes its operations through various business units: OK Foods Ltd (biscuits, candy and confectionery); Ranona Nigeria Ltd (dairy beverages); Olam Sanyo (noodles); Caraway Foods Ltd (culinary ingredients); Crown Flour Mills (grain milling); Olam Hatcheries Ltd (animal feed and hatchery). It also sources, processes and exports agricultural products such as cocoa, cashew, rice and sesame. With more than 19 billion Naira invested in Nigeria since 2013, Olam operates one of the most advanced animal feed plants in Nigeria that it opened in 2017 in Kaduna State.
Country: Ghana
Sector: Food processing
Website: www.olamgroup.com/locations/west-and-central-africa/ghana
Description: Olam Ghana has over 20-year long track record of being a major supply chain manager of agricultural products and a leading agro-commodity and packaged foods company. It is ranked among the country’s top Licensed Buying Companies, a leading supplier of Ghana’s cocoa beans into European and Asian markets and is Ghana’s biggest exporter of cashew and importer of rice but recently launched its first Made in Ghana rice dubbed Mama Gold. Olam Ghana became one of the country’s major wheat millers when in 2012 opened a new state-of-the-art wheat flour mill at Tema; apart from being the leading biscuits and tomato processing company in the country.
Country: South Africa
Sector: Food, snack and beverage
Website: www.pepsi.co.za
Description: Multinational food, snack and beverage company PepsiCo grabbed the headlines in the South Africa with the acquisition of Pioneer Foods for US$1.7 billion in 2020. PepsiCo also processes and distributes well-known brands such as Lays, Dorito’s, NikNaks, Simba and Fritos through its Simba (Pty) Ltd. The acquisition of Pioneer added strong local product portfolio with strong positions in cereals, juices, and other African nutritional food staples, including well-known scaled brands like Weet-Bix, Liqui-Fruit, Ceres, Sasko, Spekko, and White Star. The move is also aimed to help PepsiCo gain a solid beachhead for expansion into Sub-Saharan Africa.
Country: Kenya, Zambia and Uganda
Sector: Grain Milling
Description: Part of a group of companies that are associated with the milling trade in Kenya, Pembe Flour Mills has grown to become one of the regional heavy weights in maize and wheat milling, with operations in Kenya, Uganda and Zambia. Its Kenyan operations commissioned a major expansion of its milling capacity recently, while its Zambia business has expanded to include soya bean crushing – becoming a major player in the country after a few years of opearations.
Country: Ethiopia
Sector: Soft Beverages & Snacks
Description: PepsiCo has had a presence in Ethiopia for 57 years and is the largest provider of soft beverages with a 52% market share as at 2019, through its franchise-bottling partner Moha Soft Drinks Industry. PepsiCo however brought its boots on the ground through the acquisition of Senselet, a local manufacturer of crisps.
Country: Uganda
Sector: Dairy
Website: www.latomilk.com
Description: The Pearl brands is arguably the most visible export from Uganda. Its products ranging from yogurt and liquid milk to butter and ghee are in Uganda, regional and international markets. The company has since diversified into honey, injecting US$2.72 million into a new plant that may ultimately help 10,000 Ugandan dairy farmers supplement incomes from their milk. A private equity fund took an undisclosed stake in the dairy in 2020.
Country: South Africa, Mozambique
Sector: Food processing
Website: www.premierfmcg.com
Description: Having a history spanning 200 years, Premier is one of the leading FMCG companies in South Africa, offering branded and private label solutions. The business has an annual turnover of R10 billion (US$653m) and operates 13 bakeries, 7 wheat mills, 3 maize mills and manufacturing plants producing a broad range of confectionery, bread, beverages, biscuits, maize, pasta, rice, wheat and animal feeds. These products are distributed to its customers via 21 distribution depots situated in South Africa, Eswatini, Mozambique and Lesotho. Some of its strong heritage brands include Snowflake, Blue Ribbon, Manhattan Sweets and Super C.
Country: South Africa
Sector: Poultry
Website: www.quantumfoods.co.za
Description: Quantum Foods is a diversified feeds and poultry business and the largest eggs producer in South Africa. Its subsidiaries include Nulaid eggs and layer unit, the Tydstroom broiler business and the Nova feeds business. Other than operating in South Africa, Quantum has active running units in Zambia, Uganda and Mozambique.
Sector: Food and Beverages
Website: www.rclfoods.com
Description: RCL Foods is a leading food processor in South Africa, manufacturing a wide range of branded and private label food products. The company produces a wide range of quality culinary, pet food and beverage products that include well-known brands such as Selati sugar, Supreme flour, Rainbow and Farmer Brown chicken, Pieman’s pies, Sunbake bread, Nola mayonnaise, Yum Yum peanut butter, Catmor pet food products, among many others. As of the end of June 2020, the group operated 3 sugar factories, one flour factory, 7 bakeries and 5 feed mills. With an ambition into the rest of Africa, it has acquired stakes in a sugar miller in Eswatini and in Uganda’s leading chicken producer, Hudani Manji Holdings (Yokuku).
Country: Nigeria
Sector: Food & Soft Beverages
Website: www.ritefoodsltd.com
Description: Rite Foods is a food and beverage company in Nigeria with a fast-rising indigenous brand of soft drinks known as Bigi. The company also produces sausages, energy drinks and premium water. Rite Foods, barely a decade old, is increasing its market share courtesy of its widely available range of products, produced at its N100 billion (US$257m) fully automated and state-of-the-art processing plant, which is located at Ososa, Ogun State that was commissioned in 2012.
Country: South Africa
Sector: Convenience food products
Website: www.rfg.com
Description: Rhodes Food Group is a market leader in convenience meal solutions in South Africa, with a well-capitalized production base comprising 14 manufacturing facilities and a fruit processing facility in Eswatini. Its product range includes canned fruit, jam, vegetable and meat products, bottled salads, fruit juices, fruit purees and concentrates, dry packed foods, fresh and frozen ready meals, pastry-based products and dairy products. The company’s growing portfolio of market leading brands, including Rhodes and Bull Brand, are complemented by premium private label product ranges produced for select domestic and international customers.
88. SOBOA (Société des Brasseries de l’Ouest-Africain)
Country: Senegal
Sector: Alcoholic & Soft Beverages
Website: www.soboa.sn
Description: SOBOA, leading beverage manufacturer in Senegal, produces soft drinks and beers as well as the trading of fine wines. The company is also the licensed bottler and distributor of Coca-Cola. Other than production of beverages, the subsidiary of Castel Group also undertakes ice-cream manufacturing.
89. Societe de Fabrication des Boissons de Tunisie
Country: Tunisia
Sector: Alcoholic and Soft Beverages
Website:
Description: Founded in 1925, SFBT controls over 70% of Tunisia’s beer industry, over 60% of the country’s soda market and at least 40% of the mineral water market. As a local subsidiary of the Castel group, the company produces some of Tunisia’s most favorite beer brands namely Celtia, Stella Black and 33 Extra Dry. In the soft beverages sector, SFBT is the authorized bottler of Coca-Cola and produces the company’s popular brands such as Coke, Fanta and Sprite. It also produces a range of its own soda brands such as National Soda and Boga, which are also popular inTunisia. In 2018, SFBT became the first company listed on Tunis Stock Exchange to reach TND4 billion (about $1.45 billion) of market capitalization.
Country: South Africa
Sector: Beverages
Website: www.sab.co.za
Description: The South African Breweries Ltd (SAB) is South Africa’s leading brewer, operating 7 breweries and 42 depots with an annual brewing capacity of 3.1 billion liters. Its portfolio of beer brands meets the needs of a wide range of consumers and includes brands rich in heritage such as Castle Lager, Hansa Pilsener and Carling Black Label. The company is part of the AB InBev family – which acquired SAB Miller, its original parent company in 2012. The brewer had planned to invest over US$328m in 2020 and 2021 but shelved the plans due to the prolonged alcohol ban witnessed in the country as a result of COVID-19.
Country: Madagascar
Sector: Alcoholic Beverages
Description: With a rich history dating back some 73 years, Star Breweries is a leading brewer and bottling company in Madagascar. Apart from its own brands, the company has a brewing partnership with Castel and is the franchise bottler for Coca-Cola. The company has over the years launched new products to refresh and quench the thirst of the Malagasy people. Its Three Horse Beer, launched some 68 years ago, is the country’s favorite alcoholic drink.
Country: Tanzania
Sector: Alcoholic beverages
Website: www.ab-inbev.com
Description: Boasting of a rich history in Tanzania, Tanzania Breweries Limited has for almost 90 years quenched the thirst of Tanzanians with iconic beer brands including Castle and Kilimanjaro. The company’s contract farmer programme has been most impactful, helping develop the country’s agricultural sector while also providing stable sources of income to farmers. The brewer is partnering with World Food Programme to on-board over 4,000 sorghum farmers in its programme, and is building a new brewery in Dodoma, the country’s capital city, to add to its present plants in Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mwanza and Mbeya.
Country: Zambia
Sector: Food and Beverage
Website: www.tradekings.co.zm
Description: Trade Kings Group, Zambia’s leading manufacturer of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), specialises in the production of food and beverage, home care and personal care products. Under the food and beverage segment, the company operates five subsidiaries: Big Tree Beverages produces carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks, juices, water and non-alcoholic drinks; Big Tree Brands specialises in infant and family nutritional cereals and baking products; Dairy Gold manufactures dairy and traditional drinks; Swiss Bake produces baked goods; and Yoyo, a snack food manufacturing concern. Trade Kings recently commissioned a new milk processing plant to produce its first full cream fresh milk.
Country: Nigeria
Sector: Food & Beverage & Feed milling
Website: www.uacnplc.com
Description: UAC of Nigeria PLC (UAC) is a leading diversified company, operating in the food & beverage and animal feed sector. Its presence in the packaged food and beverage industry is through UAC Foods, a joint venture of UACN Plc of Nigeria and Tiger Brands of South Africa. The company is a leader in the snacks, dairy and bottled water segments in Nigeria with iconic brands such as Gala, Supreme and SWAN. For the animal feeds segment it operates two companies: Grand Cereals Ltd and Livestock Feeds Plc.
Country: Uganda
Sector: Alcoholic beverages
Website: www.ugandabreweries.com
Description: At 75 years, Uganda Breweries, a subsidiary of EABL, and by extension, Diageo, is older than the nation of Uganda and is among the most prosperous businesses in the Pearl of Africa. Through its farmer program, Uganda Breweries benefits over 17,000 farmers who are assured of a market and stable income. The company provides education scholarships and invests in water projects and tree conservation efforts,
Country: Kenya
Sector: Grains & Milling
Website: www.unga-group.com
Description: Unga Holdings is a market leader in the manufacturing and provision of human nutrition, animal nutrition and animal health products and services within Eastern Africa. The entity undertakes its operations through its subsidiaries Unga Limited, Unga Farm Care Limited and Ennsvalley Bakery Limited, producing well-known brands such as Exe, Famila, Jogoo, Amana, Fugo, among many others. The grain miller continues to invest in its grains and animal feed production infrastructure as it continues to set the pace in the sector in Kenya.
Country: Ghana
Sector: Edible oil
Website: www.wilmar-international.com
Description: Wilmar Africa Limited is one of the leading agro-business companies in Ghana involved in the refining, packing and distribution of edible oils such as the Frytol Cooking Oil brand. The company also undertakes importation of rice having introduced brands such as Fortune and Viking in the Ghanaian market. Bringing more choices to consumers, Wilmar recently launched Fortune Emo Pa Local Rice and Viking Emo Local Rice consisting of premium jasmine variety grown locally in the Volta region.
Country: Uganda
Sector: Poultry
Website: www.yokuku.com
Description: Before Yokuku, Uganda had a high demand for chicken which was not being fully met. There was no large integrated player in the sector and the supply chain was not reliable. Come Yokuku in 2013 and everything changed. The company which is owned by Hudani Manji and South Africa’s RCL built an integrated poultry facility, ramped up production, and in 5 years, production capacity had shot to over 1 million birds, a month. It has also entered Kenya where it has so far opened 5 shops, with plans for more.
Country: Zambia & Uganda
Sector: Aquaculture
Website: www.yalelo.com
Description: Yalelo is a pioneer of aquaculture in Zambia, growing tilapia fish in the open waters of Lake Kariba. Founded in 2011, the company has grown quickly to become the leading fisheries business in the country and among the largest aquaculture businesses in Africa. Yalelo operates a vertically integrated business across the production, distribution, and retail of aquafeed and tilapia in southern and eastern Africa. In 2019 the firm had received a US$6 million equity investment from Finnfund to support its expansion. The firm has elso extended its reach into Uganda, where it is seeking to replicate its successful blue print in Africa’s largest water body, Lake Victoria.
Country: Zambia
Sector: Meat, Dairy & Grain Milling
Website: www.zambeefplc.com
Description: Zambeef Products PLC is the largest integrated cold chain food products and agribusiness company in Zambia, with operations in Nigeria and Ghana. The group is involved in the production, processing, distribution and retailing of beef, chicken, pork, milk, dairy products, fish, eggs, animal feed, day-old chicks and flour. It also has one of the largest cropping operations in the country, growing maize, soybeans and wheat, used in its animal feed plants with a processing capacity of 300,000 tonnes per annum, flour milling businesses with a capacity to mill 26,000 tonnes of wheat per year and bakery unit with the capacity to bake 1.2 million loaves of bread. Under its cold-chain food segment, Zambeef operates five abattoirs, three feedlots, meat processing plant with a capacity to process over 100,000 cattle per year, chicken processing plant with a capacity of 8.8m broilers and dairy processing plant with a capacity 120,000 litres/day of milk, among many others.
This feature appeared in the January/February 2021 issue of Food Business Africa. You can read this and the entire magazine HERE
