ETHIOPIA – Vita Food Industry, a Turkish candy and sweets company, has voiced concerns about the negative impact of unregulated candy products entering the Ethiopian market.
Eyuel Tibebu, Director of Operations and Marketing at VITA Food Industry, explained that these unauthorized products, which have a potential risk to consumers, not only compromise health and safety but also threaten legitimate investors in the sector.
“The emergence of these substandard products could deter further investments from companies like ours, ultimately putting the industry at risk,” he warned.
He echoed that VITA Food Industry prides itself on manufacturing its products in a fully certified and licensed facility, ensuring that all items are made from high-quality ingredients.
Tibebu also emphasized the importance of consumer awareness regarding illegal candy products that may be circulating in the market.
According to Lucintel, the future of the confectionery market in Ethiopia looks promising with opportunities in the supermarkets/hypermarkets, convenience stores, and e-retail markets.
The major drivers for this market are rising disposable income, increasing awareness of health and wellness, changing dietary habits, and innovative products.
Supermarkets/hypermarkets is expected to witness the highest growth over the forecast period due to convenience of shopping, availability of different product types of products in a single place at affordable price.
Statista, a market research firm, forecasts revenue in the Confectionery market of the country amounting to US$3.22bn in 2024, to grow annually by 10.93% (CAGR 2024-2029).
Chocolate confectionery, the largest confectionery in the country’s segment , is expected to grow annually by 4.06% over the same forecast period.
Chocolates is popular in the country because it is preferred by all age group. With many people also having special occasions and celebrations in the country, analysts are expecting an increase in chocolate confectionery sales.
To be self-sufficient and reduce import burden, Ethiopia is gearing up to launch cocoa production, leveraging its favorable ecosystem after two decades of research on cacao, as disclosed by the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR).
AbukiyaGetu, Cocoa and Spice Research Coordinator at Tepi Agriculture Center under EIAR, said that the center has been conducting extensive research for over two decades to introduce cacao to Ethiopia on a significant scale.
The institute is also collaborating with Nib Chocolate Factory, which previously imported semi-processed cacao to produce chocolate and related products.
With local production, the factory is processing cacao domestically and exporting the finished product. For the first time, they have also promoted dark chocolate to various stakeholders, including other factories and experienced players in the field.
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