ESM is proud to launch a new weekly series, Notes From Africa, which will bring you the latest retail, consumer goods and food and beverage stories from across the African continent. Past editions can be found here.
In this week's report:
South Africa: Starbucks To Open Eight More Outlets by Mid-December
Coffee giant Starbucks planning to open eight more stores in South Africa with the support of its new local partner Rand Capital Coffee. According to local media reports, the outlets will be set up in Durban, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Pretoria. This expansion will bring the total number of Starbucks’ stores in South Africa to 21.
Rand Capital Coffee recently bought Starbucks' master franchise licence for R7 million (€380,000), however it has thus far failed short of its the initial expansion strategy, which was expected to bring the total number of Starbucks stores to between 150 and 200 stores by 2022. Starbucks opened its first South African outlet in April 2016.
Ethiopia: BGI Ethiopia Unveils Alcohol-Free, Malt-Based Beverage
BGI Ethiopia plc, a subsidiary of the Castel Group, has introduced SEN’Q – a new non-alcoholic malt based beverage. In a press release, the company revealed that the drink is a blend of caramel, vanilla and Ethiopian coffee. The product has been rolled out in 330ml glass bottle on the local market. BGI Ethiopia has been operating in Ethiopia since 1998 as a producer and distributor of beer, wine and beverages.
Africa: Coffee Sector To Get A €800 Million Boost
The Inter-African Coffee Organisation (IACO), with the support of The African Export-Import Bank (Afrexibank), is launching a €800 million fund to support the coffee sector in Africa. According to local media reports, the facility aims to support various projects, including research and development as well as promote coffee consumption across the continent.
Other partners included in the initiative include the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) and the International Coffee Organization (ICO). A recent study by the audit firm McKinsey predicted that demand disruption in the coffee market due to coronavirus could affect between €85 million and €170 million of African export value by the end of 2020.
Kenya: Sasini Launches New Packaging For Tea, Coffee
Sasini plc, one of the largest agricultural companies in Kenya, has introduced new packaging for its tea and coffee products. The move seeks to communicate the values behind the company’s brands as well as their uniqueness. Moreover, the new packaging will also reflect the quality of Kenyan tea and coffee products, which are ranked among the finest in the world. Sasini also boasts operations in avocado, macadamia nuts and dairy.
Nigeria: Nigerian Breweries Introduced No-Added-Sugar Malt Beverage
Nigeria Breweries plc, a subsidiary of Heineken, has launched Amstel Malta Ultra – a sugar free variant of its popular malt drink. According to local media reports, the launch of the product, which is also non-alcoholic, forms part of the company’s strategy to target consumers who are concerned with the quality and health benefits associated with the products they consume.
South Africa: Agritech swiftVEE Secures €1.3 million For Expansion
South African agritech startup swiftVEE has raised €1.3 million to finance its growth plans. This sum has been raised with the support of Subtropico, a public company involved in agricultural investment, along with a private syndicate. The fund will help swiftVEE to expand its livestock trading platform, which connects buyers and sellers for real-time purchases.
Thanks to this investment, the company will also be integrated on Zire, the South Africa’s first multi-industry agricultural services platform, which provide technology services to industry stakeholders in the livestock, fruit, and vegetable sector. swiftVEE was founded in 2016 and plans to expand into Sub-Saharan Africa, the USA and Europe in early of 2022.
© 2020 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Espoir Olodo. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
