By Francis Ntow, GNA
Accra, July 7, GNA – Africa’s beverage industry is hitting record high, but sector leaders say the next phase of growth will be defined not by size, but by resilience through harnessing capital, brand positioning, and generating consumer insights.
At a webinar ahead of the 2026 New Pour Summit, to be held in Nairobi, Kenya on July 25, speakers noted that the continent’s beverage industry was attracting fresh investor interest with strong growth in coffee, tea, brewing and value-added beverages.
However, they indicated that brands that would survive would not be the biggest but the most informed and able to handle counterfeiting, inflation and currency shocks, and supply chain disruptions.
Mordor Intelligence, a leading market intelligence firm, said Africa’s food and beverage market was projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of up to eight per cent by 2030, driven by rapid urbanisation, a youthful population and rising disposable incomes.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) also estimates that consumer spending on the continent would exceed US$2.5 trillion by 2030, making food and beverages one of Africa’s fastest-growing consumer sectors.
Tosin Balogun, founder of Drinkable Africa, speaking on the summit’s theme: “Liquid Resilience,” said: “The growth in Africa’s beverage industry is not something you can miss. From capital flows to innovation across the continent, the numbers are there.”
He pointed to Ethiopia’s coffee industry, which recently surpassed US$3 billion in export earnings, while Kenya’s tea sector has recorded strong export growth over the past year, as evidence of the opportunities in the continent’s beverage sector.
“The beverage industry is at an inflection point when it comes to recovery and economic importance. The brands that will survive won’t necessarily be the biggest brands, they will be the most informed,” Mr Balogun said.
“Underneath these growth numbers are immense challenges from counterfeiting to economic shocks and supply chain disruptions. We need to discuss how beverage brands can become resilient regardless of these hurdles.”
Mr Walter Serem, Chairman, Brand Finance East Africa, encouraged African beverage companies to shift their focus beyond production to building globally competitive brands, saying; “brand is your single most valuable asset.”
He told companies to build strong values through innovation across product development, packaging, design and strategy, emphasising that the continent’s alcohol industry provided one of the strongest examples of successful marketing and brand-building.
“I’ve not seen any other sector that has managed to break into the communication sphere in Africa like the alcohol beverage sector. It is a case study worth learning from,” Mr Serem said, pointing to Tusker’s emergence as one of Africa’s strongest brands, which he attributed to long-term investment in positioning, storytelling and community engagement.
“Let’s invest in our brands and our positioning,” he said, urging African beverage companies to commercialise traditional beverages made from millet, sorghum, honey and indigenous fruits instead of relying heavily on imported concepts.
Dharmendra Jain, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Actnable AI, noted that Africa’s changing demographics was creating entirely new opportunities for beverage manufacturers with the continent’s median age standing at approximately 19 years.
Such population, he said, were increasingly demanding healthier beverages, locally sourced ingredients and authentic African brands, adding that, “the landscape is changing dramatically from the consumer perspective.”
“Consumer insights, behaviours and trends are becoming essential for manufacturers to understand what consumers truly want. Listening to that voice will help this category thrive.”
Ms Kanessa Muluneh, Founder of Nyle Investment Group, said one of Africa’s greatest weaknesses was not manufacturing capacity but storytelling, arguing that many overlooked the beverage sector’s long-term investment potential.
“Food and beverage are basic necessities, and that’s where investment opportunities are growing,” she said, questioning why the continent continued to export raw materials while importing many finished beverage products.
“Why don’t we have our own culture when it comes to beverages?” she quizzed, noting that the continent had the raw materials and manufacturing potential, and called on brands to invest more heavily in marketing and emotional connections with consumers.
“People buy stories these days. You can have an amazing product, but where is the story? People want to be part of something,” Ms Muluneh said, adding that changing the continent’s global image was important.
“Storytelling has always been a weak side of Africa not just in food and beverages. We have amazing products, amazing landscapes and incredible stories to tell,” she noted.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Reporter: Francis Ntow
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