Beer giant SABMiller today pinned its hopes on Africans drinking more booze as it targeted more than 10% growth across the continent over the next few years.
The company is best known for selling brands like Grolsch and Peroni in Europe but sees the “biggest growth opportunities” in Africa, where it wants to lure more middle-class drinkers.
“Africans drink nine litres of beer per head per year, compared with a global average of 45,” said Mark Bowman, head of SABMiller Africa.
“So as Africa develops and levels of disposable income increase we expect the rate of beer consumption to grow significantly.
"Additionally we anticipate strong GDP growth, which supports our optimism.”
As well as targeting middle-class drinkers, SABMiller is developing cheaper products like Chibuku Super and Impala.
Bowman said: “The informal market continues to dwarf formal alcohol in Africa.
“While home-made or illicit alcohol poses a potential health risk to consumers, it is considerably cheaper so our challenge is to ensure that we provide price-sensitive consumers with affordable, high-quality alternatives.”
