Sub-Saharan Africa Consumer Story And Recent Growth

By West Africa Cooks, 26 November, 2012

There has been soaring growth in Sub-Saharan Africa for a decade now. The IMF believes the near-term outlook for the region remains broadly positive, an example is the Ghana’s Cocoa Marketing System which is an African business success story. Poorly performing organisations in Africa can be turned around. Economic expansion is set to far outpace rich nations. This growth has caught the eye of brands Coca Cola, Guinness and Nestle.

Aspirational Food And Drinks Brands

Brands we all recognise in western markets are showing up in all corners of the African continent even where electricity is hard to find to keep your drink cool. These brands Fanta and 7 UP are selling alongside fried snacks, but they are aspirational products; an image, special and occasional for most African.

Guinness With Palm Wine

The continent’s consumers will increase their spending in the years to come, will we therefore see African innovations for example Guinness is being mixed with palm wine to create a new African twist to the traditional drink.

Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), soft drinks, toiletries and of course food is the way to tap into Africa’s consumer story. Entrepreneurs in the food industry with a passion for West Africa take note and take action in this African market.

Kola Left West Africa And Returned As Coca Cola

Kola (nut) is the fruit of the kola tree native to West Africa. John Pemberton, of the American Deep South took extracts of kola and coca and mixed them with sugar, other ingredients, and carbonated water to invent the first cola soft drink. After changes to the medicinal concoction ingredients and marketing, branding and adverting it has returned to West Africa. This is a story about a journey from Africa to American and to the world. An idea developed, a marketing concept to a mass consumer band. It will be interesting seeing what comes out of Africa, but this time spreading straight out into the world. Profits are increasing in emerging markets. Could this rapid change be at the detriment of local industry? Star *beer made from rice it's time to take on the international western markets.

Leslie
West Africa Cooks
Editor

*Local production of beer made from rice or other ingredients is desired for local mass consumption and export. Star beer is manufactured by multinational drink business which sends the bulk of profits to head office, see Nigerian Breweries.

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