Top 10 Beverage Manufacturers in Africa: Giants Quenching a Continent's Thirst

Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA)

Profile: Headquartered in Johannesburg, CCBA is the largest Coca-Cola bottler in Africa and one of the top 10 globally. Established in 2016 through the merger of several regional bottlers, CCBA manages production and distribution across multiple key African economies. The company operates in 14 countries: South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, and the islands of Comoros and Mayotte. With over 14,000 employees, CCBA services more than 800,000 customers and accounts for over 40% of all Coca-Cola ready-to-drink beverages sold in Africa by volume. In October 2025, Coca-Cola HBC AG announced a $2.6 billion agreement to acquire a controlling stake in CCBA.

Website: www.ccbagroup.com

Castel Group

Profile: Castel Group is Africa's leading beverage producer, with a rich history rooted in the continent. In 2025, the Group generated €6.954 billion in revenue, with nearly 43,000 employees and beverage operations spanning 22 African countries. The company operates 80 production sites, 3 glassworks, 6 sugar refineries, 13 vineyards, and 11 blending and packaging sites in France. Castel has been expanding aggressively: in 2025, it completed an $81 million acquisition** of an 80.4% stake in Guinness Ghana Breweries PLC from Diageo, and inaugurated a **$29 million distillery in Côte d'Ivoire. Through its Cameroonian subsidiary Boissons du Cameroun (SABC), Castel is also increasing its use of locally sourced raw materials.

Website: www.castel.fr

Nigerian Breweries Plc

Profile: Nigerian Breweries Plc is Nigeria's foremost brewing company and one of the country's longest-standing manufacturers, having operated successfully for 79 years. The company has retained its number one position in the Lager and Malt categories. In the financial year ended December 31, 2025, Nigerian Breweries recorded a group revenue of N1.5 trillion, representing a 35% increase. In the first nine months of 2025 alone, the company posted revenue of N1.04 trillion (approximately $683 million), a 48% growth. With the complete acquisition of Distell Nigeria, the company has become a total beverage company, aligning with its 'Beyond Beer' ambition.

Website: www.nbplc.com

East African Breweries Limited (EABL)

Profile: EABL is a regional leader in beverage alcohol across East Africa, with an exceptional collection of brands across beer and spirits. The company's business is concentrated on three core markets—Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania—and its products are sold in more than 10 countries across Africa and beyond. EABL operates an extensive network of distilleries, breweries, and distribution facilities across the region. In a landmark transaction completed in 2025–2026, Japanese brewing giant Asahi Group Holdings agreed to acquire Diageo's majority stake in EABL for $2.3 billion. EABL's net sales are geographically distributed as follows: Kenya (64.4%), Uganda (21.1%), and Tanzania (14.5%).

Website: www.eabl.com

SAB (South African Breweries) – AB InBev

Profile: SAB is South Africa's dominant brewing company and part of the global AB InBev group. It is one of three conglomerates—alongside Heineken (which recently acquired Distell) and Diageo—that dominate approximately 85% of South Africa's alcohol market by value. With $3.3 billion in revenue, SAB ranks among the top food and beverage companies in South Africa. SAB's flagship Castle Lager brand, alongside Castle Lite, enjoys widespread consumption across both urban and rural areas.

Website:  www.sab.co.za

Société Anonyme des Boissons du Cameroun (SABC)

Profile: SABC is Cameroon's largest beverage manufacturer and is backed by the Castel Group. Established in 1948, the company rebranded from "Société Anonyme des brasseries du Cameroun" to "Société Anonyme des boissons du Cameroun" to reflect its expanded beverage portfolio beyond beer. SABC's offices and main factory are in Douala, with additional breweries in Bafoussam, Garoua, and Yaoundé. The company has launched a $325 million 5-year expansion project and has reversed its reliance on PET packaging, reintroducing returnable glass bottles as part of its corporate responsibility strategy to reduce plastic waste.

Website: No independent website found (operates under Castel Group)

Bakhresa Group

Profile: Bakhresa Group is a dominant East African brand known for its diversified agro-processing operations, including a significant beverage portfolio. The company is investing $500 million to expand its flagship drinks factory in Tanzania, aiming to double soft drink production and introduce new juice brands. The expansion is also expected to support 100,000 local farmers. Bakhresa Food Products (BFP), a subsidiary of the Group, operates nine factories in Dar es Salaam and the Coast Region, manufacturing a wide range of juices from mango, pineapple, orange, passion fruit, and tamarind. The company has also introduced a new juice brand for children—Tamtam—available in pineapple, orange, and mixed fruit flavours.

Website: www.bakhresagroup.com

Illovo Sugar Africa

Profile: Illovo Sugar Africa is South Africa's largest sugar producer and a major player in the beverage ingredients sector. With $13.1 billion in revenue, it ranks as the top food and beverage company in South Africa by revenue. The company's sugar production serves as a critical input for the continent's beverage industry, supporting a vast ecosystem of soft drink, juice, and alcoholic beverage manufacturers across Africa.

Website: www.illovosugarafrica.com

CHI Limited (Chivita | Hollandia)

Profile: CHI Limited, popularly known as Chivita | Hollandia, is Nigeria's market leader in the fruit juice, dairy, and snack categories. Headquartered in Lagos, the company operates the largest aseptic beverage packaging production facility in Sub-Saharan Africa and is recognized for its ISO 22000-certified manufacturing standards. CHI Limited has built a strong reputation for delivering high-quality, affordable juice and dairy products to consumers across Nigeria and beyond.

Website: www.chilimited.com

Promasidor Group

Profile: Promasidor is an African beverage and food-products powerhouse that caters to 850 million people across the continent. Founded in 1979 by Robert Rose, the company operates in more than 30 African countries, including Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Algeria, and Angola. Promasidor's flagship dairy brand, Cowbell, is a household name across West Africa. The group manufactures and supplies powdered beverages, flavor seasonings, powdered milk, cereals, and other food products.

Website: www.promasidor.com