The Beverages Sector in Angola

The beverages industry plays a key role in the Angolan economy, contributing about 4% to GDP. Production meets about 90% of local demand of about 3 billion litres per year. With installed capacity at over 4.5 billion litres per annum, there is plenty of room for the sector to expand when economic conditions improve. Beer is the nation’s alcoholic beverage of choice and on average each Angolan consumes about 59 litres of it a year. The country also has a well-established wine drinking culture and is one of the largest markets on the continent for wine and spirits. However, given the high levels of poverty, branded products are regarded as a luxury purchase and there is a significant informal trade in liquor and non-alcoholic beverages.

Diverse Opportunities

Players in the Angolan beverages industry range from small homebrewers to multinational companies with established distribution networks. The non-alcoholic drinks sector is considered to be less developed than the alcoholic drinks sector, as it has received relatively less investment. Wine production in Angola is still in its infancy, but there is a well-established culture of wine drinking, and Angola is the third-largest export destination for Portuguese wines.

Headwinds

The sector has been hit by the devaluation of the kwanza, which has eroded disposable income, and the shortage of foreign exchange, which has led to payment delays. It still depends on a large amount of imported raw materials, and the imposition of import quotas and raising of import tariffs will affect importers. Despite challenges, demand remains strong and the most recent production figures reflect a significant increase.

Report Coverage

This report focuses on the beverages sector in Angola with information on the size and state of the industry and the activities of major and niche players. There are profiles of 19 companies including Refriango, the soft drink market leader, Distell Angola, which has been producing JC Le Roux in Angola since 2012 and smaller companies such as Aquacita, which produces bottled water.