A three-way fight over control of Africa’s beer industry may be approaching its endgame.
The attractions for brewers of a region overlooked by other global businesses should be obvious. Beer is all about demographics, and Africa’s are among the most promising. By 2050, its nations will have a larger combined population than either China or India, accounting for one in four humans. As anyone who has thirsted for something cool, mildly alcoholic and heady after a hard day at work should know, beer and employment go hand in hand. One reason that Vietnam has been a hotly contested market for global beverage companies in recent years is that the labour force will overtake Japan’s by 2030. Developing nations are in a particularly sweet spot for brewers.