AB InBev has announced to invest $100 million in a new brewery in Dodoma, Tanzania’s capital. The plans were agreed following a meeting between President John Magufuli and Ricardo Tadeu, AB InBev’s Zone President Africa. The company already owns the nation’s oldest and largest brewing company Tanzania Breweries, located in Tanzania’s commercial capital Dar es Salaam.
Tanzania is one of the fastest growing beer markets in Africa. The nation’s beer volume increased by 20% last year, Reuters reported. In 2012 Tanzania ranked 6th in Africa for beer consumption and contributed to over 3% of the African consumption. Next to market leader AB InBev and Tanzania Breweries comes Diageo-owned East African Breweries from Kenya with its local subsidiary Serengeti Brewery.
The announcement follows AB Inbev’s other announcements in the last year to ramp up investments in breweries in Africa. Before its takeover of SABMiller in 2016 the company did not have a foothold in Africa. SABMiller’s dominance in the continent’s fast growing beer market was said to be one of the main drivers for the purchase.
In July 2017 the world’s largest brewer announced to invest $200 million in extending and upgrading its two SAB-breweries in Alrode and Rosslyn in South Africa. (inside.beer, 11.7.2017)
In November the company said to spend $250 million in building a new brewery not far away from Nigeria’s capital Lagos. (inside.beer, 23.11.2017)