AB InBev flatters SA beer drinkers
AB InBev has shed some market share on South African soil, with Heineken the biggest winner
SA might be a developing country, but when it comes to alcohol consumption it acts more like a developed one."Consumers are much more educated than say in Mexico and Colombia," AB InBev's zone president for Africa, Ricardo Moreira, told Business Times. SA's discerning beer drinkers should be mentioned in the same breath as the Americans and British, he says.And he should know. Moreira has been with AB InBev for 25 years and his most recent stint was in Colombia, one of the world's five largest beer markets, where he also oversaw Peru and Ecuador.Moreira suspects local consumers' sophistication could be a side effect of SA's "wine legacy". Having had a wine industry for decades before beer became big, consumers became accustomed to variety and were more aware of different taste profiles. And as beer grew in popularity, drinkers wanted similar choices in beer, he says.AB InBev took over SABMiller in 2016 in a deal worth $106bn (more than R1.5-trillion at the time). But so far S...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.