ANGOLA: SABMiller to open $125m brewery

SABMiller is to open a US$125m brewery and soft drinks factory in Angola this year, in the latest stage of the brewer's African expansion plan.

The new greenfield brewery, based near Luanda in northern Angola, will begin production in October, SABMiller said today (10 July). It will produce around 500,000 hectolitres (hl) of beer annually.

Sparkling soft drinks will be produced on three bottling lines, with an annual capacity of 200,000 hl.

SABMiller has stepped up efforts to increase its presence across several countries in Africa, with Angola housing one of four new breweries planned for 2009. 

On completion of the new brewery and soft drinks plant, SABMiller will have invested around $250m in upgrading or building new facilities across Angola in 18 months, the brewer said.

"SABMiller remains positive about the potential of the Angolan market and, in conjunction with our partners, we are continuing to invest in what will be a bright future for the business," said Mark Bowman, the group's managing director for Africa.

The brewer operates in Angola in a joint venture with local brewer Empresa Cervejas de N'gola.

Earlier this year, SABMiller opened a brewery in Southern Sudan. A group spokesperson told just-drinks that breweries in Tanzania and Mozambique were also set to open in 2009.

SABMiller's lager and soft drinks sales by volume across Africa rose by 5% in the year to the end of March, compared to 2% growth for the group worldwide. 

Last week, the group said it would sell a 10% stake in its South African Breweries business to black investors.