Africa’s beverage industry must overcome barriers
in financing, regulation and skills development while embracing innovation,
sustainability and changing consumer preferences if it is to unlock its full
potential, industry leaders said at the inaugural New Pulse Summit 2026.
Speaking during the event, Drinkabl Africa
co-founder Tossin Balogun said access to capital is one of the biggest
obstacles facing entrepreneurs, noting that while innovative ideas abound, many
founders struggle to secure financing to commercialise them.
“Africa’s beverage industry needs a
convergence of thought leaders, founders and entrepreneurs to bring insights
into the room and have conversations on how we can advance the industry together,”
Balogun said.
Regulatory hurdles also remain a major challenge, as Balogun said talks with operators in East
Africa pointed to lengthy licensing processes for breweries and distilleries,
slowing investment and industry expansion.
Beyond funding and regulation, he said many
founders lack the technical and business expertise needed to scale their
businesses, underscoring the importance of knowledge-sharing forums such as the
New Pulse Summit.
Balogun also highlighted findings from Drinkabl
Africa’s latest beverage industry report, which shows that African consumers
are becoming more selective in their purchasing decisions.
“Young Africans are drinking differently
rather than simply drinking less,” he explained. “They are looking
for value for money, sustainability and brands that reflect their personal
values.”
The report also found that premium positioning
increasingly influences buying decisions as consumers seek brands that project
success and aspiration.
At the same time, ingredient transparency has
become more important, with consumers paying closer attention to product
labels, sustainability credentials and sourcing practices.
East African Breweries Limited (EABL) said
innovation remains central to responding to rapidly changing consumer
preferences.
EABL Head of Innovation Effie Kiongo said the
company relies on extensive consumer research, digital listening and market
engagement to identify emerging trends before developing new products.
Kiongo said African consumers are increasingly
demanding flavorful beverages, greater product variety and healthier lifestyle
options, citing flavored ciders, ready-to-drink beverages and
flavored spirits.
She added that sustainability remains a strategic
priority for EABL through initiatives such as bottle collection and recycling
programs, as well as partnerships with more than 30,000 farmers growing sorghum
and other raw materials.
EABL Innovations Manager Kanye Kuru said resilience
in beverage innovation requires building brands grounded in deep consumer
insights while ensuring they remain culturally relevant and accessible through
the right distribution channels.
He further acknowledged that
understanding consumers remains one of the industry’s greatest challenges,
saying companies must continually invest in research to ensure products genuinely
reflect consumer aspirations and lifestyles.
International brand strategist Mark Pollard said Kenya stood out as one of Africa’s most
exciting investment destinations because of its youthful population, vibrant
digital culture and active nightlife.
Pollard said Kenya’s creativity and online
engagement offer significant opportunities for beverage brands seeking to build
strong consumer communities.
“If you’re building a brand here and you’re
not going viral every week, something is wrong,” he said, pointing to the
country’s highly engaged social media audience.
However, he challenged local businesses to raise
production standards in branding and creative execution, arguing that stronger
storytelling and higher-quality content could help Kenyan brands compete more
effectively on the global stage.
The summit, organized by Drinkabl Africa, brought
together beverage executives, entrepreneurs, investors and innovators to discuss
the future of one of the continent’s fastest-evolving industries.
They emphasized that realizing the sector’s full
potential will require stronger collaboration among governments, investors and manufacturers to remove barriers and accelerate
innovation.
