Wine Drinking In Africa Growing 5 Times Faster Than Global Average

Written by Staff

Jun 22, 2015

From StandardMedia. Story by Reuters.

Wine consumption in Africa is rising five times faster than the global average, according to a study of 24 sub-Saharan African countries released this week by British wine consultancy IWSR.

African urbanites, and youngsters in particular, are increasingly turning to wine as their libation of choice. “Young people are taking to wine because it’s considered a sophisticated product. Drinking wine or spirits has a touch of luxury,” says Cameroonian importer Felix Kamdem.

Lack of infrastructure means importers encounter problems keeping products chilled and finding reliable distributors. Undaunted, however, importers in Africa have worked around complications to supply the booming demand.

Analysts frequently cite Nigeria — Africa’s most populous country and biggest economy — and South Africa as markets with the highest potential for growth. Resource-rich countries such as Angola and Cameroon, as well as Ethiopia, Kenya and Ivory Coast, are also on the target list.

“Young people are taking to wine because it’s considered a sophisticated product,” said Kamdem. “Drinking wine or spirits has a touch of luxury.”

Miguel Chan, chief sommelier of the South African hotel group Tsogo Sun Hotels, said social media are playing a significant role in shaping the tastes of young African consumers.

Sommelier master classes offering amateurs tips on how to appreciate a fine vintage are increasingly popular, he added. “Wine can be intimidating for new consumers who have never been brought up in a wine culture,” Chan said.

Sparkling wine is increasingly seen as a “glamorous alternative to beer,” particularly in Nigeria, said Daniel Mettyear who led the IWSR study.

Sweet rose wines are meanwhile in high demand in South Africa, Chan said. Aromatic white wines such as Sauvignon blanc and Chardonnay are also popular, along with “juicy” reds like Merlot.

Spirits exporters are enjoying an even bigger African boom, with whisky in the lead along with brandy and Cognac. The African hard liquor market grew 13 percent between 2010 and 2014, compared to 3 percent growth for wine. “The African market is the market of the future for Cognac, absolutely,” said Herve Bache-Gabrielsen, president of the French Cognac firm that shares his name.