South Africa | We heard it on the grapevine that Signal Hill Products, the holding company for South Africa’s major craft brewer Devil’s Peak, is building a large cider production plant near Johannesburg. But only insiders would have known that Signal Hill was involved in Heineken’s divestment of its Strongbow brand in South Africa.

Central African Republic | At the same time when Russia promised to donate 50,000 t of wheat to the CAR by year-end - most likely in an effort to loosen Wagner’s grip on the country - media in the CAR reported the sighting of a large container in Cantonnier, a town some 600 km to the west of the capital on the border with Cameroon.

Nigeria | Diageo’s Nigerian arm will stop importing some spirits such as Johnnie Walker whiskey next year to help reduce its foreign-exchange needs and the impact of a volatile currency on its business.

Morocco | Société des Boissons du Maroc (SBM), Morocco's leading brewer and controlled by France’s Castel Group, announced in September that its licence agreement for the production and distribution of several Heineken brands will expire in December 2023, and that the two partners decided not to renew it.

Nigeria | The country’s major brewer, Nigerian Breweries, sank to its first half-year loss in at least ten years. A net foreign exchange loss of NGN 70.6 billion (USD 92 million) in the second quarter extended the company’s loss position to NGN 47.6 billion (USD 63 million) at half-year, Nigerian media reported on 28 July.

South Africa | Heineken Beverages South Africa, on 26 July, confirmed that its almost 5,000 employees will jointly own a 6 percent stake in the company through an employee share ownership plan. The empowerment scheme was one of the conditions imposed on the Dutch brewer by local competition authorities, following its takeover of drinks firm Distell.

South Africa | Heineken has pledged major capital investment in South Africa, including the construction of a new brewery and a malting plant.

Namibia | The Namibian businessman Sven Thieme, 55, has resigned from the board of Namibia Breweries, following Heineken officially taking control of the local beer market leader on 14 April.

South Africa – Premium beer consumption is set to rise 5.9 percent annually until 2025, with the pandemic year 2020 only proving a brief setback.

South Africa – At long last. South Africa’s Competition Tribunal, on 9 March, granted Heineken approval to take control of Distell Group and Namibia Breweries. This allows Heineken to create a new business in Africa.