Food & Beverage Companies: A quick review in Nigeria (Updated 2023)

Searching for food and beverage companies in Nigeria? It’s a good thing you’re here, as this post highlights the food and beverage companies in Nigeria.

Introduction to Food and Beverage Companies in Nigeria

Beverage production in Nigeria has evolved from the local and often unhygienic venture it used to be to a sanitary, tech-driven operation. In our post on how to set up a bar  we made mention of certain drinks that could be required of you to have and in our recent article we talk about the different brands of beer that you can find in the market. So now we will be looking at the top Beverage production companies in the market. Keep reading

Thanks to advancements in science, technology, and advanced marketing strategies, the Nigerian food and beverage industry has grown in production, sales, quality control, and advertisement – even for locally made beverages like Palm wine, Kunu, and Zobo. 

One other thing that has undoubtedly grown over the years in the food and beverage industry is competition.

To stay at the top of the food chain or even remain relevant, food and beverage companies in Nigeria have to create new flavors for their products, sign celebrities as ambassadors, improve their marketing strategies, and satisfy the needy population of customers.

It is not easy, but these companies have been doing a great job so far.

One can’t discuss the food and beverage manufacturing companies in Nigeria without mentioning the availability of raw materials.

Availability of Raw Materials

Many of these companies use locally available raw materials.

Others import their resources, while some do both.

Either way, they use only top quality raw materials to give Nigerian and foreign customers the best edible products the market can offer.

Without wasting much time, let’s look at some of the top beverage and food companies in Nigeria.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Nigerian Food and Beverage Industry

How many drinks does The Coca-Cola Company sell worldwide each day?

Almost 2 billion servings of Coca-Cola drinks are consumed by customers each day. 

Are soft drinks good for the health?

Soft drinks contain high sugar contents that provide the body with the necessary energy to execute activities; however, their consumption should be limited.

Excessive consumption of soft drinks may increase susceptibility to some health conditions such as tooth decay, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. 

Who is the biggest food company in the world?

Currently, Nestle is the biggest food company globally, with food and total sales equaling $93,268 and $80,195, respectively.

What are the 5 largest food companies?

The five largest food companies globally are; 

  • Nestlé
  • PepsiCo
  • Anheuser-Busch InBev
  • JBS, and
  • Tyson Foods

These top 5 companies have retained these positions for at least the past five years.

What is the number one soft drink in the world?

Coca-Cola Classic is the most popular soft drink in the world.

Fun fact

Coca-Cola was the first drink to be consumed in space, closely followed by Pepsi. 

Is alcohol good for the health? 

Consuming alcohol in moderate amounts provides the human body with certain health benefits, such as reducing the risk of developing diabetes, ischemic stroke, and heart diseases.

Many alcoholic drinks contain antioxidants that help in protecting human cells against free radicals.

However, excessive or even constant alcohol consumption may lead to chronic and acute diseases like high blood pressure, stroke, liver disease, digestive complications, and heart diseases. 

What is a food and beverage company?

A food and beverage company is an organization licensed to produce, process, transport, market, packaging, and distribute edible goods- snacks, drinks, and other food items.

These companies are also known as FMCG companies (Fast Moving Consumer Goods).

This is because there’s an ever-existing demand for their products, and they are consumed almost immediately upon production.

The food and beverage industry is a very lucrative business sector in Nigeria, especially if your products are good quality.

There is a range of edible items with high customer demand, and you can easily exploit this demand to create a product that will sell at a fast rate.

These items include;

  • Tomato paste
  • Custard
  • Condensed milk
  • Flour
  • Coconut oil
  • Chocolate
  • Fruit juice
  • Processed meat
  • Palm oil
  • Groundnut oil
  • Noodles
  • Alcohol
  • Soft drinks
  • Lemonade
  • Honey
  • Plantain chips
  • Potato chips, etc. 

What is the legal age for alcohol consumption in Nigeria?

The legal drinking age in Nigeria is 18.

Know that alcohol consumption is banned in the Northern region of the country. 

How many brands does PepsiCo have?

PepsiCo currently owns 23 brands.

The company produces and distributes top quality foods and beverages, including;

  • Pepsi
  • Doritos
  • Quaker Oats
  • Tropicana
  • Mountain Dew, and
  • 7UP. 

What are the most consumed alcoholic drinks in Nigeria?

Alcohol consumption in Nigeria is on a high.

Despite the ban on alcohol in the Northern region, Nigeria still ranks 27th globally regarding adult alcohol drinking (age 15+) in liters per year, making it one of Africa’s leading figures when it comes to alcohol consumption.

In fact, according to data from the nation’s statistics bureau, Nigerians spent at least N208 Billion on alcohol.

So, without a doubt, Nigerians drink a lot.

Here’s a list of alcoholic drinks in Nigeria:

  • Heineken Beer
  • Trophy Beer
  • Baileys’ Cream
  • Guinness Stout
  • Palm Wine
  • Johnny Walker
  • Pito
  • Absolut Vodka
  • Jack Daniels’
  • Ciroc Vodka
  • Hennessy VSOP
  • Goldberg Beer
  • Dom Perignon Champagne
  • Smirnoff Ice Vodka
  • Gulder Beer
  • Star Radler

Which region consumes alcohol the most in Nigeria?

Researchers discovered that the South-South zone takes a huge chunk of the alcohol consumption prowess of Nigeria.

Their reports claim that Niger Delta states like Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom houses the country’s most dedicated drinkers. 

List of Top 10 Food and Beverage Companies in Nigeria

There are so many food and beverage manufacturing companies in Nigeria.

However, we will provide you with a list and short notes on 10 of the best.

The top ten food and beverage companies in Nigeria include;

  • Dangote Foods
  • Nestle
  • Cadbury Nigeria PLC
  • Honeywell Foods
  • DUFIL Prima Foods
  • Heineken H.V.
  • Beloxxi Industries Limited
  • The Nigerian Bottling Company
  • Chi Limited
  • Rite Foods

Dangote Foods

Dangote Group is a conglomerate, with Dangote Foods being one sector out of many.

Aliko Dangote founded it in 1981 as an enterprise for the importation and distribution of food items in Nigeria.

dangote
dangote

However, the company has become the biggest company on the list of food and beverage manufacturing companies in Nigeria and arguably in Africa.

The company is responsible for producing and distributing many food products such as;

  • Dangote Sugar
  • Dangote Flour
  • Dansa Juice
  • Dangote Noodles
  • The Dangote Salt, and
  • Dangote Spaghetti. 

The company is one of Nigeria’s best food companies and deserves to be on every list of food and beverage companies in Nigeria and Africa. 

Nestle

Nestle Nigeria is also at the top of the Nigerian food and beverage sector’s food chain.

Since its establishment in 1961, Nestle has sustained and improved its food diversity and quality up to this very moment.

Nestle
Nestle

In the past few years, their exploits rank them high on the top 100 companies in Nigeria.

Their products are everywhere in Nigeria, and there’s hardly anywhere you will go in the country where you won’t find a Nestle product.

Here’s a list of Nestle Nigeria products;

  • Breakfast Cereals

Uncle TOBYS Oats, UNCLE TOBYS Plus, MILO Cereal, and Cheerios.

  • Drinks

Milo, Nesquik, Malted Milk drink, Caro Extra, Hot Chocolate

They also produce coffee (NESCAFE), noodles, baking ingredients, cooking milk, and confectionery. As a young and industrious person hoping to invest, you can buy stock with Nestle Nigeria and gain in the future

Cadbury Nigeria PLC

Cadbury Nigeria PLC

Cadbury Nigeria PLC
Cadbury Nigeria PLC

Cadbury Nigeria PLC is a food, sweets, and drink company headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria.

The company’s top product is Cadbury Bournvita, one of the country’s best beverages.

Cadbury, Nigeria, is also responsible for cocoa butter, liquor, cake, and other intermediate cocoa products. 

Honeywell Foods

Honeywell Foods

Honeywell Foods is a subsection of the Honeywell Group, a conglomerate that operates in various sectors such as telecommunications, infrastructure, food, and agriculture.

Honeywell
Honeywell

The company is responsible for producing a couple of food products such as;

  • Honeywell Superfine Flour
  • Honeywell Wheat Meal
  • The Honeywell Semolina
  • Honeywell Noodles
  • Honeywell Macaroni
  • The Honeywell Whole Wheat Meal
  • Honeywell Pasta
  • Honeywell Composite flour, and
  • The Honeywell Brown Flour.

DUFIL Prima Foods

If you’re talking about companies on the list of food and beverage companies in Lagos, Nigeria, DUFIL Prima foods are top.

They are also ranked high in the list of food processing companies in Nigeria.

DUFIL Prima Foods
DUFIL Prima Foods

Established by the Tolaram Group and Salim Group, this elite food and beverage company has served the Nigerian market for over 18 years.

Their quality has been nothing but top-notch.

Indomie is their top product.

They have produced various flavors such as;

  • Indomie Chicken Pepper Soup Flavor
  • Indomie Oriental Fried Noodles Flavour
  • Onion Chicken, and
  • Relish Food Delight.

With Indomie as their top product, it is no argument that DUFIL Prima Foods is one of the most popular food manufacturing companies in Nigeria.

Heineken H.V.

The green bottle with a red star is a common sight in Nigeria, and it almost requires no introduction.

Heineken is one of the most popular alcoholic beverage companies in Nigeria, and for a good reason.

Heineken H.V.
Heineken H.V.

It is consumed in many pubs, bars, and nightclubs in Abuja, Lagos and every part of Nigeria.

You will even find it being served at parties.

Heineken H.V. has also acquired the Star and Goldberg brands, which seals them as one of Nigeria’s biggest alcoholic beverage companies

Beloxxi Industries Limited

Only a few companies in Nigeria can compete with Beloxxi in terms of biscuit production.

Beloxxi Industries Limited
Beloxxi Industries Limited

Their tasty cream crackers are one of the most consumed biscuits in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

The company has been importing and producing biscuits in Nigeria since 2000, and the quality of their products has never dwindled since then. 

The Nigerian Bottling Company

The Nigerian Bottling Company was established in November 1951 as a subsidiary of the A.G. Leventis Group with the franchise to bottle and sell products of The Coca‑Cola Company in Nigeria.

The Nigerian Bottling Company
The Nigerian Bottling Company

Coca-Cola is one of Nigeria’s most popular beverages, selling more than 2 billion unit cases annually.

The Nigerian Bottling Company is also responsible for distributing and marketing;

  • Fanta
  • Limca
  • Sprite
  • Five Alive, and
  • Schweppes. 

Chi Limited

Chivita 100%, Chivita ACTIVE, CHI Exotic, Happy Hour, Capri-Sun, and Chivita Ice Tea all sound pretty familiar.

Chi Limited
Chi Limited

Well, the company responsible for the production of these superb beverages is Chi Limited.

They are also responsible for the production of dairy products under the brand name Hollandia.

They are vested in producing snacks, including Sausage Roll, Beefie Meat Pie, Beefie Beef Roll, and Chi Superbite Premium beef.

Considering their operational standards, new food companies can look up to Chi Limited as model companies for food processing in Nigeria. 

Rite Foods

Soft drinks under the brand name Bigi took the Nigerian market by surprise a few years ago.

They gave existing juggernauts a run for their money through their elite packaging and quality products in the beverage industry.

Rite Foods
Rite Foods

The Beverage Company responsible for producing these Bigi Products (Bigi Cola, Bigi Tropical, Bigi Apple, Bigi Orange, Bigi Chapman, Bigi Bitter Lemon, etc.) is Rite Foods.

These Bigi products are currently the most popular soft drinks in Nigeria.

They are also responsible for producing some of Nigeria’s favorite sausage rolls under the brand name Rite and Bigi gala. 

Other Popular Food and Beverage Companies in Nigeria.

Other notable mentions in the food and beverage industry include;

  • Deli Foods Nigeria Limited
  • CWAY Foods and Beverages
  • Unilever Nigeria
  • Honeyland Foods
  • Leventis Foods
  • UAC Foods 
  • GX Foods Limited
  • Anheuser-Busch InBev

Note that these food and beverage companies are also big guns in the industry.

They will undoubtedly fall into the list of the top 50 food and beverage companies in Nigeria. 

Conclusion on Food and Beverage Companies in Nigeria.

Some of these companies have moved past the shores of Nigeria to establish branches in other countries.

As a result, Nigerian food and beverage companies are ranked high on the list of multinational companies in Nigeria. Soon enough, they will take the world by storm (some of them already have.)

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