Africa

Chained limited-service operators continue to perform well in 2023 despite the high inflation that has impacted consumers’ purchasing power. The desire to eat out or order quality and hygienic food online among generation Z and millennial consumers…

Rising inflation and high importing costs affected the growth of full-service restaurants in 2023, especially those offering international cuisines. Global inflation also reduced tourism in the country, which impacted full-service restaurants as…

Weakened economic fundamentals have negatively impacted Nigerian consumers’ purchasing power in 2023, resulting in slow growth of consumer foodservice. The cash crunch in the first quarter of the year as a result of the central bank changing the…

Consumer foodservice through standalone is driving growth of consumer foodservice in Nigeria. Standalone eateries are popular amongst local consumers as they are larger and more spacious than other foodservice locations. To meet demand, foodservice…

The bars/pubs category, which is the major driver of cafés/bars, suffered strong decline in real value terms as consumers’ purchasing power was impacted by the harsh economic conditions resulting from the removal of the fuel subsidy. Consumers…

In limited-service restaurants, there is a growing focus on technology as players seek to provide a faster service. McDonald’s (First Restaurant International) has fared much better than its rivals in 2023. This is largely due to its flexible…

Full-service restaurants remain under pressure in 2023, despite the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Inflation has forced operators to increase menu prices, and together with higher levels of unemployment this has hampered domestic demand. Locals…

Consumer foodservice in Morocco witnessed steady growth in 2023, despite the pressing issue of high inflation. In the face of rising prices, locals have changed how they eat, with simpler meals and eating out less frequently becoming more…

Major chains of restaurants and cafés are opening and expanding across Morocco in line with development of infrastructure, tourism and the broader urbanisation trend. Chains are taking over from smaller, independent food outlets in Morocco,…

Morocco has become an attraction hub for global coffee chains and brands, thanks to its stability in the region and the fact that users of consumer foodservice in Morocco are not as price-sensitive as seen in other territories. Indeed, an increasing…

Self-service cafeterias remained the smallest channel within consumer foodservice in Egypt in 2023 in terms of foodservice value sales and number of outlets. The “do it yourself” trend has yet to penetrate Egyptian culture, with consumers still…

Limited-service restaurants registered healthy growth in value sales and also in terms of the opening of new establishments in 2023. It also remained the largest category within consumer foodservice. This was in spite of difficult economic…

Full-service restaurants registered healthy growth in value sales and also in terms of the opening of new establishments in 2023. Despite an inflationary context, demand for eating out was high. Moreover, a new trend emerged in full-service…

The consumer foodservice industry has had a strong year overall. Delivery services have grown and expanded into new regions while new infrastructure developments have opened space for more outlets. Most importantly independent restaurants have grown…

Consumer foodservice through lodging registered among the highest growth rates in current value terms in consumer foodservice by location, as tourism recovered in the wake of the pandemic and the full reopening of society. The industry is betting on…

Homegrown brands providing speciality coffee have taken the market by storm. One example is Seven Fortunes which was created through an interesting story in which the founders were inspired by a man named Sufi Baba Budan who journeyed the world in…

Whilst street stalls/kiosks has long been dominated by independent players in South Africa, the changing trading environment has seen a growing interest by chained operators that are traditionally present in limited-service and full-service…

South Africa is struggling with the impact of high inflation and decreased disposable incomes, resulting in brands needing to be competitive to obtain their share of financially-restricted consumers’ budgets. Post-pandemic, eating out is considered a…

Rising interest rates and high inflation have impacted the development of larger format consumer foodservice establishments due to the greater costs involved. Thus, there is a focus on smaller format outlets. Market saturation in urban areas has…

The trading environment in South Africa paints a bleak picture; post-pandemic recovery hindered by deteriorating local economic conditions, including erratic electricity supply, weak growth and high levels of inflation. South Africa’s food price…

The pandemic and its subsequent restrictions imposed on travel had a significant impact on the entire tourism industry, including consumer foodservice through travel. This location recorded the most severe declines in 2020, as, whilst all locations…

With COVID-19 restrictions on foodservice outlet trading hours being enforced for a number of years in South Africa, the after effects are still being felt and there is a continued shift from evening to daytime dining. This trend is further…

Technological advances in 2024 will continue to reshape consumer behaviour. This annual report explores the top five digital shopper trends that will redefine commerce the most in the year ahead. Some of the trends included in this report’s edition…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries in Q4 2023 and 2024. Global inflation is moderating, although divergence remains among the key economies. Higher volatility in the energy markets and disruption of…

Rising costs of living pose challenges globally, but companies can find opportunities in several categories, essential and discretionary, especially in underpenetrated fast-growing markets. By considering category adjacencies and focusing on value,…

In the upcoming years, consumers and businesses face an array of challenges, with rising income inequality being among the key ones. Nevertheless, addressing the income inequality through catering to the Bottom of the Pyramid and the Middle Class…

Full-service restaurants in the Middle East experienced a significant decline during the pandemic, due to their relatively high price and the nature of the category, that relies on dine-in experience. The post-pandemic recovery is accelerating every…

Street stalls/kiosks registered the highest growth in value sales and also in terms of new locations in 2022. Difficult economic fundamentals benefitted street stalls/kiosks. High inflation caused by in particular increased energy prices due to the…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries. In 2023, global inflation is expected to ease from its peak in 2022, but remaining significantly above-trend. Geopolitical risks and uncertainty in the energy market are…

Now in its seventh edition, this report explores the top digital shopper trends that will redefine commerce the most in the year ahead. Some of the trends included in this edition touch on topics such as second-hand shopping, community group buying,…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries. Global inflation is reaching a peak, although geopolitical risks and uncertainty in the energy market remain key risks. The impact varies between countries, with…

The briefing introduces the Cities Households Necessities Spending Index. The index ranks 1,075 cities by household expenditure on non-discretionary items, namely food, housing, and clothing and footwear. This analysis focuses on 160 major cities.…

Slower growth, surging inflation, rising geopolitical risks and an accelerating deglobalisation trend are factors shaping the global economic, financial and trade landscape in 2022 and beyond. Despite the challenges, there are opportunities for…

In 2021, street stalls/kiosks benefited from the fact that consumers were less fearful of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus while eating outside - especially at street stalls and/or foodservice kiosks – than in the previous year. Households were…

The adoption of less restrictive COVID-19 measures in 2021 allowed street stalls and hawkers to resume their activities. While the economic shock of lockdown measures led many consumers to be more conservative in their discretionary spending, demand…

The self-service cafeterias channel is not present in Nigeria and there are no signs that it will emerge over the forecast period.

As the end of 2021 approaches, almost two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergence and rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant has increased uncertainty and weakened the momentum of the global recovery. This series of quarterly reports…

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has shaken up the consumer goods, services and payment industries in Sub-Saharan Africa, putting pressure on supply chains and depressing sales, as lockdowns and job losses squeeze discretionary spending. As a result of the…

This report considers what socialising will look like in a post-COVID-19 era, focusing on several key questions. A return to the “Roaring Twenties” in the beverages space or a continuing decimation of the on-trade? How has socialising changed (eg…

As consumers prepare fewer meals overall, while demanding more assistance for the ones they do, spending and brand equity will accrue to those companies providing fresh prepared meals on demand, from delivery aggregators to retailers, restaurant…

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes in business models and consumer behaviour, as well as altering the ways and the geography many of us live, work, study and play. Understanding what changes will stick after the pandemic…

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered the most severe global recession since World War II. In Q4 2020, the end of the pandemic started as countries began administering effective vaccines among the population; however, vaccine distribution…

As the COVID-19 pandemic drives seismic shifts across consumer markets, the key question facing business strategists is which of these changes are more reactionary in nature versus signalling the start of a long-term behavioural shift. This briefing…

Technological advances are creating unprecedented change across consumer-facing industries. The Digital Consumer Survey, fielded in March and April, offers insight into the pace and depth of this evolution, tracking consumer behaviour, attitudes,…