Spirits in Cameroon

PRE-COVID-19 PERFORMANCE

Consumers favour imported products, local players attempt to compete through tasting events and repackaging

Great demand for spirits remained in Cameroon in 2019, and imported products continued to characterise sales due to their quality, consumer loyalty, and well-established presence. Local distilleries made efforts to boost sales through repackaging and expanding distribution into new territories.

Diageo consolidates lead in 2019, thanks to product familiarity, strong distribution and new launches

Consumers trust the quality of spirits imported by Diageo. Diageo also benefits from a well-established presence and strong distribution networks.

Local players invest in efforts to gain share

In general, consumers associate well-known imported brand with higher quality. This represents a disadvantage for local players, which thus aim to compete with extensive production of quality drinks.

2020 AND BEYOND

COVID-19 impact

On-trade volume sales of spirits are expected to fall by 38% in 2020 in light of the impact of COVID-19. This compares to an expected 7% rise forecast for 2020 during research conducted in May 2019, ie before the spread of COVID-19.

Affected products within spirits

While all spirits categories are set to be plunged into negative growth territory in 2020 as a result of COVID-19, it is the higher value spirits that are set to be most severely impacted. Liqueurs, white rum and vodka are set to see the greatest declines, followed by Irish whiskey, blended malt Scotch, dark rum, bitters and cognac.

Recovery and opportunities

Imported brands are anticipated to remain the most popular spirits over the forecast period, with consumers remaining loyal to premium, high-quality brands which they regard as superior in both flavour and ingredients. These categories will see demand return in the post-pandemic environment as consumer spending power gradually recovers, although this is likely to be gradual.

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