ANHEUSER-Busch InBev (AB-InBev), parent company to The South African Breweries (SAB), has reaffirmed its role as a driver of economic growth as the brewer negotiated a deal with local can manufacturer Bevcan to export an additional one billion locally manufactured cans across the Atlantic to its operations in South, Central and North America between 2020 and 2021.
Bevcan, like many others in SAB’s value chain, had suffered a knock over the lockdown period due to the two beer bans. As a result of this deal, Bevcan have reignited a decommissioned line solely for the purpose of producing and exporting cans for the America’s. This will provide a much-needed boost of R1.2bn or a 20% increase to the South African beverage canning industry, which supports thousands of livelihoods at a time where economic growth and unemployment are experiencing record lows.
This partnership demonstrates the company’s commitment to growing the nation’s economy by buying local and supporting local businesses in the markets that it operates. During these trying economic times and having endured two unwarranted bans on beer, the brewer is steadfast in rebuilding its local business as well as those of its value chain partners, with the ultimate goal of building a sustained economy.
This boost to the South African canning industry will add an extra layer to the already significant economic contribution of the beer industry. Over one million livelihoods depend on the alcohol industry’s value chain with 140 000 of those livelihoods depending on SAB alone.
