21-23 September 2027
Food & Nutritional Ingredients Africa
Hall No. 1, Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa
South Africa is the largest and most advanced food ingredients market in Sub-Saharan Africa, driven by a well-developed food processing industry, strong retail sector, growing urbanization, and increasing consumer demand for convenience, health-oriented, and value-added food products. The country serves as a regional manufacturing and distribution hub for Southern Africa, supplying neighboring markets including Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, and Angola. The market continues to benefit from investments in bakery, dairy, beverages, meat processing, confectionery, plant-based foods, and functional nutrition
| Year | Market Overview |
| 2024-25 | The market recovered steadily despite inflationary pressures. Demand remained strong for bakery ingredients, dairy cultures, flavors, emulsifiers, preservatives, starches, sweeteners, enzymes, and natural colors. Manufacturers focused on cost optimization while introducing healthier formulations. |
| 2025-26 | Growth is expected to accelerate as food manufacturers invest in product innovation, clean-label ingredients, sugar reduction technologies, functional ingredients, and plant-based proteins. The foodservice and FMCG sectors continue expanding across South Africa and neighboring countries. |
| 2026-27 | The market is projected to witness sustained growth driven by premium food products, nutritional fortification, natural flavors, specialty ingredients, sustainable sourcing, and export-oriented food manufacturing. Digitalization and automation in food processing are expected to improve production efficiency. |
South Africa imports a wide range of specialty food ingredients that are not manufactured locally or are required in larger volumes, including:
South Africa offers significant opportunities for exporters of:
The country also acts as a gateway to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) market of more than 350 million consumers, making it an attractive regional entry point for ingredient manufacturers.
The South African food ingredients market is expected to maintain healthy growth through 2027, supported by rising processed food consumption, continued investment in food manufacturing, growing health awareness, and increasing demand for premium, functional, and sustainable ingredients. Manufacturers are expected to prioritize innovation, reformulation, and locally adapted ingredient solutions while strengthening exports across Africa.
| Category | 2024 Value |
| Agricultural & Food Exports | US$13.6 Billion |
| Agricultural & Food Imports | US$7.6 Billion |
| Trade Balance | US$6.0 Billion Surplus |
| Product | Import Value |
| Rice | US$674 Million |
| Wheat | US$601 Million |
| Food Preparations (Ingredients & Mixes) | US$480 Million |
| Palm Oil | US$447 Million |
The Event