Martens United Brands (formerly UDB) — Local Production Across Africa

PProblem

High import duties and increasing trade barriers in several African countries were making imported beer and malt beverages commercially unsustainable. Local production became essential to unlock growth, protect margins, and ensure business continuity.

AActions

• Designed and implemented a local production strategy enabling manufacturing partnerships within African markets.
• Developed and adapted recipes specifically for local production environments while maintaining product consistency and brand positioning.
• Led formulation and industrial adaptation for TRIO Stout, MAGIC MALT Dark Malt Beverage, and ROYAL DUTCH Premium Lager.
• Coordinated technical collaboration between breweries, engineering companies, quality teams, compound sourcing, and commercial stakeholders.

RResults

• 3x volume growth within 12 months in Liberia by shifting from import to local production.
• Enabled sustainable business expansion despite import constraints.
• Improved competitiveness through reduced import dependency and better local price positioning.
• Supported significant volume growth through scalable local production capabilities.
• Strengthened long-term market resilience via localized industrial partnerships.