Frequently Asked Questions - Africa Wine Export
How do I find a wine importer in Africa?
By knowing who genuinely pays, who genuinely distributes, and who is simply passing through, which no database will tell you. Our Africa business sells into more than 20 African countries, our team has travelled to more than 30 across the continent, and we have worked with over 90 African importers. That history is the asset, because in most African markets the pool of reliable importers is smaller than producers imagine.
Which African countries import the most wine?
Ivory Coast, Kenya and Nigeria are our main markets. Ivory Coast leads West Africa, with wine imports estimated at around €99 million in 2024 on the back of a growing middle class. Kenya is the East African hub, growing at roughly 8% a year with a middle class of some 8 million wine consumers, and it opens onto a regional market of over 200 million people. Nigeria ranks among the world's top twenty-five markets for wine and champagne.
How much tax is there on imported wine in Ivory Coast?
Enough to change your entire pricing strategy. Excise duty, VAT, import duty and surtax combine so that roughly 60 to 75% of the final retail price is tax. Any producer approaching West Africa needs to model backwards from the shelf price rather than forwards from the ex-cellar price. We build that calculation before recommending which of your wines to present.
Is Kenya a good market for wine exporters?
It is one of Africa's most dynamic. Growth runs at roughly 8% annually, South African wines currently dominate with France second, and Italy, Spain and Chile are gaining. Kenyan consumers frequently choose by grape variety and packaging rather than by origin, which makes label design and storytelling unusually decisive. Kenya also hosts more wine fairs than any other African country, which makes physical presence unusually productive.
How is selling wine in Africa different from Europe or Asia?
Three things. Taxation is heavier and dictates the workable price point. Retail dominates, with around 80% of Ivory Coast wine sales going through retail rather than restaurants. And consumers buy on variety, packaging and story more than on appellation prestige. A wine that sells on its classification in Europe often needs a completely different argument in Abidjan or Nairobi.
Who is already selling wine in Africa?
Large integrated groups hold much of the mass segment, and South African producers have strong positions in the east and south. Independent producers win by being distinctive rather than cheapest, and by being genuinely present. That is the gap our Africa business is built for: representing producers who are too small to fund their own market presence but too good to be absent.
How long does it take to get a first order in Africa?
Expect six to twelve months of ground work between signing and a first confirmed order, in line with our other regions. African markets reward repeated physical presence, and importer trust is earned over several visits rather than several emails.
Can I work with you in Africa without working with you in Asia?
Yes. Each office operates under its own agreement, so you can engage our Africa business alone, our Asia-Pacific offices alone, or both. Many producers start with one region and extend once the first orders are moving.