Illovo Sugar Limited

The Illovo Group is Africa’s biggest sugar producer and has extensive agricultural and manufacturing operations in six African countries. The group produces raw and refined sugar for local, regional African, European Union (EU), United States of America (USA) and world markets from sugar cane supplied by its own agricultural operations and independent outgrowers who supply cane to Illovo’s factories. High-value products manufactured downstream of the sugar production process are sold internationally into niche markets. Installed electricity generating capacity, fuelled by renewable resources, provides 90% of the group’s energy requirements. Illovo is listed on the JSE Limited and is a subsidiary of Associated British Foods plc which holds 51.4% of the issued share capital. As a major private investor in Africa, Illovo operates and markets its products in countries that face considerable challenges in the form of poverty, unemployment, inequality and disease. The United Nations (UN) classifies Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Tanzania as among the world’s least developed countries. The group has a significant positive impact on the rural communities in the areas in which we operate, inter alia, by creating valuable jobs and economic opportunities, and providing accommodation, healthcare, educational assistance and basic services to employees. In addition, where no such facilities exist, the group provides medical care to communities, assists in education delivery, provides municipal and civic services and access to water and sanitation, and participates in community outreach programmes. Considerable training and other support is provided to local small and medium-scale growers in order to promote sustainable agriculture and economic development activities. The total cane supplies from these growers and community-based co-operative schemes amounts to approximately 3.6 million tons annually.