What Does Illovo Sugar Africa Do?

Total employees1589
HeadquartersDurban
Founded1891

Illovo Sugar Africa (Pty) Ltd is the largest sugar producer in Africa, with extensive agricultural and manufacturing operations in six countries: Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Associated British Foods plc (ABF) since 2016, Illovo is a leading, integrated agri-business focused on sugar production, as well as downstream products such as furfural and its derivatives, ethyl alcohol, and co-generated electricity. The company is committed to sustainable development, community upliftment, and ethical practices across its operations, playing a significant role in the economies of the countries where it operates.

Where Is Illovo Sugar Africa's Headquarters?

HQ Function

Serves as the central strategic, operational, and administrative hub for Illovo Sugar Africa's extensive operations across its six African countries of operation. It coordinates group-wide policies, financial management, commercial strategy, and stakeholder relations.

Notable Features:

Modern office facilities designed to support a collaborative and efficient work environment, strategically positioned within a key South African commercial district.

Work Culture:

The headquarters fosters a professional, dynamic, and performance-driven work culture. There's a strong emphasis on safety, ethical conduct, innovation in agriculture and production, and contributing positively to the communities and environments where Illovo operates.

HQ Significance:

The HQ's location in a major South African economic hub (Durban/Umhlanga) allows for effective management of its diverse African operations, access to talent, and engagement with key financial, governmental, and industry stakeholders.

Values Reflected in HQ: The headquarters reflects Illovo's commitment to professionalism, operational excellence, sustainability, and its role as a significant investor and employer in Africa.

Location:

Illovo Sugar Africa's presence is primarily concentrated across the African continent, with significant agricultural and manufacturing operations in six key countries: Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia. While its operational footprint is African, as a subsidiary of UK-based Associated British Foods plc, it is part of a larger global food and retail group. Illovo supports functions such as large-scale sugarcane cultivation, sugar milling and refining, production of alcohol and furfural, and electricity co-generation, serving both domestic and international export markets for its products.

Street Address:

1 Abreary Road, Umhlanga Rocks

City:

Durban

State/Province:

KwaZulu-Natal

Country:

South Africa

Where Else Does Illovo Sugar Africa Operate Around the World?

Limbe, Malawi

Address: Churchill Road, Limbe, Malawi (Physical). P.O. Box 46, Limbe, Malawi (Postal).

Manages one of the largest agricultural and manufacturing operations in Malawi, contributing significantly to the national economy, employment, export earnings, and local community development. It's central to Illovo's presence in Southern Africa.

Mhlume, Eswatini

Address: Ubombo Sugar Limited, Mhlume, Eswatini. (Specific street address may vary within the large estate area)

A major player in Eswatini's sugar industry, vital for local employment, economic contribution, and rural development. Supports Illovo's strategic footprint in Southern Africa.

Maragra, Mozambique

Address: Maragra Açúcar SA, Manhiça District, Maputo Province, Mozambique. (Near Xinavane)

Contributes to Mozambique's agricultural output and local economy, providing employment and supporting community initiatives. Forms part of Illovo's East African operational cluster.

Buying Intent Signals for Illovo Sugar Africa

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Who's Leading Illovo Sugar Africa? Meet the Executive Team

As of April 2025, Illovo Sugar Africa' leadership includes:

Gavin Dalgleish - Group Managing Director
Geoff Trott - Group Finance Director
Nash Soni - Group Commercial Director
Vigour Fwamba - Group Human Resources Director
Rebecca Katowa - Country Managing Director - Zambia Sugar Plc
Lekani Katandula - Country Managing Director - Illovo Sugar (Malawi) Plc

Who's Investing in Illovo Sugar Africa?

Illovo Sugar Africa has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

Associated British Foods plc (ABF)

What Leadership Changes Has Illovo Sugar Africa Seen Recently?

Hire0
Exits0

No widely publicized executive hires or departures at the topmost group level (Group MD, Group Finance, Group Commercial, Group HR Directors) have been noted in the past 12 months (mid-2023 to mid-2024), suggesting a period of stability in senior leadership. Key country-level leadership changes may occur but are not always centrally announced with high public visibility unless for listed subsidiaries.

What Technology (Tech Stack) Is Used byIllovo Sugar Africa?

Discover the tools Illovo Sugar Africa uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

Illovo Sugar Africa Email Formats and Examples

Illovo Sugar Africa likely uses a standardized email format for its employees, common for large corporations. While variations might exist, a frequent pattern involves the first initial followed by the last name, or first name separated by a dot from the last name.

first_initial[last]@[domain] e.g. jdoe@illovo.co.za or first.last@[domain] e.g. john.doe@illovosugarafrica.com. The domain can be illovo.co.za (historically common for SA operations) or illovosugarafrica.com.

Format

gdalgleish@illovo.co.za

Example

80%

Success rate

What's the Latest News About Illovo Sugar Africa?

Associated British Foods plcMay 20, 2024

Illovo Sugar Africa performance highlighted in ABF Half-Year Results

Associated British Foods' half-year results mentioned Illovo's performance, noting that sugar production was significantly ahead of the prior year, driven by better weather conditions and factory performance. Revenue growth was also strong due to higher domestic and regional prices....more

Engineering NewsFebruary 7, 2024

Illovo partners with Vodacom to drive digital inclusion for small-scale growers

Illovo Sugar South Africa announced a partnership with Vodacom Financial Services to enhance digital literacy and inclusion for its small-scale growers through the 'Connected Farmer' platform, aiming to improve financial management and access to information....more

Malawi Stock Exchange (via various news outlets)January 25, 2024

Illovo Sugar (Malawi) Plc issues profit warning

Illovo Sugar (Malawi) Plc announced that its profit after tax for the year ending December 31, 2023, was expected to be at least 20% lower than the previous year, citing challenges such as adverse weather conditions and increased input costs....more

Associated British Foods plcNovember 21, 2023

Illovo features in ABF's Preliminary Results for 2023

ABF's full-year results for 2023 indicated that Illovo's sugar production was higher than the previous year, benefiting from improved crop yields and factory efficiencies. The report highlighted ongoing investments in agricultural improvements and sustainability initiatives across Illovo's operations....more

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