
Pre-conference masterclass discusses taking African brands to the world
Participants challenged to identify, articulate and commercialise the cultural assets that make their brand ready for a global audience.
BUSINESS STRATEGY
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025
New complex in Giza will consolidate the company various Egyptian operations and boost its export capabilities in the region.
Symrise, the German-based company that manufactures and markets flavours and fragrances for the foodstuffs and cosmetics industries, has unveiled plans for a new 30,000m² facility in Egypt.
The purpose-built 6th of October City in Giza will host the new Symrise facility
This will be located in Giza, Greater Cairo, and consolidate the company’s extensive operations in the Middle East-North Africa region into a single facility.
Currently, Symrise Egypt serves more than 20 markets with two production sites, an innovation centre, a quality control laboratory, and a sales and marketing office.
The new facility is located at the 6th of October City, a purpose-built modern city 32km from the centre of Cairo and 17km from the famous pyramids of Giza.
“This consolidation will support the consistent double-digit growth in Egypt as a destination market on the one hand. On the other hand, it will also foster the growth of the various markets … served from Egypt. Thus, expanding production capacity and capabilities becomes a key success factor to ensure superior service to our customers across all markets,” says Ihab Rehab, Managing Director for Symrise in North Africa.
Key focus on growing exports
Adds Lilian Regnier, Symrise President for Food & Beverage in Europe, Middle East and Africa: “Growing exports and our export expertise from Egypt represent a key focus for Symrise, supporting the EAME Supply Chain Strategy.
“Exports facilitate building a robust and agile business model supported by a strong presence in more than 22 markets, primarily across Africa and the Middle East.”
According to a press release from Symrise, the vibrant food and beverage economy in Egypt is closely linked to the growth of the agricultural sector, the government’s focus on investing in expanding the country’s industrial footprint, and upgrading the supporting infrastructure. Several global and regional F&B producers are using their production sites in Egypt to serve markets across the wider region.
Symrise company has a long-standing African presence, having been in South Africa for approximately 60 years and Nigeria for around 30 years.

Participants challenged to identify, articulate and commercialise the cultural assets that make their brand ready for a global audience.

Second outlet planned for Nairobi before year end, with Nigeria, South Africa and Morocco said to be future target markets.

Online search behaviour has changed significantly with the rise of AI. How can African brands adapt to this new marketing landscape?

Researchers propose a framework for packaging that senses, learns and acts – making packaging an active, AI-powered tool against food waste.

Country needs marketers to build recognition and consumer trust around Malawian products and national brand, says Deputy Minister.

Fashion brand suspends giant lingerie high above the city’s streets, using shadows to create a moving billboard for pedestrians and motorists.

Researchers describe AI influencers as having a ‘dual identity’. Consumers evaluate both ‘person’ and ‘technology’ identities at once.

Reputation and trust, once modest influences on hotel choice, have become some of the strongest predictors of patronage, study finds.

South African brands are increasingly setting the global benchmark for customer loyalty strategies, organisers say.

Global influences among younger consumers are still present, but they are being filtered through a distinctly Zambian lens.

Researchers find that lack of perceived ‘genuine care’ is the mechanism connecting AI involvement to lower trust ratings.