Azam shines in top 100 most admired brands

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIAN conglomerate Azam has made history as the only brand from Tanzania to feature in the prestigious 2025 Brand Africa list of the Top 100 Most Admired Brands, according to the latest Geopoll report.

This recognition solidifies Azam’s reputation as a continental powerhouse and highlights Tanzania’s growing footprint in Africa’s competitive consumer market. Ranked 51st in the continent-wide index, Azam stands out in a list overwhelmingly dominated by European, North American, South American and Asian giants.

The annual rankings driven by consumer research across 31 African countries are led once again by global heavyweights including Nike (No. 1), Adidas, Samsung, Coca-Cola, Apple, Gucci, Toyota, Tecno and Zara.

Azam, a flagship brand of the Bakhresa Group, has grown from humble beginnings in 1975 when its founder, Mr Salim Said Bakhresa, purchased a small restaurant named ‘Azam’ in downtown Kariakoo, Dar es Salaam.

From there, it evolved into a sprawling conglomerate known for products such as wheat flour, sugar, soft drinks and packaged foods earning trust across East Africa and beyond.

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Despite rising optimism in the continent’s potential with 68 per cent of respondents in the 2025 survey expressing confidence in Africa’s future, up from 64 per cent in 2024 the presence of African brands in the Top 100 list has shrunk.

This year, only 11 African brands made the cut, the lowest number since the initiative began in 2011 and a drop from 14 in 2024. “This year’s rankings reveal a contrasting decline in loyalty to African brands,” the report noted.

African brands maintained a 14 per cent share of the Top 100 list for the second consecutive year, led by South Africa’s MTN, Nigeria’s Dangote and Glo, Zambia’s Trade Kings, South Africa’s DStv and Ethiopian Airlines.

These six brands represent the only African countries contributing to the list: South Africa and Nigeria lead with five entries each, while Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe each have one.

Globally, European brands retained a 37 per cent share of Africa’s most admired brands, followed by North America at 28 per cent and Asia, which increased its footprint to 21 per cent.

“For the fifth year in a row, Nike, Adidas, Samsung, Coca-Cola, and Apple have remained Africa’s Top 5 most admired brands,” the report concluded.

The 2025 Brand Africa Report offers a revealing snapshot of shifting consumer tastes, brand perceptions and the growing challenge for African brands to rise in a globally competitive market.