INVESTING IN THE GROWTH OF AFRICA

We invest in growing African businesses through partnerships with local entrepreneurs

Exclusively Focused on Sub-Saharan Africa with operations in 6 countries

Lonrho provides long term patient capital building on over 100 years of African expertise

We pride ourselves on operating at the highest global standards of governance

Lonrho management and support functions operate from offices based in Johannesburg, Mauritius and London

IN NUMBERS

6
COUNTRIES
500+
EMPLOYEES
100+
YEARS HISTORY

INVESTMENT STRATEGY AND CURRENT PORTFOLIO

Lonrho is exclusively focused on the opportunities that exist in the rapidly developing and growing continent of Africa.

Key Focus Sectors

Lonrho is a diversified investor, with experience and investments in multiple sectors.

We apply capital solely in Sub-Saharan Africa, seeking interesting opportunities across industry groups, but with priority focus on the following:

  • Food & Beverage Manufacturing and Distribution
  • Market Expansion Services

Typical Transaction Profile

  • Primary capital deal (injecting capital for expansion, bolt-on acquisitions or deleveraging)
  • Founder led and owned company
  • Outside of a competitive auction
  • Controlling equity positions or likely to have a clear route to control
  • Opportunity for Lonrho to effect value-enhancing change through our network, group functions, portfolio companies and our governance experience

Key Investment Criteria

  • Profitable and cash generative
  • Requiring equity investment between $5m-$20m
  • No start-up / greenfield investments
  • High quality management team
  • Either a market leader or potential to be

Should you be seeking investment and fulfil the above criteria, please contact us to discuss further.

Brands ConsumerGroup is a distributor of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (‘FMCG’) for both international and local principals in Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Malawi, with logistics capabilities based out of South Africa.

Big Bottling Company holds exclusive rights to bottle and distribute the beverage products developed by AJE, one of the largest multinational beverage companies.

Brands ConsumerGroup is a distributor of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (‘FMCG’) for bothinternational and local principals in Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Malawi,with logistics capabilities based out of South Africa.

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CORPORATE
VALUES

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

integrity

accountability

passion

performance

OUR HISTORY

1909 - 1960

Incorporation and Lonrho's early days

  • Lonrho was incorporated in the United Kingdom in 1909 as the London and Rhodesian Mining and Land Company and began operating in Africa.
  • The business initially focused on Zimbabwe (then known as Rhodesia), primarily with mining and agricultural activities.

The 1960's

Roland ‘Tiny’ Rowland joins

  • Tiny Rowland took Lonrho’s helm in 1961 with a strategy to transform the company into a worldwide conglomerate with a primary focus of operations in Africa

The 1960's

Lonrho starts it’s acquisitive journey

  • Lonrho lists on the London Stock Exchange.
  • During this period Lonrho acquired a number of businesses including the sole franchise for Mercedes-Benz in Rhodesia, and Consolidated Holdings, a wholesaler and retail distributor of motor vehicle spare parts.

The 1960's

Lonrho starts it’s acquisitive journey

  • Lonrho invested in Mashaba Gold Mines, Kanyemba Gold Mines and A.O.P of Rhodesia.
  • Lonrho makes a bid for Ashanti, the world’s largest Goldmine at the time in Ghana.

The 1970’s and 1980s

A period of explosive growth

  • November 1986 – Lonrho signs an oil pipeline pact with Uganda from the Kenyan border to Uganda’s capital, Kampala. Unfortunately, the construction of the pipeline is never realised.

The 1970’s and 1980s

A period of explosive growth

  • September 1989- Lonrho announces a major investment package for Kenya which includes; cement and sugar projects, a new shopping complex at Nairobi International Airport, expansion of the Norfolk Hotel and the development of a luxury Safari Club inside the Masai Mara.

The 1990's

Lonrho scale of operations reaches a peak

  • 1990 – By the 1990s, Lonrho was one of the world’s largest automotive distributors, selling Rolls Royce, Volkswagen, Audi and French, Japanese and American vehicles in Britain, Europe and Africa.
  • Lonrho was also ranked as the largest single producer of food in Africa, owning 1.5million acres of land.

2000 Onwards

Lonrho focuses on building non-mining African activities

  • May 2006 – Lonrho acquires a majority stake in Luba Freeport Limited in Equatorial Guinea.

2000 Onwards

Lonrho focuses on building non-mining African activities

  • April 2010 – Lonrho acquires Trak-Auto, the Mozambican dealer for John Deere. Trak-Auto was re-branded as LonAgro in 2015.

2000 Onwards

Lonrho focuses on building non-mining African activities

  • Feb 2011 -  Lonrho purchases Kenyan based secure accommodation specialist AFEX Group. The company’s flagship camp; River Camp Juba (est. in 2006) is recognised as one of the safest and most comfortable accommodation facilities in South Sudan.

2000 Onwards

Lonrho focuses on building non-mining African activities

  • July 2011- Lonrho purchases Grindrod Logistics Perishable Division from Grindrod South Africa PTY Ltd, rebranding it Lonrho Logistics.

2000 Onwards

Lonrho focuses on building non-mining African activities

  • 2012 – Lonrho becomes a member of the United Nation Global Compact (UNGC), a global network for sustainable and responsible businesses.

2000 Onwards

Lonrho focuses on building non-mining African activities

  • January 2012 – Lonrho establishes LonAgro Tanzania and LonAgro South Sudan, becoming the sole tractor distributor in the country.

2013

Privatisation of Lonrho and a New Start

  • 19th July 2013 – 52 years after first listing on the London Stock Exchange, Lonrho returned to being a private company, following its acquisition by two leading Swiss businessmen – Rainer-Marc Frey and Thomas Schmidheiny.
  • Lonrho commences a period of strategic rationalisation, involving exiting legacy assets, relocating the head office to Johannesburg from London and re-defining Lonrho’s sector and geographic focus to better align with the African opportunity.

2013 Onwards

A New Chapter Begins

  • December 2015 – Lonrho restructures their Seafood businesses, disposing of Oceanfresh and Fish-On-Line for a shareholding in Atlantis Foods (known as Supapackers at the time)

2013 Onwards

A New Chapter Begins

  • January 2016 – Lonrho establishes LonAgro Malawi and LonAgro Rwanda.
  • March 2016 - LonAgro enters a joint partnership with Gedeb Engineering, the distributor for John Deere in Ethiopia.
1909
2000
2019