Illovo Sugar Africa (Pty) Ltd (Illovo) is Africa's largest sugar producer and has extensive agricultural operations in six southern African countries, manufacturing sugar from cane supplied by its own agricultural operations and independent. Being market-focussed and valued by its communities, Illovo's primary customers of its sugar products are found primarily in the domestic markets where it operates and in neighbouring regional African countries, using an extensive network of distribution and logistics channels. The group also produces raw and refined sugar for its customers in the European Union (EU) and the United States of America (USA), including high quality, speciality sugars made in Malawi and Zambia.High-value products manufactured downstream of the sugar production process, including furfural and ethyl alcohol, are sold internationally into niche markets. Installed electricity generating capacity, fuelled by renewable resources, annually provides around 90% of the group's energy requirements and where governed by commercial power supply agreements, exports electricity into national grids. The group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Associated British Foods plc (ABF), a diversified international food, ingredients and retail group operating in 48 countries. Illovo has a proud history of significant contribution to local economies where it operates and its positive social impact across the region on rural communities is substantial. The group's total economic impact, including direct, indirect and induced impacts, was estimated at R 23.8 billion in 2016/17. In order to be a successful company on the continent, the group strives to be an invested citizen of the countries where it operates and the region. Illovo's focus therefore, is on creating an environment in which both the group's businesses and its communities thrive in a mutually-beneficial manner.