How Sudan’s war could affect global fizzy drink supply

The supply chain for gum arabic, an essential raw ingredient used in many drinks, will be “severely affected” if Sudan’s civil war continues. The ingredient, which is made from sap from Sudan’s Acacia senegal trees, acts as an emulsifying, stabilising and separating agent in many products including fizzy drinks, confectionery, cosmetics and medicine. Currently, according to AL-Monitor, Sudan is the source of around 70% of the world’s supply of gum arabic and yet its civil war, which began in April, is having a knock on effect on the supply chain. Without gum arabic, all the sugar in carbonated soft drinks would sink and crystallise and, although there are gum arabic replacements for products like cosmetics and printing inks, there is no substitute product for fizzy drinks. Osama Idris, a general manager at gum arabic supplier Marouj Commodities said: “Most of the gum manufacturers and distributors in Europe and other countries, including Morouj UK, have stock of gum acacia that ...