According to the latest report, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a Sudanese paramilitary group, currently controls large swathes of the country and holds sway over the supply of gum arabic, a key ingredient in products like Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
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03-20, 2025Gum arabic is an organic emulsifier extracted from acacia tree sap and is widely used in a variety of products, including major soft drink brands, as well as soaps, medicines, candies, and cosmetics. It serves as an indispensable component in the manufacturing processes of these diverse items.
Approximately 70% of the world's gum arabic supply originates from Sudan. Bloomberg reported that acacia trees primarily grow in a 200,000-square-mile area in southern Sudan, which is now largely controlled by the Rapid Support Forces. This signifies that the group wields significant influence over the gum arabic supply chain, impacting global industries.
Hisham Salih Yagoub of Afritec, one of Sudan's largest international suppliers, revealed to the media that he routinely pays the Rapid Support Forces $2,500 per truck to allow the transport of gum arabic to the country's ports. "They will stop the trucks, and you have to pay to let the trucks pass," he said. "They either steal some, or they make you pay."
Since April 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in a brutal civil war between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the country has descended into a humanitarian crisis, with 12.5 million Sudanese displaced and an estimated thousands killed. The Rapid Support Forces has been accused of widespread sexual assault, looting, torture, and summary executions of civilians, while the Sudanese Armed Forces has also been condemned for its indiscriminate bombing campaigns.
Documents obtained by Bloomberg indicate that the Sudanese Armed Forces has also introduced a series of fees, charging approximately $155 per 100 kilograms of gum arabic shipped from Port Sudan. This implies that any movement of gum arabic out of the country may involve payments to groups accused of war crimes, further complicating the gum arabic supply chain and raising ethical concerns.
Bloomberg stated that Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Danone did not respond to inquiries regarding the gum arabic controversy. Nestlé stated that it is "committed to sourcing all commodities in a responsible manner and in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements." Mars stated that it does not tolerate bribery or corruption and is "actively engaging with our suppliers regarding the deeply concerning situation in Sudan, and we remain prepared to take any appropriate action should we discover any violations of our policies."
Furthermore, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have recently faced widespread boycotts in the Middle East due to US support for Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, and Coca-Cola's reported presence in a factory in the illegal West Bank settlement of Atarot. Data from market research firm NielsenIQ indicates that sales of Western soft drink brands in the Middle East fell by 7% in the first half of 2024.
