| 1891 | Reynolds Brothers Limited is listed as a public company and Charles George (CG) Smith, a local entrepreneur, is appointed as its agent in Durban. This sparks the genesis of CG Smith Sugar. |
| 1893 | C.G. Smith becomes a shareholder in Reynolds Brothers. |
| 1904 | The Umzimkulu Mill joins the Smith fold. |
| 1915 | Reynolds Brothers opens the Sezela mill; and Natal Cane By-Products Limited (now Illovo Merebank) is listed as a public company. |
| 1925 | The Illovo Mill, just south of Durban, is the first in South Africa to operate a refinery. |
| 1962 | The year of the “Sugar Wars”, involving a consortium of CG Smith and Company, Reynolds Brothers Limited, Tongaat Sugar, Crookes Brothers and Gledhow-Chaka’s Kraal, which takes a controlling interest in Sir JL Hulett and Sons. |
| 1976 | The CG Smith Group’s sugar interests are merged into CG Smith Sugar Limited. |
| 1977 | CG Smith Sugar Limited acquires the Illovo Group from Tate and Lyle. |
| 1991 | CG Smith Sugar Limited celebrates its centenary.
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| 1992 | CG Smith Sugar is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), and the company acquires the Umfolozi sugar mill.
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| 1994 | The company name is changed to Illovo Sugar Limited to identify with the Illovo brand of sugars and syrup. |
| 1996 | Illovo acquires a 50% stake in Maragra Açúcar SA in Mozambique. |
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1997 | Illovo acquires Lonrho Sugar Corporation Limited, with sugar assets in Malawi, Eswatini, Mauritius and South Africa. |
| 1998 | Illovo acquires a 55% stake in Kilombero Sugar Company in Tanzania. |
| 2001 | Illovo sells its Mauritian interests and acquires a controlling interest in Zambia Sugar Plc. |
| 2006 | Associated British Foods plc., a company listed on the London Stock Exchange, acquires a 51% controlling stake in Illovo. |
| 2009 | The major cane and factory expansion of the Nakambala sugar mill in Zambia, which results in a doubling of annual sugar production to more than 400 000 tons, is successfully commissioned |
| 2010 | The South African business is re-structured and its relevant assets transferred to a wholly-owned subsidiary, Illovo Sugar (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd. |
| 2011 | The successful commisioning of Ubombo’s major factory expansion and co-generation project in Eswatini. |
| 2013 | The new South African warehouse is officially opened in Pietermaritzburg and Kilombero’s new distillery is commissioned. |