Ambassador Ismail Abdulnoor Mpanga Bumba, Deputy President of the Uganda Islamic Chamber of Commerce, has urged Uganda to move beyond being a consumer market and take a greater role in manufacturing, value addition and distribution as businesses expand across the East African region.
He made the call while officiating the launch of GrowWell Uganda Limited as an official distributor of selected PZ Cussons products in Uganda.
Ambassador Bumba said East African countries should view the region as one large economic market with more than 300 million consumers, while also taking advantage of its human resources, raw materials and manufacturing opportunities. “We all have to look at East Africa not just as individual markets. We know that East Africa is one big market with over 300 million consumers,” he said.
He welcomed the fact that some PZ Cussons products are manufactured in Kenya but said more opportunities should be created for other East African countries to participate in production and value addition.
Bumba said involving local communities in the production chain would give consumers a stronger sense of ownership of products manufactured within the region.
He also challenged PZ Cussons and its partners to make greater use of Ugandan talent in advertising and marketing, particularly through social media influencers and content creators.
The ambassador said Uganda has a growing pool of creatives who can help international brands develop a stronger local identity.
He further urged PZ Cussons to consider Uganda as more than a distribution market, arguing that the country has raw materials that could potentially contribute to the manufacture of some of its products.
GrowWell takes over distribution
Under the new partnership, GrowWell Uganda Limited will immediately take over the distribution of PZ Cussons’ Imperial Leather and Venus Haircare brands across Uganda. The company will supply products to major supermarkets in Kampala as well as smaller retail outlets, wholesalers and salons across the country.
PZ Cussons’ broader portfolio, including Morning Fresh and Roberts, will also be distributed by GrowWell nationwide.
PZ Cussons Africa Marketing Director Hafsa Arthur said the partnership is part of the company’s strategy to expand its reach and respond to changing consumer preferences.
She said GrowWell will lead the company’s personal-care distribution, particularly Imperial Leather and Venus hair and skin products.
PZ Cussons Uganda Business Development Manager Mariam Nabwami said the partnership will make a wider range of products available to Ugandan consumers.
She said Imperial Leather has evolved beyond its traditional red bar of soap and now includes products targeting different consumer preferences, including men’s and women’s variants, lotions, shower gels and body mists.
Nabwami also highlighted the renewed Venus Haircare range, saying the company has changed its packaging and formulations while introducing products aimed at addressing different hair-care needs.
New products unveiled
The launch also featured the unveiling of PZ Cussons’ “Sticks With You” campaign for Imperial Leather.
The company introduced new Imperial Leather body mists and exfoliating soaps, while the Venus range received additional products including Venus Finishing Mousse and Venus Braid Spray.
The new products join existing Venus offerings such as Moisture Seal and Anti-Dandruff products.
PZ Cussons Managing Director Sekar Ramamoorthy used the occasion to highlight the long history of Imperial Leather, saying the brand has more than 250 years of heritage.
He said the brand, which was traditionally associated with its red bar soap, has grown into an international product sold in more than 100 countries.
Ramamoorthy also pointed to PZ Cussons’ manufacturing operation in Kenya, saying products made there are exported to other African markets, including Ghana.
He said this demonstrates the potential for East African manufacturing to serve markets beyond the region.
GrowWell pledges reliable supply
GrowWell Uganda Limited General Manager Lorna Mwangi described the partnership with PZ Cussons as the result of years of work and pledged to protect the trust placed in the company.
She said GrowWell’s growth has been driven by customer service, a committed workforce and efforts to ensure products reach consumers.
“We are proud to partner with PZ Cussons to bring Imperial Leather and Venus Haircare closer to Ugandan consumers. Great brands deserve great distribution, and that is exactly what GrowWell is built to deliver,” Mwangi said.
GrowWell, established in 2013 and headquartered in Kampala, specialises in the importation, marketing and distribution of consumer goods, particularly in the food and fast-moving consumer goods sectors.
The company supplies wholesalers and retailers across Uganda and the wider East African region and operates its own delivery fleet serving retailers in more than 10 districts.
