Inside the Kenyan manufacturer betting on Africa’s industrial future
Kenyan manufacturer HACO Industries is expanding its production capacity and supply chain localization to better serve African consumers. The company is shifting toward automation and sourcing raw materials like shea butter from within the continent to reduce costs.
Why it matters
HACO's strategy illustrates the growing trend of intra-African trade and the push for industrial self-sufficiency in emerging markets.
In a central Nairobi factory, a steady stream of household, hair and skincare products rolls off the production line. HACO Industries makes around 90 products designed for African consumers. Its brands reach more than 3 million families across the continent, while raw materials are sourced from more than 500 farmers in Africa. For Mary-Ann Musangi, whose family launched HACO more than 50 years ago, the opportunity lies in making products on the continent for people whose needs the business recognizes. “How do we reach African consumers with products that they want and need, manufactured by a company that understands them — understands African skin, African hair and African needs?” she said. HACO currently exports to eight African countries. Kenya is its largest market, but it also has a presence in Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.
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