19 Jul Invested in Moroccan hygiene

The nation is an excellent location for partnerships targeting West Africa

Primarily known for single-use branded hygiene products, Sancella Maroc is rapidly growing its market share in Morocco. “For example, Nana is now the challenger in feminine hygiene, Tena is top three in adult incontinence and Lotus is well established in tissues” says Farouk Zouhir, CEO of the company’s parent, the family-run Sotupa-Sancella Group that was founded in Tunisia and is among Africa’s leading manufacturers in hygiene, health and beauty.

The group launched Sancella Maroc as a distribution company in 2016 and it has quickly become fully engaged in the Moroccan economy, notably by being the first corporate sponsor of women’s soccer teams. As well as Morocco, the group has a strong presence in around 15 other African countries, particularly with feminine, diaper and other hygiene brands that it manufactures under an exclusive agreement with Sweden’s Essity.

Always open to more partnerships, the group has recently attracted new investors and is expanding Sancella Maroc, states Zouhir: “It’s a fantastic opportunity to introduce more products to Morocco and to extend our distribution network. Exporting from Morocco to West Africa is extremely competitive, and so we’re also considering the possibility of setting up manufacturing here in the mid to long term. There are strong competencies in Morocco and an attractive business climate — it’s a country that should be of great interest to US companies.”