HACO Industries’ manufacturing journey and ambition to expand across African markets have been featured on CNN International’s Connecting Africa, where Managing Director Mary-Ann Musangi joined presenter Victoria Rubadiri to discuss the future of African manufacturing and the opportunities to create greater value within the continent.
The conversation explored how Africa can move beyond exporting raw materials and importing finished goods towards producing, processing and distributing more products for its own consumers and global markets. For HACO, this means strengthening local manufacturing, building competitive African brands and developing regional value chains.
Building Brands and Manufacturing Capability
With more than four decades of manufacturing experience, HACO has evolved towards building and growing its own brands. Its portfolio spans haircare, skincare, homecare and plastics, with brands including Miadi, Amara, SoSoft, Ashanti-Q and Ace. Across approximately 90 products, HACO reaches more than three million families, supported by manufacturing capabilities and a deepening understanding of African consumers.
The CNN feature also showcased HACO’s manufacturing operations in Nairobi, highlighting the role of local production in strengthening supply chains and building industrial capacity.
Innovation Rooted in African Consumers
The Managing Director emphasized the importance of understanding Africa’s diverse consumer markets. Developing successful products requires balancing regional ambitions with local preferences, needs and purchasing power.
HACO’s consumer-led innovation includes sunscreen formulated for tropical UV exposure, Oud-inspired Amara lotions, Amara
Anti-Stretchmark Lotion and a Miadi men’s grooming range. These products reflect the importance of translating consumer insights into relevant, competitive offerings.
Keeping More Value within Africa
Manufacturing creates value beyond finished products by supporting suppliers, agricultural value chains, technical skills, employment and small and medium-sized enterprises.
HACO is working to strengthen these connections through local supplier development and agricultural value chains, recognizing that building reliable supply networks requires sustained investment in capability, quality and consistency. Sourcing raw materials, manufacturing and distributing finished products within Africa presents an opportunity to retain more economic value on the continent.
From Exports to Regional Manufacturing
HACO’s expansion into Ghana represents a shift towards a regional manufacturing model, bringing production closer to consumers while maintaining Kenya’s strategic importance in East Africa. The company aims to reach 30 African countries by 2030, with plans for five regional manufacturing hubs. This ambition aligns with the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), although realising its full potential requires efficient logistics, improved infrastructure, effective customs processes and harmonised standards.
Competitiveness, Skills and Sustainability
Energy costs, logistics, access to finance, taxation and regulatory fragmentation were highlighted as significant challenges for African manufacturers. Addressing these barriers will require collaboration between businesses and governments to strengthen competitiveness across regional and global markets.
HACO is also exploring how data and artificial intelligence can improve demand forecasting, production planning, predictive maintenance and quality management. Through its Elevate Africa programme, the company connects market-relevant training with enterprise opportunities. In its first programme in Kakuma and Kalobeyei, 35 of 65 graduates accessed the HACO Kwa Mtaa business container, while reported self-employment among participants increased from 8% before the programme to 85% afterwards.
Sustainability remains integral to this agenda. Through ProGreen and initiatives focused on post-consumer plastic recovery, HACO is working to return materials to productive use and support more circular manufacturing practices.
Building Africa’s Manufacturing Future
HACO’s feature on CNN’s Connecting Africa highlights the opportunity to turn Africa’s consumer demand into productive capacity, build competitive homegrown brands and strengthen regional trade.
With its sights set on 30 African countries by 2030,
HACO continues to pursue growth through manufacturing, innovation and stronger regional connection
Read the full feature on CNN
Discover more about HACO Industries’ manufacturing journey, our growth ambitions and the future of African manufacturing in the original CNN Connecting Africa feature. https://edition.cnn.com/world/africa/kenyan-manufacturer-betting-on-africas-industrial-future-spc