- Home
- Africa Reports
- Mozambique Report
- Mozambique Sectors
- Mozambique Import & Export
- Importation and Distribution of FMCG Products for the Mozambican Market
Mozambique Report
Marcopolis presents the Mozambique Report focused on topics such as investments, doing business, economy and regional integration, featuring interviews with Mozambican leaders. The sectors under review in this issue are agriculture, banking, energy, industry, telecom, IT, tourism, logistics and many more.
InterviewsMarch 08, 2016
Importation and Distribution of FMCG Products for the Mozambican Market
Rui Mendes, CEO of SODIL
- Written by Sandra Francisco
- Published: March 08, 2016
Rui Mendes is the CEO of SODIL, a Mozambican company created in 2000 and specialized in importing and distributing fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG).
Interview with Rui Mendes, CEO of SODIL
What is your perspective on the Mozambican market?
The Mozambican market is not an easy one, but there is a growth in consumption. We are talking about 23 million people, even if not all are potential clients. However, the lack of infrastructures causes some difficulty on expanding businesses, which is why so many companies are based in Maputo. We are working nationwide, but we intend to grow even more. We have warehouses in Maputo, Beira, Tete and Nampula and this allows us to sell all over the country. We believe that for this reasons and many others we have the capacity to represent big brands but also to distribute them in a professional and quick way.
What is your current focus?
SODIL works with personal care businesses. Consumption is growing, as the middle class is growing in the country, allowing a development to occur. This allowed for an increase in personal care brands investments in the country. The lower classes also buy this sort of products but to a lower extent. Nevertheless, they still help to increase such a niche. Mozambique is growing at many levels and people are working and earning substantial amounts which allows them to spend in perks which once they couldn’t. Consequently we are trying to grow as a business as agents of big personal care brands.
From 2013 to 2014, we grew 18%. In 2016, we hope to duplicate this percentage. We would like to become the market leader on personal care and cleaning products.
In this last few years, Mozambique has seen a political and economic stability, this allowed the country to attract foreign investors and therefore to develop. Concerning personal care specifically, we sell deodorants, perfumes, moisturizing creams and we represent key brands, which are present internationally and known by Mozambicans. We are also selling detergents, fabric softeners, etc., adapted to the Mozambican market. We try to adapt the brands to the Mozambican market but at the same time to respect the specifications of each brand and partner.
Where do you see your company in 2 years?
From 2013 to 2014, we grew 18%. In 2016, we hope to duplicate this percentage. We began the year with a new management body and therefore we hope to greatly increase our market share. We would like to become the market leader on personal care and cleaning products.
