Yves Rocher expands footprint in Africa

The company has opened a fully-fledged dedicated retail brand in Hub Mall, Karen, Nairobi, in an attempt to tap into the still small but fast growing beauty and personal care market there.

The move builds on two other Yves Rocher retail outlets in the city, within the Village Market and Westgate Village malls, together with a pop-up outlet in the Junction Mall.

Expansion in Nigeria​

While South Africa is by far the most advanced market for beauty and personal care on the African continent, Nigeria and Kenya have been playing catch up in recent years, as the beauty landscapes continue to flourish against a background of urban growth that has led to a more substantial middle class with higher spending power.

In Nigeria Yves Rocher has also been continuing to expand by following the same model as that already implemented in Kenya.

It has opened one retail outlet a year in the country’s capital, Lagos, since 2016, with the last outlet being opened only last month at Palm’s Mall Lekki, a development that includes a total of around 70 retail outlets.

Tapping into thAfrican urban grow​

In line with continued economic growth and the development of urban areas in Kenya and many other countries in Africa, international beauty and personal care brands have been raising their game by targeting growth opportunities.

The hair care category has proved to the fastest paced and biggest category in Kenya and most other African countries but the skin care categories is also growing at a faster pace, albeit from a smaller base.

Currently the big global brands such as L’Oreal and Unilever are leading the way across the continent, with other multinationals such as PZ Cussons, Beiersdorf and Procter & Gamble all making significant inroads too.