A new company has entered the Cameroon mineral water market, Pristine, a mineral water and soft drinks production and distribution company founded by Mohammed A. Abdulrahman. The plant, which cost US$59.40 million (FCFA 36 billion) to build, will go into production in 2025. The company’s distribution channels will extend to the local market, the CEMAC region, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), as well as the international market. The Pristine project has been selected as a priority industrial project by the Cameroon government, and enjoys the support of the local community and . The acting Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, Fuh Calistus Gentry, visited the company’s facilities under construction on October 24, 2024 in Tiko, in the South-West region.
The Minister’s visit comes at a time when Cameroon is seeking to meet the challenge of competitiveness on the continental Zlecaf market. The project, located at Tiko in the South-West region, an industrial zone that has been slowed down by insecurity, is therefore an important step towards achieving this objective. The project pioneers re-industrialization in the South West region, setting a new standard for excellence and driving sustainable growth for a brighter, more prosperous future.
This project will not only provide our population with quality mineral water, it will also help improve our balance of trade. “Thanks to Pristine, we can look forward to becoming a major exporter in this sector“, said Fuh Calistus Gentry.
Pristine intends to achieve this goal of competitiveness by adding value to local raw materials, while providing consumers with quality products at competitive prices. The Tiko plant will benefit from the latest technological innovations, including automated production in line with international quality and sustainability standards. This commitment to consistent quality reflects the company’s determination to excel in the beverage sector in Cameroon. Pristine represents a major asset for Tiko’s industrial revitalization.
With its rich natural resources, Cameroon is well placed to compete globally. In several sectors. My vision has always been to promote sustainable development through innovation and the use of local resources. That’s why we’ve chosen to focus on natural mineral water and soft drinks. By promoting the “Made in Cameroon” brand, we aim not only to reduce imports, but also to position Cameroon as a key exporter in the region, stimulating the local economy and creating jobs. Pristine aligns perfectly with Cameroon’s industrialization objectives and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), enabling us to have a positive impact on the country’s economic transformation,
said Mohammed A. Abdulrahman, CEO of Pristine, in his speechThe market
This vision is supported by ambitious objectives. Pristine aims to position itself as a benchmark in the mineral water and soft drinks sector in Cameroon. Expected results include the creation of 10,000 direct and indirect jobs in the short and medium term, an increase in the national industry’s total production capacity, improved consumer purchasing power thanks to accessible, quality products, a contribution to the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Zone (Zlecaf), the promotion of import-substitution strategies, technology transfer and a contribution to economic growth.
Since 2016, according to Investir au Cameroun, Source du Pays has dominated the mineral water market in Cameroon with its Supermont brand. That year, after a period of absence, the company regained the market lead by overtaking Société des Eaux Minérales du Cameroun (SEMC), a local subsidiary of the Castel group, which had dominated the sector for several decades. By acquiring Nabco, the producer of the Opur brand, Source du Pays achieved a 58% market share in 2016, rising to 67% in 2018.
SEMC, relegated to second place by the rise of Source du Pays, tried to respond by launching the Vitale brand, alongside its other brands, Aquabelle and the famous Source Tangui, to counter its main competitor’s low-price strategy. By 2021, SEMC claimed a market share of around 40%. Together, Source du Pays and SEMC dominate a sector that includes some twenty other local and international brands. In 2021, SEMC passed the million hectoliter mark in sales of natural mineral water. Société des Eaux Minérales du Cameroun is continuing its efforts to recover market share and regain performance and profitability. It recorded positive results in 2019 and 2020, with a profit of 331 million CFA francs in 2020, compared with 79 million in 2019. Sales for 2021, up sharply (+10.9% on 2020), should certainly put a smile back on shareholders’ faces.
