Market News

Hair products study to cost firm Sh50m

hair

Weave fitting at a salon in Nairobi. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Cosmetics and hair products manufacturer, Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL), will spend Sh50 million in research aimed at developing new products for the mass market.

GCPL chief executive Gaurav Kaushal said an innovation hub had been established and a team set up to drive their new agenda.

“Our decision is informed from last year’s research and development trial on hair products where we engaged 200 hair stylists in Nairobi and Mombasa. It resulted in a new product line, Elegant Braid, that is now in the market,” he said.

Godrej, which has made acquisitions locally in recent years, said there were no plans to acquire other firms, adding that funds for research would be sourced internally.

“We are targeting to grow our market share in the Sh25 billion industry by boosting our market presence via an outreach programme for hairstylists across Kenya,” he said.

The firm’s marketing manager Victoria Kieti said they had partnered with five technical institutes under their Darling Academy programme, where they are targeting to sponsor training of 1,300 hairstylists this year for a three-month programme. The firm, which employees 5,000 people, deals in home-care and hair products.

Its Kenya office serves the East African market while Nigeria and South Africa offices serve their respective regions.