Haleon Pakistan, a subsidiary of British consumer healthcare firm Haleon, is set to begin local manufacturing of its multivitamin brand Centrum, aiming to cater to domestic demand and explore export opportunities, CEO Farhan Muhammad Haroon revealed. The initiative aligns with the company’s strategy to boost sales amidst easing inflationary pressures.
The CEO disclosed plans to expand Haleon’s pain management portfolio next year in an interview with Reuters. The company plans to introduce Panadol products targeting menstrual pain and migraines. He highlighted the size of Pakistan’s Vitamin Mineral Supplement (VMS) market at Rs24 billion ($86.3 million), excluding the grey market. Haleon currently accounts for Rs7.5 billion ($26.97 million) of this market with its flagship products, CAC-1000 Plus and Qalsium-D.
“With the launch of Centrum, we aim to capture 7-8% of the remaining market immediately, a substantial share of the category,” Haroon said. The company intends to offer Centrum in smaller, cost-effective packaging to address affordability concerns amid reduced purchasing power caused by last year’s record-high inflation of nearly 40%. Inflation has since moderated to 4.9% in November 2024.
The rollout of Centrum will occur in two phases, starting with imports in Q1 2025. Local production, including tailored variants for domestic and export markets, will follow. Haroon shared that Haleon’s CAC-1000 Plus and Voltral Emulgel are already exported to Vietnam and the Philippines, with plans to expand exports to 19 countries within 18 months.
Haleon projects exports to constitute at least 10% of its sales in the next two years, up from a peak of 5-6% in 2022. Last year, the company invested $10 million to enhance its local manufacturing capabilities.
The company’s aggressive growth plans underscore its commitment to expanding its footprint in both local and international markets, capitalizing on a growing health and wellness trend in the region.
