CFAO Healthcare expands into South Africa with Opella acquisition

SOUTH AFRICA—CFAO Healthcare, a division of CFAO Group, has announced a significant milestone in its strategic expansion into the South African pharmaceutical market by acquiring Opella Healthcare South Africa, a prominent local manufacturer and distributor.

 This acquisition marks CFAO’s first investment in the South African healthcare sector, which is the second-largest market on the continent.

CFAO Healthcare’s continued mission is to enhance global healthcare by manufacturing, distributing, and offering pharmaceutical and medical products along with related services.

This move builds on the foundation laid by CFAO Healthcare’s exclusive partnership with Sanofi in 2021, which focused on distributing and marketing medicines and vaccines in 25 English- and French-speaking sub-Saharan African countries.

That collaboration has been highly successful, strengthening the relationship between the two companies and enhancing the reach of Sanofi’s healthcare solutions in the region.

Opella Healthcare, based in Gauteng, South Africa, was wholly owned by Sanofi South Africa before the acquisition.

The company distributes a range of consumer healthcare (CHC) products, including popular brands such as Essentiale, Telfast, Buscopan, Dulcolax, Enterogermina, Nasacort, and Pharmachoice.

 As part of the agreement, only Sanofi’s CHC brands will be integrated into CFAO’s portfolio, while Sanofi Pharma will retain control over its pharmaceutical medicines and vaccines in the South African market.

Jean-Marc Leccia, CEO and chairman of CFAO Healthcare emphasized that the company’s entry into South Africa represents a major achievement in its quest to expand its footprint across the African continent.

With this acquisition, CFAO Healthcare now has a presence in 28 countries, further consolidating its status as the leading pan-African distributor of pharmaceutical products.

Leccia highlighted the seamless integration of CFAO Healthcare across the entire value chain, from manufacturing to distribution, and the impact this will have on the local healthcare landscape.

Adding to this sentiment, Feirouz Ellouze, head of Sanofi CHC for Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey, pointed out that the partnership with CFAO is crucial for expanding the region’s consumer healthcare portfolio.

 She emphasized that their joint mission is to improve consumer health and well-being, leveraging their combined expertise to deliver effective healthcare solutions to individuals and communities across South Africa.

Ellouze expressed her excitement for this new chapter and reinforced the commitment to a long-lasting partnership with CFAO.

In addition, the agreement includes retaining and integrating Opella Healthcare’s existing team, whose expertise is highly valued, into CFAO Healthcare’s operations in South Africa.

This approach aligns with CFAO’s broader philosophy of sustainable growth and long-term investment in the communities it serves.

Philippe Franiatte, deputy CEO of CFAO South Africa and CEO of CFAO Healthcare in South Africa, also expressed his enthusiasm for the acquisition.

He noted that this strategic partnership is essential for improving access to medicines and healthcare services in South Africa.

Franiatte highlighted CFAO’s ambition to position itself as a pan-African leader in pharmaceutical distribution and confirmed that the company is expanding its offerings across Southern Africa to better serve clients and healthcare providers.

Franiatte further emphasized the importance of this move in enhancing access to affordable, high-quality healthcare for the South African population.

He concluded by stating that CFAO’s collaboration with Sanofi, alongside its commitment to integrating local expertise, would significantly contribute to delivering top-tier healthcare solutions in one of Africa’s largest pharmaceutical markets.

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