Softcare to invest USD 5.2M in new baby diaper lines in Kenya
The project strengthens Softcare’s footprint in Kenya’s personal care market and supports a shift toward local production rather than imports.
KENYA – Softcare Kenya is set to deepen its manufacturing footprint in the country through a Sh698 million (USD 5.2 million) expansion plan that includes a new baby diaper production line.
The project is designed to increase local production of baby diapers, baby pants, sanitary pads, and wet wipes, reinforcing Kenya’s role as a regional production hub for hygiene products.
The new diaper line alone is budgeted at Sh177.3 million and is expected to produce about 209.3 million pieces annually.
The full project is targeted for completion by 2027, with the additional diaper line scheduled for completion by 2028.
It also signals confidence in demand for affordable hygiene products in Kenya and the wider region, where population growth and urbanization continue to support volume expansion.
Upon completion, the upgrades are expected to lift annual production capacity to 12.6 billion baby diapers, 2.2 billion baby pants, 6.3 billion sanitary pads, and 12.9 billion wet wipes.
Softcare, as part of its broader expansion strategy, is investing in new and expanded manufacturing facilities across several African markets, including Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Benin, Zambia, and Kenya, while also extending operations into Latin America and Central Asia.
Softcare operates under Sunda International Group and has already built a sizable presence in Kenya’s sanitary products sector.
Currently, the company has created about 1,500 direct jobs in Kenya, with most workers being local Kenyans, positioning the new investment as both an industrial and an employment story.
According to a report by Stock Lots Marketplace Blog, Kenya’s hygiene products market is valued at over USD 600 million in 2026, with baby diapers representing the highest‑volume imported product segment.
Softcare’s financial highlights
Softcare’s revenue in Kenya has reached a record KSh 13.1 billion (USD 101.2 million) in 2025, underscoring the country’s growing importance in the company’s global operations.
This marks a steady rise from KSh 7.4 billion (USD 57.1 million) in 2022, KSh 10.9 billion (USD 84.1 million) in 2023, and KSh 11.7 billion (USD 90.3 million) in 2024, reflecting consistent demand for its baby diapers and sanitary pads.
Kenya now contributes nearly 19% of Softcare’s worldwide revenue, making it one of the brand’s strongest markets in Africa.
The company’s performance in Eastern Africa has been particularly notable, with Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda together accounting for 46.5% of total revenue in 2025, up from 44.2% the previous year.
In contrast, Western Africa’s share has declined to 39.5%, highlighting a shift in growth momentum toward Eastern markets.
Globally, Softcare recorded a nearly 25% increase in revenue in 2025, driven largely by emerging markets.
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