Thriving in aligning with the continental aspirations espoused by the African Union (AU) in harnessing the potential of countries to grow economies and reduce poverty through intra trade, the Mollis Group, a South African-based marketing giant has initiated a vigorous programme to promote African manufactured products through regional markets.
This is to leverage on the spirit of Pan Africanism espoused by the AU focusing on promoting unity, embracing African culture and the continent’s socialism, and Ubuthu spirit of oneness.
Pan Africanism being the main core pillar of the AU, Mollis Group aims to rollout marketing of African brands throughout continental regional markets starting with southern Africa.
Apart from the southern African market, Mollis Group is penetrating east, west, central and northern African markets with the main objective of leveraging on the competitive advantages of regional African manufacturing industries.
Mollis Group chief executive officer Lebo Radebe, strongly believes the African produced goods and services can be successfully traded through intra trade among countries of the continent.
“We need to liberate ourselves economically through trade and trading amongst ourselves as Africans. The manufacturing industry in African has come of age and Mollis Group is here to take the brands across the continent and beyond,” he shares.
Mr Radebe says the Mollis Group will aggressively markets African manufactured brands through well-coordinated built systems and methods of intra trade within Africa.
The AU has several core values and guiding principles, including transparency and accountability, integrity and impartiality, as well as efficiency and professionalism, and Mollis Group is marketing the African brands anchored on these pillars.
Other AU principles that the Mollis Group is aligning its operations with include information and knowledge sharing, countable states and institutions, which are foundational principles of Agenda 2063, a 50-year plan to transform Africa into a powerhouse through sustainable and inclusive development. The AU adopted the plan in 2015 and is implementing it.
“As Mollis Group, we shall stand on unity, cohesion, and solidarity as an objective of the African Union and promote sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence as a way of anchoring the manufacturing industry, especially the food and technology sectors to change the lives of Africans,” Mr Radebe explains.
He discloses that Mollis Group has partnered with the Royal Council of Africa which has leaders such as King Mswati III of Eswatini, former South Africa’s President Thabo Mbeki among an array of luminary African leaders.
To earnestly kick-start the marketing drive of the African goods and services in 2025 and beyond, the Mollis Group CEO says the organisation will be officially launched and at the same time unveil a foundation with the support from the AU is collaborating with the Royal Council of Africa.
The event to take place possibly in the first quarter of 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa, is expected to be officiated by former President Mbeki and around 40 foreign delegates from Africa are scheduled to grace the launch.
“Our approach is multi-dimensional. We ensure that we accurately represent the distinct spirit of our local products, creating marketing strategies that not only showcase their value but also tell their unique stories. At Mollis, we believe that our work is more than marketing; it is a mission to make a difference [across Africa],” Mr Radebe explains
Apart from markets like Zambia where Millis Group has already established its presence in marketing African manufactured products, the multifaceted and dynamic marketing firm also targets Malawi, and Kenya, Tanzania as well as Uganda in the east African market.
The AU is a continental body of 55 member states that was launched in 2002 and Mollis Group envision operations across the continent in tandem with the aspirations of Africa that seeks inclusive development for ultimate poverty reduction.
The AU guiding philosophy is Pan-Africanism and endeavours to support organisations like Mollis Group that aim at pushing the Pan Africanism agenda through indigenous products’ promotion.
