After almost five months of suspension, mineral water company SANO can again resume operations and sell its products in the Cameroon market.
Mines Minister (MINMIDT), Gabriel Dodo Ndoké apprised the authorization in a decision signed on July 13, 2021. “With effect from this decision signature date, the suspension of the Sano water brand production and commercialization carried out by Sano SA is lifted,” were the words of the decision.
Nonetheless, according to the July 13, 2021 decision, the manufacturing and commercialization of SANO’s 5 and 10-liter bottled water remain restricted until the company buys an automatic water plant for those areas of its activities. Additionally, on the new products it will offer in the market once its current stock is gone, the company must replace the branding “natural mineral water” with ” Sano mineral water.”
The MINMIDT officially halted SANO S.A’s operations on March 4, 2021. The official wrote at the time that the company was not adhering to the operating requirements required for bottled water sold to the general public. After videos surfaced online showing the company’s personnel working in a dirty environment without even wearing hand gloves, the suspension was decided. Following the Mines Minister’s decision, the Minister of Trade ordered that SANO products be removed from the Cameroonian market. Gabon followed suit, restricting the sale of SANO water within its borders.
SANO was the third operator in the Cameroonian water market in 2018, according to current reports published by Brasseries du Cameroun, with 7.5 percent of the market. It was able to achieve this level of success because of a consistent marketing campaign. The company was constantly selling its products using conventional media (TV, radio, billboard, banners), as well as social media. It also sells water bottles with scratch cards on them, guaranteeing prizes to lucky consumers, in order to entice users. Furthermore, some of its products are substantially less expensive than those offered by competitors. For example, a pack of six 1-liter bottles cost 750 FCFA, whereas some competitors charge more.
N.W. Catnella