Introducing Zuri to the Togo Market
When Zuri approached Groupe Afristar Trading & Marketing, the brand had a strong product but no established route into the Togolese market. Our mandate was to take Zuri from a container at the port to shelf space in the retail outlets Togolese consumers actually shop at — and to do it in a way that built lasting distribution, not a one-time placement.
That meant treating the launch as a full campaign: understanding where the product fit against existing local alternatives, clearing it through customs without delay, and building a distribution footprint that could scale as demand grew.
Project Info:
- Client: Zuri
- Category: Trading & Market Entry
- Location: Lomé, Togo
- Share:
Our Challenge
Zuri was unknown to Togolese consumers and had no existing distribution relationships in the market. We needed to validate demand, secure compliant import documentation for a new product category, and build retail partnerships from zero — all on a launch timeline the client had already committed to.
The Market Entry Journey
Rather than a single launch event, we structured the rollout as four connected phases, each one setting up the next.
Market Research & Positioning
We assessed consumer buying patterns and existing competitors in the category to define where Zuri would sit on price and positioning before a single unit moved.
Import & Customs Clearance
Our logistics team handled documentation and customs processing for the initial shipment, avoiding the delays that typically stall a first-time product entry.
Retail Distribution Network
We onboarded an initial network of retail partners in Lomé, prioritizing outlets with strong foot traffic in Zuri's target demographic.
Consumer Activation
In-store visibility and targeted local marketing introduced Zuri to shoppers directly at the point of purchase, where trial decisions actually happen.
The Result
Zuri secured its first wave of retail placements across Lomé within the launch window, with a distribution structure in place to extend into secondary cities. The phased approach gave the client a repeatable playbook for future product lines rather than a single isolated launch.
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