Tuesday Aug 18, 2026
Tuesday Aug 18, 2026
Tuesday, 18 August 2026 09:51 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Group CEO Ashish Chandra (left) and Consumer Brands Managing Director Sabrina Esufally
Hemas Holdings PLC yesterday announced its first international acquisition, investing $ 16.2 million for a 75% majority stake in Kenyan stationery manufacturer Twiga Stationers and Printers Ltd., as the diversified group moves to build businesses beyond Sri Lanka.
Hemas said the move represents a significant milestone in the Group’s long-term strategy to build scalable businesses beyond Sri Lanka. It also positions Hemas with a strong operating platform in Kenya, one of East Africa’s most dynamic consumer markets, with a GDP of over $ 136 billion and a young, growing population of over 54 million.
Twiga has built strong brand equity, manufacturing capability and distribution reach in the stationery segment. The acquisition strengthens Hemas’ Consumer Brands portfolio and creates meaningful synergies with Atlas Axillia, Sri Lanka’s leading learning brand, particularly in the back-to-school and education-linked consumer segments.
Group CEO Ashish Chandra said: “This is a pivotal step in Hemas’ internationalisation journey. Our entry into Kenya gives us access to a large, young and growing consumer market, while also creating a platform to explore the broader East African opportunity over time. Twiga’s market leadership, trusted brands and distribution strength align well with our proven capabilities through Atlas Axillia in brand building, product innovation and operational excellence. Together, we see a strong opportunity to scale our impact across East African markets.”
Hemas Consumer Brands Managing Director Sabrina Esufally said: “The acquisition of Twiga is a bold step forward in our ambition to build consumer-centric brands across growth markets. With East Africa and Bangladesh now forming important pillars of our international consumer strategy, we expect regional markets to play an increasingly meaningful role in the future growth of Hemas Consumer Brands. Twiga’s brand equity, manufacturing base and distribution depth provide a strong platform to scale in stationery and, over time, understand and serve East African consumers across a broader consumer portfolio.”
As Hemas expands internationally, the Group said it remains committed to investing in Sri Lanka, strengthening purpose-driven brands, building regional capabilities and creating long-term value for consumers, communities, employees and shareholders, the company said.
