Chinese couple earn US$450 million per annum selling diapers, pads in Africa

Today, Softcare operates eight factories across Africa and was the continent’s top diaper seller last year. (Representational image: Unsplash)

A couple from southeastern China have turned an unlikely idea into a booming business in Africa, generating an annual revenue of 3.2 billion yuan (US$450 million). Shen Yanchang and his wife, Yang Yanjuan, both top graduates of Harbin Engineering University, began their journey far from the lecture halls where Yang once taught as an associate professor, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.

The turning point came after Shen’s two-year stint as a procurement manager in Nigeria. Battling heat and malaria risk, he returned to China with a revelation: Africa’s market for daily necessities was underserved. A Nigerian supplier’s request for US$200,000 worth of goods exposed the gap, sparking the couple’s entrepreneurial leap.

In 2000, they launched a small export firm, shipping essentials and building materials to Africa. By 2004, the venture evolved into Sunda International Group, opening its first overseas branch in Ghana. But a deeper need soon caught their attention—local women using rags and leaves as menstrual products, and mothers improvising diapers. Western brands were prohibitively expensive.

In 2009, Sunda introduced Softcare, a brand of affordable diapers and sanitary pads tailored for African consumers. Yang spearheaded product research, stripping away unnecessary features and packaging to cut costs. Shen set up local factories to overcome logistical hurdles. Softcare pads cost one-third of Western brands, while diapers sell for under 10 cents each. A distribution network of motorcycles and small trucks ensures reach into remote areas.

Today, Softcare operates eight factories across Africa and was the continent’s top diaper seller last year. As the company prepares to relaunch its Hong Kong IPO—after its first attempt was invalidated in January—Shen is eyeing expansion into Latin America and Central Asia.

Social media users have hailed the couple’s vision. “While others hesitated to enter the African market, they saw golden opportunities everywhere,” SCMP quoted one user as saying. Another added: “Professor Yang brings expertise, while her husband brings experience. Together, they have built a truly successful business.”