Egypt is a key market for Electrolux Group, offering opportunities for profitable growth. Maissam Hannawi, Electrolux Group Managing Director in Egypt, shares how the team delivered double-digit volume and value growth in the market in the first quarter of 2026, the country’s strategic role within the region and the initiatives that have made Electrolux Egypt a benchmark in after-sales service and consumer satisfaction.
Hello Maissam, what are the current business trends in Egypt?
Egypt’s home appliances market shows strong long-term growth driven by urbanization, housing expansion, and a young population. Consumer demand is gradually shifting toward energy-efficient and smart appliances including connected refrigerators and washing machines, robot vacuum cleaners and so on although core volumes are still driven by essential products such as traditional free-standing cookers and refrigerators. Distribution is still largely traditional though modern retail and e-commerce are expanding, especially in urban centers.
However, short-term demand is constrained by inflation and currency devaluation, which have reduced purchasing power and pushed prices higher.
The sector remains dependent on imported components, exposing it to foreign exchange volatility and encouraging a shift toward local manufacturing. Competition is intense, with both multinational and local players competing on price, features, and brand positioning.
How are we performing in the market in this context?
Our performance reflects a consistent and resilient growth journey that began in 2019 and has continued successfully, despite the unprecedented challenges we have faced in recent years.
This year started off well. We achieved double-digit growth in volume and value in the first quarter of this year, clearly outperforming the market.
Equally important, we have maintained strong operational momentum, consistently meeting or exceeding our monthly targets over the past eight consecutive months. This progress has been driven by the exceptional resilience, commitment, and high sense of ownership demonstrated by our team.
What has been the key to delivering such strong growth in Egypt?
A core strength is strategic consistency, with a clear focus on key categories and disciplined execution. This has enabled us to scale sustainably and maintain leadership in segments such as washing machines, water heaters, and cookers.
Another important driver is our powerful portfolio of brands (including the Electrolux brand coming to the market soon) which enjoy high consumer trust and leading positions across key appliance categories. This strong brand equity has been built over many years and allows us to play across several different target groups, channels and price points, creating key engines for sustained growth.
We also benefit from deep, trust-based relationships with distributors and partners, ensuring strong nationwide coverage, product availability, and resilience in a volatile market.
In addition, recent product launches, particularly in laundry and cooking, have supported growth by refreshing the portfolio and addressing local consumer needs.
What role does Egypt play in the wider region?
Egypt is not only a significant local market, but also a critical manufacturing hub that strengthens Electrolux Group’s supply network and growth ambitions. We already produce a wide range of appliances distributed across the region.
What did the team do differently to make Egypt a role model in the region for after-sales service and consumer satisfaction?
The local team placed consumer experience at the center of operations, not just product delivery. We invested in end-to-end after-sales service excellence, ensuring fast response times, high first-time fix rates, and reliable spare parts availability.
We also leveraged digital tools and consumer feedback systems to continuously track satisfaction and improve service quality. In addition, we focused on building strong service capabilities, including technician training and standardized processes to ensure consistency.
What has been the impact of geopolitical tension on the local market?
Geopolitical tensions have added complexity to an already challenging environment, primarily through currency volatility, inflationary pressures, and disruptions in global supply chains. These factors have impacted consumer purchasing power and increased cost pressures across the industry.
At the same time, they have accelerated structural shifts in the market, including a stronger focus on local manufacturing and a more value-conscious consumer mindset. Overall, the market continues to show resilience, supported by strong underlying fundamentals and sustained long-term demand.
In this context, Electrolux Group in Egypt adjusted quickly to market dynamics by sharpening our commercial prioritization and optimizing pricing, product, and channel mix to sustain momentum. We proactively identified market gaps, maximized production whenever possible, and ensured strong presence where it matters most for our consumers. Our stability during these headwinds has further strengthened the trust of our distributors and partners.
We will also continue to invest in strategic initiatives to reinforce our front-loading washing machine and freestanding cooker categories, strengthening our competitiveness in Egypt and across the wider MEA region.
