• Egypt’s dietary supplement exports hit $350 million YTD 2025, up 75% since 2022; reaching the government’s $1 billion target by 2030 requires ~25% annual growth.
• Expansion into Europe and the CIS faces regulatory and geopolitical hurdles, while Sub-Saharan Africa offers faster growth thanks to Egypt’s cost advantage and certification “passporting.”
• Cairo’s edge lies in speed, low costs, and proximity, but scaling production capacity is critical to sustain momentum against Indian, Chinese, and South African rivals.

Egypt is banking on its booming dietary supplement sector to deliver $1 billion in annual exports by 2030, as the government pivots toward higher-value agricultural products. The country has already shipped $350 million worth of supplements in the first nine months of 2025, a 75% jump compared with 2022, according to data from the Trade and Industry Ministry provided by Bloomberg.

To reach the official target, Egypt must nearly triple its current volumes in just five years, implying an average annual growth rate of about 25%. That pace is steep, but not unattainable. Recent performance suggests momentum is on its side, with global demand for vitamins, proteins, and herbal remedies climbing at an 8% clip through the end of the decade.

The government is trying to harness its competitive advantages — from low-cost raw materials and subsidized energy to short shipping routes into Africa and the Middle East. Egypt’s energy in the sector is also fueled by its $4.7 billion agricultural export machine, which supplies the citrus, herbs, and botanicals that form the backbone of supplement production.

Still, the path to Europe and Central Asia, two of the most lucrative markets, is more complicated. Egypt is pitching itself as a contract manufacturing hub for European firms, leaning on labor costs that are roughly a tenth of EU averages. But regulatory hurdles remain. Supplements entering the bloc must comply with stringent European Food Safety Authority standards, which can lengthen approval timelines and add compliance costs.

In the Commonwealth of Independent States, Egypt is exploiting shorter shipping routes, including bi-weekly ferry sailings from Alexandria to Russia’s Novorossiysk, which cut transit times to around 10 days. That’s giving Egyptian producers a foothold in Central Asia’s growing protein and mineral supplement markets. But the region’s exposure to sanctions and currency swings presents risks for longer-term expansion.

Closer to home, Egypt is making headway in Sub-Saharan Africa, where supplement imports are growing nearly 7% annually. Nigerian consumers alone spend an estimated $500 million a year, most of it on imports. Egyptian exporters have capitalized on regulatory fast-tracks, with certifications recognized in more than 30 African countries, trimming market entry timelines by as much as half.

The competitive landscape remains tough. India and China offer comparable prices at scale, while South Africa commands brand recognition in the region. Egypt’s edge lies in speed and proximity — shipments to West Africa take as little as four days compared to two weeks from Mumbai. But scaling up production capacity will be crucial if Cairo wants to keep its growth trajectory intact.

For now, the government’s bet looks credible. If Egypt can maintain annual growth in the 20–25% range, while navigating Europe’s regulatory maze and Central Asia’s political volatility, the $1 billion mark is within reach. Achieving it would cement the country’s role as a regional manufacturing hub and offer a rare export bright spot for an economy still wrestling with a volatile currency and heavy external debt.

Idriss Linge