While everyone is stuck in Nairobi’s Friday evening traffic trying to find their way home, at Mövenpick it is all blue and white — the signature colours of Bayer.
The launch was scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. I arrived an hour later, operating on what most Kenyans would call “Kenyan time”, only to find myself among the first guests. At the entrance, guests were invited to experience the Bepanthen Derma range firsthand before being directed into the hall.
Inside, the setup left little doubt about the purpose of the evening. A large projection screen displayed the Bepanthen Derma presentation, flanked by an Elevit backdrop on one side and a bright red Bayer banner on the other. Red? Quite unusual for Bayer.
As guests slowly trickled in, conversations filled the room. The delayed start turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It gave me time to catch up with colleagues and industry friends I had not seen in years before the presentations finally began more than an hour later.
The emcee for the evening was well-known radio and television presenter Amina Abdi. Without wasting time, she introduced hypeman Kevo, who gave the audience an energetic six-minute warm-up session before handing over to the speakers.
The theme of the evening was “Nurturing Mothers, Protecting Skin: A Dual Commitment to Wellness.”
It quickly became clear that Bayer was not simply launching products. The company is positioning itself around preventive healthcare through two areas that affect millions of people every day: maternal nutrition and skin health.
The evening marked the official Kenyan launch of two Bayer Consumer Health products:
- Elevit – a maternal nutrition range
- Bepanthen Derma – a specialized skincare range for dry and sensitive skin
Elevit: Stage-Specific Nutrition for Mothers
The first product introduced was Elevit, a maternal nutrition brand available in more than 60 countries and supported by over four decades of research.
According to Bayer’s Head of Marketing for Sub-Saharan Africa, S’Thokoza Nhleko, Kenya represents an important opportunity because maternal nutrition remains underserved despite growing awareness of preventive healthcare. She also noted that Kenya records approximately 27 births per 1,000 population, highlighting the need for products that support mothers before, during and after pregnancy.
One thing that immediately caught my attention was the name “Elevit” itself.
According to the presenters, the name combines “elephant” — a reference to the animal’s long gestation period — and “vit” for vitamins, symbolizing support for both mother and child throughout pregnancy.
The Elevit range consists of three products tailored to different stages of motherhood.
Elevit 1 supports women from pre-conception through the first trimester. Elevit 2 is designed for the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, while Elevit 3 supports mothers during breastfeeding and the postpartum period.
What I liked about the range is its simplicity. Each stage has its own product, yet mothers only need to take one tablet or capsule per day. This makes compliance much easier compared to juggling multiple supplements.
From a pharmacy perspective, comprehensive maternal nutrition products are not always easy to find. Many women end up buying several different supplements to meet their nutritional needs. Bayer’s approach attempts to bring those nutrients together into one daily product.
Several scientific claims presented during the launch stood out:
- Elevit contains active folate (Metafolin).
- Bayer says Elevit can reduce neural tube defects by up to 92%.
- The brand has been studied in more than 22 clinical trials.
- It is backed by over 39 years of research.
The key nutrients highlighted during the presentations included L-methylfolate in Elevit 1, DHA and EPA omega-3 fatty acids in Elevit 2, and DHA plus beta-carotene in Elevit 3.
The underlying message throughout the presentation was that maternal nutrition influences far more than pregnancy itself. As one of the speakers, Dr. Reneza, put it:
“What happens in utero does not always remain in utero.”
It was perhaps the most powerful statement of the evening.
Bepanthen Derma: More Than Just a Moisturizer
The second launch focused on Bepanthen Derma.
For many healthcare professionals, the Bepanthen name is already familiar because of the long-standing Bepanthen Nappy Care Ointment. Bayer is now expanding that brand into specialized skincare for dry and sensitive skin.
The range is designed for people experiencing dry skin, very dry skin, sensitive skin and itchy skin — conditions that are extremely common but often underestimated.
The lineup includes:
- Restoring Daily Body Lotion
- Replenishing Daily Body Lotion
- Gentle Body Cleanser
- Gentle Face Cleanser
- Regenerating Night Cream
The hero ingredient in the range is dexpanthenol, a multifunctional ingredient that Bayer repeatedly emphasized during the presentations.
Rather than focusing only on surface moisturization, Bayer’s message was that Bepanthen Derma works by helping restore the skin barrier itself. According to the presenters, the goal is to address the root causes of dry skin instead of simply providing temporary relief.
Other ingredients highlighted included niacinamide, glycerin, shea butter, almond oil, squalene and physiological lipids.
One interesting observation during the product demonstration was the importance of cleansing before applying the lotion. After trying the products myself, I could immediately feel the richness of the lotion on my skin, particularly after using the cleanser first.
The skincare range is supported by clinical data presented during the launch, including:
- More than 2,000 subjects involved in evaluations
- Up to 95% user recommendation rates
- Improvements in hydration measurements
- Improvements in skin elasticity
- Improvements in skin barrier function
While consumers often view dry skin as a cosmetic issue, Bayer’s presentations focused on the clinical aspects of skin barrier repair and long-term skin health.
What This Means for Pharmacies
Pricing had not been officially communicated by the time the event ended, so that remains a key question.
However, Bayer products typically sit within the premium segment, and I expect these products to follow a similar pricing strategy.
The products have already been registered by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board and are expected to be available through major pharmacy chains, distributors and online platforms, including MyDawa.
For pharmacists, both launches create opportunities for patient education.
The Elevit range provides a structured approach to maternal supplementation, while Bepanthen Derma gives healthcare professionals another option for patients struggling with dry and sensitive skin.
My Take
What impressed me most about this launch was not necessarily the products themselves, but the broader message behind them.
Bayer continues to position itself around preventive healthcare. Whether through maternal nutrition or skin barrier health, the company is focusing on interventions that begin before problems become bigger and more difficult to manage.
I expect the Bepanthen Derma range to gain acceptance relatively quickly because the Bepanthen brand is already familiar to many consumers and healthcare professionals.
Elevit may face a tougher challenge. Maternal supplements remain a price-sensitive category in Kenya, and many consumers make purchasing decisions based largely on affordability. Pricing will therefore play a major role in determining how quickly the range penetrates the market.
That said, if the products are competitively priced and healthcare professionals embrace the science behind them, Bayer may have introduced two strong contenders into the Kenyan healthcare market.
For a Friday evening product launch, I’d say it was time well spent.
