Norland marks seven years in Uganda with Vmax franchise launch

Norland International Uganda marked its seventh anniversary with a major celebration at the UMA Show Grounds Multipurpose Hall in Lugogo, Kampala, using the occasion to unveil a new tea and coffee franchise model aimed at expanding business opportunities in Uganda’s wellness and lifestyle market.

The event brought together distributors, investors, customers and invited guests for a day of networking, live product sampling, franchise presentations and speeches centred on wellness innovation, entrepreneurship and the future of business in Africa. 

The event saw the official launch of the Vmax Tea & Coffee Shops franchise model, which Norland said is designed to enable entrepreneurs to own premium outlets selling tea, coffee and wellness beverages.

Guests also witnessed showcases of Norland’s wider range of products, including health items, cosmetics, household goods and daily care products.

Company president Johnny Chen said the anniversary was not only a celebration of Norland Uganda’s seven-year journey, but also a moment to recognise the contribution of partners and customers.

“Today, we are celebrating not only our anniversary but also our partners and customers. The main focus of this event is recognition and awards.” he said

The newly launched Vmax franchise was presented as a premium lifestyle concept blending Asian tea culture with coffee and health-focused refreshments. According to the company, outlets will offer tea, coffee, smoothies, milkshakes, bubble tea, ice cream and wellness drinks, some of which will include health formulas such as ginseng.

Chen said the concept had already attracted investor interest and was intended to give customers “good taste, good health, and good prices”. He added that the business model was structured to lower the cost of entry for potential franchise owners.

Maclyn Musiime Itazya, the Blue Diamond Leader and founder of Norland East and Central Africa, said the new venture marked a significant shift from Norland’s traditional network-based business into a more structured franchise model.

“The model we are introducing is a franchise system, where individuals invest and own their own shops,” she said. “This is different from network marketing — it is a structured franchise model similar to global brands like KFC and McDonald’s.”

She described franchising as a major opportunity for Uganda’s small and medium enterprises, saying it could open up new paths to business ownership, growth and standardised service delivery.

Beijing-headquartered Norland International describes itself as a hi-tech enterprise focused on life-science innovation, combining traditional Chinese medicine with regenerative biotechnology. Its products include regenerative cell therapies, detox packs, functional supplements, botanical skincare items, anion wellness pads and herbal beverages.

In Uganda and the wider East African region, the company says it has spent more than seven years building a network of distributors and entrepreneurs around health solutions and income generation. Globally, it says it has impacted more than eight million families and works with over 400,000 distributors.

Musiime said Norland Uganda started from her home in Muyenga seven years ago and had now grown into a regional operation. She added that the long-term ambition was to establish a manufacturing hub in East Africa and begin producing some items locally within five years.

“In the future, once we expand our franchise network, we plan to source raw materials such as coffee beans, milk, and fruits locally,” Chen said. He added that Uganda’s coffee sector could also play a role in future exports to other African markets, China and Asia.

The celebration also featured testimonies from company members who credited Norland with changing their lives. Doreen K. Sabiti, a Gold Medallist and coordinator for south-western Uganda, said she joined the company three years ago as a housewife and had since built teams in Uganda and other countries.

“This opportunity has enabled me to grow beyond borders,” she said.

Kansiime Agnes, a senior stockist and Gold Medallist, said she joined the business after a personal health struggle and now uses her experience to support others while earning an income.

As the event ended, speakers called for stronger support for compliant businesses seeking to expand in Uganda. Musiime urged government agencies to streamline export processes and create a more enabling environment for businesses creating jobs and investing locally.