New subsidiary reinforces Midea’s long-term commitment to South Africa, with stronger local operations, partner support, local manufacturing investment and deeper consumer connection.
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – 10 July 2026 – Midea, one of the world’s leading home appliance and smart home solutions companies, today celebrated the official opening of Midea Electric South Africa, its new subsidiary in South Africa, marking an important milestone in the company’s long-term development across South Africa and the broader African market.
The official launch represents a new chapter for Midea in South Africa. The Midea brand has been present in the country for 20 years, and over the past four years, through its home appliance business, Midea has built a strong local foundation and achieved approximately 7% to 10% market share.
In 2026, to remain competitive and better serve the market, Midea decided to transform its business model in South Africa. Through Midea Electric South Africa, the company will serve partners more directly, improve stability across the supply chain and value chain, enhance its ability to respond to the needs of local consumers, and support a seamless transition with continuity for partners and the market.
The opening ceremony brought together Midea Group leadership, regional executives, local teams, partners and guests to commemorate this important milestone. Senior leaders attending the ceremony included Louis Zhao, Vice President of Midea Group and President of Midea Smart Home Business Group; Scott Fu, Regional President of Middle East, Africa, Russia and India Region; and Bright Yao, General Manager of Midea Africa. Their presence reflected the strategic importance of South Africa within Midea’s broader regional growth plans.
“Today, we open our new branch. This is a great milestone. Looking ahead, our strategy in South Africa is very clear: we want to be closer to our local customers. With our new local factories coming, we will bring better products and much faster delivery to this market.”
— Louis Zhao, Vice President of Midea Group and President of Midea Smart Home Business Group
Midea’s ambition is clear: to become a leading home appliance and smart home brand in South Africa. To support this ambition, the company is investing in local manufacturing. Its new laundry factory is already under construction and is on track to commence production this year. As the business grows, Midea is prepared to further expand its investment footprint in the country.
Beyond business growth, Midea is committed to true localisation. The company is building a local team to better understand and meet the specific needs of South African consumers, while creating local jobs and fulfilling the social responsibilities expected of a responsible corporate citizen. Midea is not here for a quick win; it is here to stay, integrate and contribute to South Africa.
Through its local subsidiary, Midea aims to strengthen partner collaboration, enhance market responsiveness and bring more innovative, reliable and accessible home appliance and smart home solutions to South African households. Its portfolio supports key everyday living scenarios, including cooking, refrigeration, laundry and floor care, water treatment, air conditioning and connected home experiences.
Guided by its brand philosophy, “Simply ideal,” Midea focuses on creating practical, thoughtful and consumer-centric solutions that make everyday life easier and more comfortable. This approach is aligned with the needs of modern South African consumers, who increasingly value products that combine trusted quality, smart functionality, energy efficiency and accessible value.
Midea’s strengthened presence in South Africa also supports its wider Middle East and Africa strategy, as the company continues to invest in regional capabilities, local partnerships and market development.
As part of its global brand-building journey, Midea has also announced its partnership with FC Barcelona, one of the world’s most iconic football clubs. The partnership reflects Midea’s ambition to connect with consumers globally through shared values of performance, teamwork, innovation and everyday excellence.
With the opening of Midea Electric South Africa, Midea is positioned to further strengthen its local operations, support partners more closely and contribute to the development of the home appliance and smart living category across South Africa and the broader African region.
About Midea & Midea Group
Midea is one of over 10 brands operating under the Smart Home Business of Midea Group.
Midea Group, with the vision of “bringing great innovations to life”, is an international tech-leading company which specializes in seven major businesses including Smart Home, Industrial Technologies, Building Technologies, KUKA, New Energy, Midea Healthcare, and ANNTO Logistics. Midea’s products and services have served more than 500 million customers worldwide, including key clients and strategic partners across various industries. Midea operates more than 400 subsidiaries, 41 R&D centers and 65 major manufacturing bases globally, with business network covering over 200 countries and regions.
In 2025, Midea’s total operating revenue reached 458.5 billion Yuan, a 12.1% increase over the last year; The net profit attributable to the parent company was 43.95 billion Yuan, a 14% increase over the past year. Midea now has about 190,000 employees globally and nearly 40,000 employees overseas. In 2026, Midea ranked the 246th among the Global Fortune 500, and 39th among Brand Finance Tech 100.
Website: www.midea.com/global
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