Aïn Atlas: after fake news, Oulmès Mineral Waters targeted by a boycott?

Widely relayed on social networks, a document attributed to the Moroccan Ministry of Health indicates that a batch of Aïn Atlas mineral water would not be compliant “to current quality standards“. It was enough to provoke “the bad buzz of the year“, noted Young Africa.

In this letter, “a delegate from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection attached to the prefecture of the Al Fida-Mers Sultan districts”, who signs it, writes that “as part of the health control of natural mineral waters, spring waters and table waters, I have the honor to inform you that our environmental health service carried out, at a dairy, a sample of the Aïn Atlas natural mineral water which turned out to be non-compliant with the quality standards in force, subsequently confirmed by a second sample from the same batch».

Subsequently, the document was revealed to be a forgery, which was confirmed by the monthly: “The communication from the Ministry of Health assures that it is a false document..

Asked by Young Africaan authorized source at LEMO had this reaction: “We have no comment to make».

This case appears similar to a large-scale boycott campaign, which was initiated in 2018 against the Sidi Ali brand, “another flagship of Oulmès Mineral Waters», signals Young Africawhich recalls that this call for a boycott had also affected the Danone range of French dairy products, produced locally by the Centrale Laitière, as well as the network of Afriquia gas stations, whose main shareholder is the businessman Aziz Akhannouch (Akwa group), who became, in 2021, the head of the Moroccan government.

Marketed by Les Eaux Minerales d’Oulmès (LEMO), a subsidiary of the Holmarcom group, belonging to the Bensalah family, Aïn Atlas mineral water is one of the best-known bottled waters in Morocco.

According to Young Africa«in 2023, LEMO achieved a turnover of nearly 2.5 billion dirhams (232 million euros) and a net profit of 74 million dirhams – an increase of 36.5% compared to 2022».

«Commercial performance supported by all brands», comments the monthly, which specifies that sales of Aïn Atlas have jumped “by 10.3% last year».

Present in finance, agro-industry, logistics, air transport and real estate, the Holmarcom group, led by Mohamed Hassan Bensalah, finalized this year the acquisition of 78.7% of the shares of Crédit bank of Morocco with the French group Crédit Agricole.

In 2022, the holding company, whose total assets are valued at 90 billion dirhams, announced a turnover of 12 billion dirhams.