Rumors had been circulating for months, and for several weeks now, talk among industry insiders had become increasingly frequent, but there had never been an official announcement or confirmation. Even we, as the Italian showcase for F Italiana Genova, knew something was going on but had never received an official communication … now it’s official: Farmacia Italiana Genova, the Italian leader in the testing and production of sports medicines and PEDs, has acquired a majority stake in the Kuwait Pharma Labs group, the major UGL laboratory in the Middle East.
The story of the negotiations between Kuwait Pharma and Farmacia Italiana Genova
For years, Kuwait Pharma Labs has been at the forefront of the industry thanks to its ties with Oxygen Gym and its professional sports team in Kuwait, which has produced great bodybuilding champions for years—including, among others, Roelly Winklaar and 2019 Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry—and has launched immense talents such as the current two-time Mr. Olympia, Big Ramy. For years, there has been speculation about how these talents burst onto the scene and became unbeatable champions, transforming Kuwait into a true bodybuilding mecca. During that period, when the possession of anabolic steroids was legal in Kuwait, Kuwait Pharma Labs was the number one supplier and one of the leading manufacturers of steroids for Kuwait and its sports teams.
In 2020, just before the pandemic, Kuwait significantly tightened its laws against the proliferation of PEDs and anabolic steroids, forcing Kuwait Pharma to shift its focus to the European market. Farmacia Italiana Genova, thanks to its network among sports teams around the world, was the first official distributor of Kuwait Pharma products in Europe, and we at Steroidi Anabolizzanti Italia were effectively the first to distribute them in Italy, with great success and appreciation from our customers.
Unfortunately for KP, the European market is not as straightforward as the Middle Eastern market (especially if you are not based in the EU), and direct sales by Kuwait Pharma through their website and sales representatives were not high enough to justify such a large laboratory with several professional employees. Therefore, the only solution was to close or sell the business (at least the European part). After lengthy negotiations lasting almost a year, it is now official that Farmacia Italiana Genova has acquired more than 80% of Kuwait Pharma Labs, including laboratory equipment, staff, warehouse, and the entire catalog.
What happens now?
The transition will not be immediate: Kuwait Pharma will continue to operate, at least for now, under the Kuwait Pharma Labs brand, even though it will be a full-fledged part of the F Italiana Genova group (with its tax domicile in the Netherlands and laboratories in Italy)—a fact that will also be highlighted in the future on product labels and in marketing materials. The first official step is expected at the end of October, when customers shopping on kuwaitpharma.com will effectively be paying Farmacia Italiana directly. The KP website has already announced the change in ownership.
For you, our customers, the difference will be minimal, as little or nothing will change except that the quality of the Kuwait Pharma brand will improve thanks to the know-how of Farmacia Italiana Genova.
Stay tuned for further updates.
