Companies

Naivas’ new Kilifi outlet takes over Tuskys space

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Shopping flour in a Naivas supermarket branch. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Naivas Supermarket is to open a new store in Kilifi at a space that was vacated by Tuskys last October, bucking a trend in the country’s financially strained retail sector.

The supermarket will start operations at Kilifi Complex Centre situated next to DTB Bank on Bofa Road towards the end of the month, stepping up competition for customers in the town.

Chief commercial officer Willy Kimani on Monday said the new branch will be a food market as they are occupying an outlet that has ready shelves and other fittings.

“The new store which will be a food market will be opened towards the end of this month at the vacated Tuskys store,” said Mr Kimani in an interview.

“It will sit on 25,000 square feet offering jobs to around 107 staffs.”

The new outlet coming barely a few weeks after the retailer took up the space vacated by Tuskys Supermarket at Ananas Mall will become Naivas’ 70th branch in the country.

The branch is coming up at a time its closest rival Tuskys has shut several stores due to cash flow challenges.

Apart from the Ananas Mall branch in Thika, Naivas has also taken up a good number of Nakumatt outlets across the country. This includes the Prestige Plaza on Ngong road, Moi Avenue branch, Mega City mall in Kisumu as well as Likoni and Bamburi branches in Mombasa.

Naivas recently opened at Waterfront Mall in Karen, taking over the space South African retailer Shoprite occupied. The retailer in August raised Sh6 billion from the sale of a 30 percent stake to a consortium of investors, including the International Finance Corporation, firming up its financial strength.

The retailer’s expansion comes at a time growth of physical retail stores in Kenya is set to continue, according to consumer insights firm Nielsen.

Nielsen, in its latest report, says local growth in outlets will be marked mostly in central and in the lake region where 113 percent and 134 percent spike in stores, respectively, will be experienced.