Quickmart set to open first 24-hour branch in Lavington

Emerging retailer Quickmart Supermarkets is set to open its first 24-hour outlet in Lavington’s Valley Arcade area by the end of this month.

The new branch will be the retailer’s first venture into the 24-hour supermarket model, helping fill the gap left by Nakumatt after the retail chain went bankrupt.

Quickmart’s latest strategic spot will serve customers in the Kileleshwa and Lavington neighbourhoods which are currently underserved. The new Valley Arcade branch will also employ 150 people.

"When we studied the area, we discovered it is populated by high-income shoppers who require the flexibility of shopping at any time. The people in this neighbourhood remain underserved. With the opening of this new branch we are trying to fill this unmet shopping need,” Quickmart head of marketing Betty Wamaitha told the Business Daily.

Nakumatt was the first supermarket to introduce the 24-hour shopping model in Nairobi before giving up following its money woes. Naivas Supermarket, currently one of Kenya’s biggest retailers, has since opened three 24-hour branches.

The new Quickmart store will grow the upcoming retailer’s total outlets to 10, adding to the two in Nakuru, and one each in Kahawa Sukari, Ruiru, Waithaka, Eastern Bypass, Ruaka, Ruai and another at Thindigua along Kiambu Road.

Quickmart had previously set out to open the Lavington outlet before the close of 2018 but had its plans delayed.

“We thought that it is best we halt the plans of opening in December because the festivities and the delay in the clearance of some of our equipment at the port. But everything is now running as planned and we are set to open at the end of January.”

Late businessman John Kinuthia, who died in 2016, started Quickmart in Nakuru.