Planet Retail 25 Aug 2008

Kenya's largest retailer Nakumatt has finally launched its first foreign market operation, in Rwanda, opening its first store in the capital city Kigali. Speaking at the formal store opening presided over by Rwanda's Minister of Commerce, Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Nakumatt COO Thiagarajan Ramamurthy described the opening of the new store as a milestone for the Nakumatt group. He disclosed plans to invest more than USD20 million in further expansion projects in East Africa, including one more store in Rwanda, three in Uganda, and four in Tanzania.

Planet Retail 19 Jun 2008

Kenyan-based hypermarket and supermarket operator Uchumi has revealed that eight investors have placed bids for a piece of the retail group. The group of eight is thought to include two foreign retailers, two domestic retailers, and a total of four institutional investors from both Kenya and abroad. Uchumi's interim CEO Jonathan Ciano did not disclose the identities of the investors, but according to speculation in the local media, fellow retailer Tuskys is one of them. Meanwhile, foreign parties interested in Uchumi are thought to include South African Shoprite.

Planet Retail 20 Mar 2008

Kenyan market leader Nakumatt has announced that it is planning to spend USD5 million to set up four stores in Tanzania this year, with the money used as a startup package to construct outlets in Dar es Salaam, Moshi and Arusha. However, Nakumatt COO Thiagarajan Ramamurthy said that additional money would be needed for stocking the outlets. The four stores will employ about 300 locals with some support from Kenyan workers experienced in the retail sector. Apart from Tanzania, Nakumatt is also considering market entries into Uganda and Rwanda, probably also in 2008.

Planet Retail 8 Jan 2008

Kenyan retailer Uchumi is working on a turnaround that will see the debt ridden retailer open nine more branches with an additional five branches in Uganda, Tanzania and Southern Sudan. This is in an attempt to regain its lost glory and market share. The aggressive growth plan is expected to push the retailer to second position, currently held by Ukwala in the Kenyan market. According to the local press, details of the fresh turnaround are contained in Uchumi's five year plan and the local expansion is expected to lift the loss-making retailer's profits to KES635 million (USD9.8 million) by 2010. Uchumi is also set to break its long stretch of losses in June 2008.

Planet Retail 4 Jan 2008

Kenyan chain Nakumatt is to open its first stores outside the country this year. The company expects to return a profit of KES847 million (USD12.5 million) this financial year ending February 2008. Overall expansion is expected to see the chain's profits rise to KES1.2 billion (USD17.7 million) by 2010. By then, the retailer expects to have three stores in Uganda, two in Rwanda and four in Tanzania.

Planet Retail 4 Dec 07

The operations director of Kenyan chain Nakumatt, Thiagarajan Ramamurthy, has announced that the retailer will open 11 new stores next year to meet rising demand. Under the expansion plan, Nakumatt plans to extend its chain to Nakuru and Kakamega where it does not have stores, besides building a second bigger store in Eldoret. Mr Ramamurthy said that the additional branches would bring the total number of outlets to 30.

Longueuil, Quebec. 22.10.07. Around fifty researchers and active actors of country organizations primarily from East Africa and from Europe met at the headquaters of the Quebec Union of agricultural producers (Union des producteurs agricoles, UPA) from 1-3 October. This with an aim of discussing and of deepening the various mechanisms of market regulation for agricultural produce in North as in the South.

Planet Retail 2 August 07

Kenyan chain Nakumatt has finalised plans to open its first hypermarket in Kigali, Rwanda. According to COO Thiagarajan Ramamurthy, the location and the developer have been chosen and construction will start soon. It will be located in a large shopping mall and is expected to give Kigali shoppers a new shopping experience. The store is expected to start operation in November 2008.

"We are aware there have been recent discussions in Kenya about the issue of food miles. As part of our wider commitment to make M&S a carbon neutral business, we are looking at ways of reducing our use of air freight. However, I want to emphasise that we aim to do this by using alternative modes of transport, like shipping, and not by reducing our trade with developing countries."

Growing supermarket chain, Nakumatt Holdings has developed a blueprint for expansion that will see it sink Sh1 billion into new stores. 

Latching onto the Government's much talked about, but yet to be implemented Vision 2030 development agenda, the retail chain said its plans were in line with the vision's outline, which places the retail sector among six key priority areas for growth in Kenya.