After Nakumatt shutdown its Thika Road Mall (TRM) branch, last month barely a month after closing its outlet at the NextGen Mall on Mombasa Road after just nine months of operations, Majid Al Futtaim has announced it will open its third hypermarket Carrefour in Kenya, as part of its growth and expansion plans in the Country.
The new branch will be open at the popular Thika Road Mall “TRM” covering over 5000 square metres selling area and will cater to the growing population segment residing in Roysambu and Kasarani as well as those travelling along the busy Thika Road, towards Central and parts of Eastern Kenya. It brings the total number of Carrefour stores operated by Majid Al Futtaim, to 210 across 15 markets.
In May, Nakumatt publicly announced plans to close its poorly performing branches in Kenya and Uganda as part of cost-cutting measures aimed at saving the retailer Sh1.5 billion annually.
The announcement saw the Haile Selassie branch located at the Kenyatta University Plaza closed down. This has given an opportunity to the French origin retail store.
The new hypermarket will cover two floors of the mall whose construction was completed in 2013, with the projection of starting operations at the upper level of the mall next month and having full operations on both floors by mid-2018.
Franck Moreau, Country Manager, at Majid Al Futtaim – Retail Kenya said, “The opening of our third Carrefour store in less than two years of operations illustrates our ambitious growth and expansion plans in the region. This new hypermarket will offer our customers who use the busy highway access to wide variety of products at the most competitive prices, offered at world-class standards.”
“Additionally, with our expansion, we are collaborating with local manufacturers and farmers to sell their produce. We are looking to stock over 30,000 items at the hypermarket, including fresh produce, groceries, a fresh bakery, and a butchery, among other merchandise as we continue to deliver on creating great moments for everyone, every day.” Moreau added.
Majid Al Futtaim currently works with over 640 suppliers, local manufacturers, producers and farmers, which contributes to the overall economic growth in Kenya both directly and indirectly. Only one of the suppliers is foreign.
The opening of the new branch at TRM will boost the staff employment count at Carrefour in Kenya to 800, with 600 already working at the other two branches located at The Hub in Karen and the Two Rivers Mall.
Moreau added that Majid Al Futtaim is actively seeking opportunities to open stores in Kenya and the rest of the greater East African region in the coming years. This is in line to attain the company’s plans to cater for the growing population yearning for a wide range of products, sold at the best prices in the best possible environment.
