The retail space in Kenya used to be controlled by two major supermarkets; Tuskys and Nakumatt. However, the retail sector in Kenya has seen the entry of other supermarkets that have made the industry more competitive.
Below, you will find the five leading supermarkets in Kenya.
Quickmart
Quickmart is one of the latest retail stores in Kenya. The company managed to merge with Tumaini supermarkets, which led to fast expansion in the Kenyan retail store market.
Quickmart stores are located conveniently and sell a wide variety of fresh groceries and fast-moving home groceries.
Moreover, Quickmart offers an enhanced customer experience, affordable products, and has deep strategic relationships with its supply chain partners. This efficiency and reliability have made Quickmart one of the best supermarkets in Kenya.
Naivas
Naivas has taken over as one of the biggest supermarkets in Kenya. The retail store has over 64 branches across the country. The collapse of Uchumi and Nakumatt opened a doorway for the once small supermarket.
The retailer has captured the market because of its prices, attracting low to medium-income earners. Additionally, Naivas has made shopping even easier via its online shopping portal.
Recently, Naivas Supermarket has embarked on a huge expansion program of its branch networks. This is following the sale of a 30% stake to France-based private equity fund Amethis Finance for Kshs. 1.5 billion. Naivas now has stores all over the major cities in Kenya.
Carrefour Kenya
Carrefour Kenya is now one of the major supermarkets in Kenya, following its market entrance in 2016. The store offers a variety of fresh produce in addition to the ordinary shopping that customers require at a go.
This supermarket attracts both medium- and high-income earners and has taken over as an anchor tenant at some of the biggest malls in Kenya.
Cleanshelf Supermarket
Cleanshelf started as a mini-mart many years ago. The franchise has made strategic strides over the years to become one of the largest supermarkets in Kenya. The retail store attracts many low-end by providing affordable basic goods. This has seen the expand rapidly in a few major cities outside the capital.
Moreover, Cleanshelf has made shopping easier by introducing its own online shopping model. It is cheap and efficient for shoppers who would like to do it remotely.
Chandarana Food Plus
Chandarana Food Plus is one of the oldest supermarkets in Kenya. The store began its operations in 1959 as a small grocery shop. Since then, it has grown steadily over the years to become one of the biggest supermarkets in Kenya. Now, it has 18 stores across Kenya.
Chandarana offers its shoppers high-quality products for your daily needs. Additionally, they have a delicatessen, a wine cellar, in-house bakeries, electronics, household items, and more.
Supermarkets in Kenya: A Changing Landscape
The number of supermarkets in Kenya has increased slightly over the last few years. However, a few have exited the market due to mismanagement and the misappropriation of funds.
The increase in supermarkets can be partly attributed to the rapid increase in malls across the country. They provide an environment for these supermarkets to thrive.
The retail sector is projected to grow over the years as more players continue jumping into the ring. The ones available, on the other hand, are trying to outdo each other, which works in favour of Kenyan shoppers.
