Tuskys Supermarket this morning opens its largest retail store in terms of size in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD), raising competition against Choppies in the budget-customer segment and it’s bigger rival, Nakumatt.
Tuskys Imara on Tom Mboya Stree has been its biggest Store in the CBD in terms of square feet, but that crown has been taken over by Tuskys Magic Express, which is a merger between Tuskys Ronald Ngala & Tuskys Magic on the same street.
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The launch comes barely a month after the consecutive closure of two outlets in the city centre. Beba Beba branch on Tom Mboya was closed early this month after a new landlord to the premises changed the use of the property, while the Express branch on Sheikh Karume Road was shut in February for strategic reasons.
The CEO Dan Githua says the retail giant hopes to consolidate its customers at the Tuskys Magic Express on Ronald Ngala, giving the budget-customers on this side a feel of a real mega store.
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Mr Githua said the management is looking for other locations in the CBD to accommodate the famous Beba Beba Branch and an announcement will be made in the coming weeks on the new home.
“We can’t let that go,” he told Business Today earlier. “Tuskys Beba has to find a home even though we couldn’t find a home as fast we wanted.”
Mr Githua added that the branch had more than 12,000 loyalty card holders and each of them had been issued with Sh 500 to be redeemed in other Tuskys branches within Nairobi CBD. He said that the move was aimed at directing the customers to other branches in CBD.
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Meanwhile, the retail chain’s plan of opening more convenience stores across Shell-branded fuel stations is still ongoing and more shops will be rolled out before the end of the year according to Dan Githua. “Its one our best performing segments of the business and the margins are good,” he adds.
But he acknowledges that the volumes are still small. “A few stores will come this month and we are also in discussions to partner with other fuel retailers.”
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