Majid Al Futtaim on 15th January held the official opening ceremony for the first Carrefour Store in Uganda, marking the company’s entry into the East African country.
Located at the popular Oasis Mall, the store covers 2,800 square metres, catering to the evolving customer needs in Uganda and responding to the growing demand for modern retail in Kampala and fills the gap left by Kenyan retail chains, Nakumatt and Uchumi, which exited the market due to cashflow constraints.
Global retain brand
Presiding over the official ceremony, Hon. Amelia Kyambadde, Uganda’s Minister for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives stated that the country’s growing population, coupled with a vibrant economy, will support Majid Al Futtaim’s investment in Uganda.
“The entry of a global retail brand like Carrefour goes a long way in ensuring that the expanding community is catered to,” Ms Kyambadde said. “With rapid urbanization, there is an increased demand for superior and high-quality products offered at great value, and we are very confident that in Majid Al Futtaim, we have the right partner.”
She said by building the capacity of local suppliers, Majid Al Futtaim is encouraging value addition which will in turn help to boost household incomes, noting that this supplements the government’s job creation efforts.
The minister further noted that by buying from local suppliers, Majid Al Futtaim is also helping to strengthen the government’s ‘Buy Uganda, Build Uganda’ policy.
Hani Weiss, Chief Executive Officer of Majid Al Futtaim – Retail explained that Carrefour’s first launch in Uganda is an integral part in the retailer’s long-term ambition of strengthening its presence in the East African region.
“We are committed to operating in Uganda for the long term and are happy for the opportunity to contribute to further developing the retail sector to the benefit of the community,” Weiss said. “Carrefour is here to modernize the grocery retail sector by bringing international best practices, and delivering the best value products to our customers, as we work to realize our vision of creating great moments for everyone every day”.
Local suppliers
The store stocks up to 20,000 products, a mix of international and local brands, all certified by relevant government agencies, applying international hygiene standards in order to guarantee food safety to customers.
Majid Al Futtaim has recruited 130 Ugandan employees and has contracted 50 more from external local companies. The company has also engaged 260 local suppliers to stock the Carrefour store in Uganda.
The company owns the franchise rights to operate the Carrefour brand in over 30 countries across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. It operates over 300 stores in 16 countries across that network.
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