Retail chain Naivas has opened a new branch in Hurlingham, Kilimani. The outlet becomes the Supermarket brand’s 63rd store and counts one of the largest supermarkets in the upmarket residential area.
The new branch is predominantly a food market and occupies 10,000 square feet and targets the middle and upper-class residents of the area with readily disposable income.
Naivas Chief Commercial Officer Willy Kimani said that at least 25 percent of the branch space is allocated to food items and an eatery.
Over the last ten years, Hurlingham has registered a marked population growth as real estate developers invest in high rise apartment blocks and commercial offices, making it an attractive proposition for potential retailers.
The new Food Market, opened in the midst of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, extends the Naivas expansion streak and has created 110 new jobs.
Kimani noted that while it has not been easy to go through with plans to open the store, the customer culture of shopping for food items at convenient neighborhood locations had caught on strongly in Kenya, and the decision to set up in Kilimani had already been made.
The move, he added, was informed by research that suggested a pent up need with more than 60 percent of respondents asking for an affordable, reliable, accessible source within close walking distance.
“We carefully examined the data, found a suitable location with sufficient parking for motor vehicles and convenient access and it was all systems go. The set-up is aligned with our desire to have as many outlets as possible in residential areas, following a ‘localism’ approach where we design, stock and run outlets according to the core users’ needs,” he said. Kimani explained.
A major market segment that the retailer is set to address is home deliveries. Kimani explained that the Naivas e-commerce site is expected to draw some of its produce from the new branch for customers in the region, a move that will shorten delivery times and increase service efficiency.
Naivas Kilimani Food Market is located close to the Yaya Center, neighbors a number of apartment block and hotels and is a stone throw from Chaka, Ring Road Kilimani and Argwings Kodhek roads.
