This archive report was first published on 8 October 2019.
Java House Group, a leading restaurant chain in East Africa, has expanded its portfolio with the launch of Kukito, a new grilled chicken restaurant in Nairobi's city centre.
Located on Kimathi Street, Kukito is the fourth brand under the Java umbrella, following Planet Yoghurt (PY), Java Express, and 360 Degrees Pizza.
According to Java House Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Paul Smith, the company aims to infiltrate smaller locations through these subsidiaries, targeting the Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) region.
"We are bringing the Kenyan spirit, celebrating our origin through a nice local vibe," Smith said during the launch. "Kukito is a brand for the young, witty and bold Kenyan."
The new restaurant is set to compete with Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), which has an outlet directly opposite the new Kukito branch. KFC serves deep-fried chicken, while Kukito offers grilled chicken.
Java House Group has a presence in Uganda and Rwanda and has previously run a Planet Yogurt at the new Kukito branch. The restaurant features unique rustic decorations and funny signs that Kenyans tend to put in different areas.
As part of its diversification strategy, Java House Group plans to grow the branch count of its less capital-intensive express outlets, which will strictly serve vegetarian meals.
Java House Group opened its first Express outlet at the United States International University-Africa main campus off Thika Road in November 2017.
