This archive report was first published on 16 October 2019.
On October 16, 2019, Naivas Supermarket announced plans to open four new stores in Kenya, marking a significant expansion of its retail footprint beyond Nairobi.
The new branches will be located in Mombasa, Embu, and two other locations near Yaya Centre and along Eastern Bypass, bringing the total number of Naivas stores to 55.
According to Naivas Chief Operating Officer, Willy Kimani, the retailer's target is to serve each county headquarters, with a pipeline in place to tap into rapidly urbanizing areas such as Ngong, Kitengela, Ongata Rongai, and Machakos.
Naivas' expansion drive comes in the wake of increased competition from local stores like Quickmart and foreign-owned supermarkets such as Carrefour and Shoprite.
According to Nielsen, the growth of physical retail stores in Kenya is set to continue, with a 113 percent spike in stores expected in the central region and a 134 percent spike in the lake region.
