Battle for Nairobi deep pockets heats up with new Carrefour store at the Junction
French retailer Carrefour is taking hold of Nairobi’s high-end shopping belt with three stores in the most affluent areas of the Kenyan capital.
The new location at Junction mall is set to offer the franchise held by Majid Al Futtaim access to residential areas along Ngong Road, Lavington, and Dagoretti Corner, as well as those who use the busy Ngong road on their daily commute.
Carrefour has a store at the Hub in Karen, an affluent suburb of Nairobi in Kenya, lying south west of Nairobi central business district and at Two Rivers, located at the diplomatic blue zone that hosts the biggest concentration of various embassies and the United Nation complex.
“When fully operational later in the year, the Junction Mall store will stock over 30,000 food and non-food items, and host some of our specialist sections such as, fresh produce, groceries, a fresh bakery, and a butchery,” Franck Moreau, Country Manager, at Majid Al Futtaim – Retail Kenya said.
The Karen-Ngong stretch had been closely guarded by Nakumatt, but troubles at the retailer have given foreign retailers an opportunity to take advantage of the high purchase power in the area.
South African retailer ShopRite supermarkets had made an attempt to take the Junction location when Nakumatt was thrown out but the deal failed to pan out due to the potential delays in gaining entry into the market.
Another South African supermarket, Game Stores, a Wallmart Franchise is set to challenge Carrefour with an outlet at the yet to be opened WaterFront Karen.
Located within the ‘Karen triangle’: the intersection between Lang’ata Road, Karen Road and Ngong’ Road, WaterFront will open by next month.
The two South African stores have also set up in middle class stores targeting the mass market With Game Stores operating a store at Garden City while Carrefour only recently set up shop at TRM mall, both along Thika Road.
