NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 6 – Regional retailer Nakumatt Holdings is planning to streamline its services across its branch networks in the East African region offering customers a wider and more diverse range of products.
The supermarket chain that operates in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda has already stepped up efforts to integrate its services in line with the local consumer expectations across the respective countries.
Nakumatt Holdings Managing Director Atul Shah said through such an integration process, the firm will be better enabled to meet consumer needs across the different markets.
“We are helping forge a seamless retail market by cross listing and selling products from different markets across our network. For example, we now sell Rwanda coffee among other products in Kenya which translates to an expanded market for Rwanda farmers,” he said.
Nakumatt opened it second store in Rwanda in October last year, with plans for a third one expected in Kigali soon.
Elsewhere in the region the firm opened an outlet in Tanzania in December last year and has its sights on Burundi to complete its footprint in the region.
Shah was speaking during this year’s Rwanda Development Board (RDB) Business Excellence Awards, where Nakumatt was declared the first runner up in the overall investor of the year category.
As part of the Rwandan government’s plans to enhance economic growth, the RDB also named Nakumatt as one of the top investors in the country, for its role in facilitating economic development in Rwanda.
With hundreds of Kenyan firms expanding their operations to Rwanda, competition for quality service provision based on global best practices is fast emerging as a key business growth factor.
The annual awards honour the achievement of businesses, individuals and SME’s that have made an exceptional contribution to Rwanda’s economic growth.
Also speaking at the awards ceremony, Rwandan Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi said the awards are geared at encouraging investors to go the extra mile by reinvesting in the growth of their businesses, generating employment, developing the skills of their employees and improving the quality of services offered.
“Organizing these awards is pertinent in supporting the private sector. Our prosperity as a nation depends on how individual businesses and indeed entire sectors are able to outperform their competitors both on the local market and on the international scene,” RDB Investment and Implementation Head Vivian Kayitesi said.
This year, the awards attracted more than 142 participating organizations comprising of 130 companies, 110 investors, 20 exporters and 12 districts.