An outside view of Nakumatt Junction in Nairobi. [PHOTO/the-star.co.ke]
A South African retailer retailer is eyeing the space left by Nakumatt after vacating the Junction mall in Dagoretti.
ShopRite Holdings is set to fill the space after the struggling Kenyan counterparts allegedly failed to meet their rent obligations.
This comes in the wake of reports that the troubled retailer plans to shut down more branches should their merger with Tuskys Supermarkets not sail through.
According to Bloomberg, the ShopRite Holdings management is currently in talks with owners of the mall in the hope of opening their first store in the country.
“We are currently in talks with some of the property owners but nothing has been signed,” said Shoprite director Gerhard Fritz.
Fritz said they are also waiting for the merger talks between Nakumatt and Tuskys before deciding on whether to proceed.
“Taking over vacated outlets would be the preferred way for the Cape Town-based company to enter East Africa’s largest economy as the retail market there is “too well established” to build new stores,” said Fritz.
France-based Carrefour Supermarket has also expressed plans to replace Nakumatt space at the Thika Road Mall while Souk Supermarket have already replaced them at NextGen Mall along Mombasa Road.