Nakumatt takes over Payless Supermarket operations
Nov 04, 2010
EAST African supermarket chain Nakumatt Holdings has bought Payless Supermarket.<br>“We bought them (Payless Supermarket) out. Stores formerly occupied by Payless will be operating under our management in a few days.
By David Ssempijja
EAST African supermarket chain Nakumatt Holdings has bought Payless Supermarket.
“We bought them (Payless Supermarket) out. Stores formerly occupied by Payless will be operating under our management in a few days.
“We are making infrastructural improvements,†Nakumatt Uganda branch manager, Joshua Ng’ang’a, said.
He said Nakumatt retained 80 former Payless workers who are undergoing “intensive training to gain the required standards.â€
Ng’ang’a disclosed that some sh1.34b had been injected in the takeover and premise refurbishment.
Branches taken over include the Bugolobi and Bukoto.
“But these small branches will just keep our name in these locations as we plan to set up bigger stores in the same areas,†Ng’ang’a revealed.
It is not yet clear what struck Payless Supermarket out of business.
“Payless Supermarket could have faced problems like any other business and management found out that business could not go beyond a certain point.
“That is why Nakumatt is taking over,†one of the former managers noted.
For the last two weeks, ‘beehive’ activities have been going on in locations formerly occupied by Payless Supermarket with banners reading ‘Nakumatt opening soon.’
Nakumatt runs over 23 stores in major towns like Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Meru, Kisii, Kampala and Kigali.
It opened its doors to Kampala shoppers in June last year with a $3m (about sh6.6b) initial investment, initiating a new 24-hour service.
This forced major competitors in the Kampala upscale areas to shape up.
EAST African supermarket chain Nakumatt Holdings has bought Payless Supermarket.
“We bought them (Payless Supermarket) out. Stores formerly occupied by Payless will be operating under our management in a few days.
“We are making infrastructural improvements,†Nakumatt Uganda branch manager, Joshua Ng’ang’a, said.
He said Nakumatt retained 80 former Payless workers who are undergoing “intensive training to gain the required standards.â€
Ng’ang’a disclosed that some sh1.34b had been injected in the takeover and premise refurbishment.
Branches taken over include the Bugolobi and Bukoto.
“But these small branches will just keep our name in these locations as we plan to set up bigger stores in the same areas,†Ng’ang’a revealed.
It is not yet clear what struck Payless Supermarket out of business.
“Payless Supermarket could have faced problems like any other business and management found out that business could not go beyond a certain point.
“That is why Nakumatt is taking over,†one of the former managers noted.
For the last two weeks, ‘beehive’ activities have been going on in locations formerly occupied by Payless Supermarket with banners reading ‘Nakumatt opening soon.’
Nakumatt runs over 23 stores in major towns like Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Meru, Kisii, Kampala and Kigali.
It opened its doors to Kampala shoppers in June last year with a $3m (about sh6.6b) initial investment, initiating a new 24-hour service.
This forced major competitors in the Kampala upscale areas to shape up.