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It plans to increase the number to five in the next 4-5 years
Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | Carrefour, owned and operated by Majid Al Futtaim has opened a second store in Uganda at Naalya, along the Northern Bypass, some 11kilometres out of Kampala city centre.
Spanning over 2,050 square meters, the new store, which opened on March 16, seeks to address the immediate shopping needs of shoppers who live and work in Naalya, Ntinda, Namugongo and its vicinities.
The opening of the new store follows the one-year anniversary celebration of the hypermarket’s US$4million Oasis Mall store in February. The retail chain plans to add three more outlets in the next 4-5 years.
According to the proprietors, Carrefour Naalya offers choice of more than 12,000 products including freshly baked pastries, fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh fish, meat, cheese, ready-to-eat meals, as well as a wide selection of non-food products.
More than 90% of these products are sourced from local suppliers in Uganda, according to Franck Moreau, the country manager of Carrefour Uganda and Kenya Majid Al Futtaim Retail.
This is in line with government’s policy of Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BUBU) aimed at encouraging the development of the local businesses.
The new store finds the market having other old, big players including Shoprite, Game, Quality, Mega, and Capital Shoppers among other small ones.
The opening also comes a few years ago when Kenyan giants – Uchumi, Tuskeys and Nakumatt quit the Ugandan market citing poor performance which analysts linked to poor demand and growing competition.
Moreau said that Carrefour’s underlying aim is to offer Ugandan shoppers the best products and widest range at the most affordable price.
“With this expansion, we are delivering more convenient and modernised shopping experiences to more of our Ugandan customers. This new Carrefour not only offers a wide range of products sold at the best prices, but also uplifts the surrounding community by creating direct and indirect employment opportunities for over 90 Ugandans,” Moreau explained.
To celebrate the opening, Carrefour is running a promotional campaign from the day of the launch until March 28, 2021, bringing daily and weekly savings deals on a vast range of essential items.
During this period, Carrefour will also offer customers daily big deals of up to 50% off on select items as well as 150 free shopping trolleys for customers participating in the spin and win game.
Carrefour’s location along the Northern bypass at the Naalya junction is ideal from a retail point of view – especially with the construction of new access roads from Kyaliwajjala – Naalya road; its proximity to the Kampala northern by-pass and affluent areas of Ntinda, Naalya and Namugongo.
In a bit to boost digital innovation in grocery retail, Carrefour Uganda also provides on-demand delivery services from both Oasis and Metroplex stores through its partners Jumia Food and Glovo.
These services allow customers to order from the safety and comfort of their home and enjoy Carrefour quality delivered right to their doorstep.
The new store also opens at a time the entire economy is slowly recovering from the COVID-19 crisis and aggregate demand for goods and services improving.
In the long term, Carrefour’s success could be supported by a growing population and urbanisation which is taking root.
Carrefour was launched in Africa in 1995 by UAE-based Majid Al Futtaim, which is the exclusive franchisee to operate Carrefour in over 30 countries across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, and fully owns the operations in the region.
To date, Majid Al Futtaim operates over 350 Carrefour stores in 17 countries, serving more than 750,000 customers daily and employing over 37,000 people.
It operates different store formats, as well as multiple online offerings to meet the growing needs of its diversified customer base.
Carrefour offers choice of more than 500,000 food and non-food products
Across Carrefour’s stores, Majid Al Futtaim sources over 80% of the products offered from the region, making it a key enabler in supporting local producers, suppliers, families and economies.
The company started operations in East Africa with the entry into Kenya in 2016, where it operates eight stores and employs slightly more than 1400 staff.
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