Supermarkets, clothes retailers and hotels in Nairobi recorded bumper sales in the run-up and during the Christmas festivities, as customers turned out in large numbers.

Interviews with managers at Nakumatt, Tuskys, Bata, Deacons and Villa Rosa Kempinski indicated a jump in client numbers. The trend is expected to prevail until New Year.

“This is the best Christmas we’ve ever had in terms of client turnout,” said the Kempinski director of food and beverage Amit Sharma.

The hotel said over 900 guests turned up for both Christmas eve dinner and Christmas day brunch. Its luxurious 12-tented Olare Mara Kempinski in Maasai Mara National Reserve where Kenyans were offered an all-inclusive discounted rate of Sh43,000 per person for two nights was also sold out.

“The New Year’s eve parties in the hotel’s three restaurants plus the mega gala ball room are absolutely sold out, with more than 1,000 guests expected,” said Kempinski.

Supermarkets said shoppers thronged outlets for last-minute shopping mainly picking edibles and apparels for the Christmas holidays.

Nakumatt Strategy Director Thiagarajan Ramamurthy said business started picking pace three days to Christmas, and is expected to remain brisk moving to New Year and the subsequent school re-opening week.

“We have been busy and our stores are doing better compared to the same period last year,” said Mr Ramamurthy.

“Our revenues have grown by 12 per cent and despite the inflation rate, the number of transactions has also grown. We have noticed a trend where our customers are spending-eight per cent more than last year,” the Nakumatt director added.

Expansion

Tuskys, Kenya’s second-biggest supermarket by revenue, said it has recorded a 70 per cent growth in revenue this season—attributing it to aggressive expansion that has seen it open several branches this year, including convenient stores in petrol stations.

“We have opened a number of stores in Shell petrol stations and in new malls across the country. This has really helped our business over Christmas,” said the Tuskys head of marketing Spencer Okach.

Deacons Kenya CEO Wahome Muchiri said that although its stores had not surpassed the set target, revenue grew by eight per cent.

Deacons Kenya is the umbrella company managing various apparel brands including Truworths, Angelo, Mr Price, Bossini and Baby Shop.

“We are trading above last year but business has not surpassed our target mainly because people left the city early. Our best performing outlets were those at Junction Mall and Mr Price on Moi Avenue, mainly because of the happy hour offers and the variety,” he said.

Bata said it recorded a six per cent growth in sales over Christmas compared to last year. James Ngambi, the head of sales said outlets in Nairobi’s central business districts were the busiest.

The retailers have rolled out promotions targeting school children to keep the sales momentum into New Year.

Tuskys, for instance, has announced there will be a Sh25 million promotion at the end of the week targeting ‘back to school’ shoppers. The retailer is also in the process of opening a uniform section in all its stores.

Nakumatt has partnered with a number of companies including Unilever Kenya to offer goods at discounted prices. It is also allowing shoppers to cash royalty points at Sh2 per point, and topping up by 20 per cent for anyone redeeming them to pay school fees.

-businessdailyafrica.com