NAKUMATT INCHES CLOSER TO GOLDEN MILESTONE AS SECOND DAR ES SALAAM STORE OPENS ITS DOORS

Nakumatt holdings MD Atul Shah (left) guides Tanzania's Deputy Minister Hon. Janet Mbene (centre) on a tour of the new Nakumatt Mlimani as the retailer's Regional Director Mr Thiagarajan Ramamurthy looks on.

Regional retailer, Nakumatt Holdings, has officially opened its second, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, store as it inches closer to the opening of its 50th branch in coming days.

The opening of the 49th Nakumatt store this morning, is a major milestone for the retailer which had earlier set a corporate target to open 50 branches by February 2015.

Following its recent acquisition of three retail stores formerly owned by South African retailer Shoprite, Nakumatt, has now opened its 49th branch to be known as Nakumatt Pugu Road and is on course to open its 50th branch in Arusha, Tanzania in the next two weeks.

Speaking during the official opening ceremony, Nakumatt Holdings, Managing Director, Atul Shah, said the opening of the store, will further enhance the retailer’s footprint in Dar es Salaam.

“The opening of Nakumatt Pugu Road Supermarket is a major milestone for us, particularly because we are essentially racing against time to complete the progressive launch of the three new Tanzania branches by mid-August,” Shah explained.

And added: “The new Nakumatt Pugu Road will essentially enhance our footprint in Dar Es Salaam city where we are already enjoying overwhelming support following our recent opening of Nakumatt Mlimani also in Dar.”

Located along the busy Nyerere road in Dar Es Salaam, Nakumatt Pugu Road, historically holds the pride of place as the first Shoprite store ever opened in Tanzania by the South African retailer way back in 2001. With the recent acquisition, the Nakumatt Pugu Road Complex will also host the retailer’s (Nakumatt) Tanzania’s Headquarters; acting as the hub for its Moshi, Arusha and Dar Es Salaam stores.

As part of a phased out opening plan, the store has been outfitted to the signature Nakumatt corporate colours and layout.

With the opening of Nakumatt Mlimani and Pugu road, Shah, pointed it out that Nakumatt now has three running stores in Tanzania. Nakumatt Pugu road and Mlimani are the latest additions to the existing Nakumatt Moshi store which opened its doors in 2011 in the bustling town at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro.

In Kenya, Nakumatt is also gearing up for the opening of three new stores in Kenya by the end of the year.

Michuzi Blog