Chinese retailer, China Square has opened a Sh. 500 million outlet in Kisumu County to tap into the western Kenya market.
This follows the success of its Nairobi outlets, which have gained a loyal customer base due to their wide selection and budget-friendly prices.
Hundreds of residents flocked to the new outlet on its opening day, eager to take advantage of the store’s 20% discount.
The grand opening, which saw long lines of excited shoppers, marked a significant milestone for the popular retail chain as it expands its footprint across Kenya.
Located at Mega City Mall in the heart of Kisumu City, the outlet promises to offer a wide variety of products at competitive prices, from home goods to electronics, fashion, and more.
Speaking at the launch, China Square CEO, Lei Cheng, expressed his excitement about the opening, saying the expansion to Kisumu was long overdue.
The decision to move to Kisumu, which is the third largest city in Kenya, he said was informed by the huge number of requests from customers who travelled all the way to Nairobi to purchase goods from the retailer.
He added, “We’ve been serving Nairobi for some time now. Requests from Kisumu have been overwhelming and I am happy that today we have opened this shop so that our customers can enjoy convenient shopping,” he said.
The new store, he said, has a large variety of products which was set to give it a competitive advantage over other retailers in the region.
“We have one of the largest varieties of products in the region. Here we have so many products that you cannot find in any other store,” he said.
Leng said the Kisumu outlet would not only provide competitive pricing but also create local jobs, contributing to the area’s economic growth.
The outlet, he added, was receiving goods from local jua kali artisans and Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s), a move that was set to stimulate local manufacturing.
“Some of them have been to our shops in Nairobi where they have taken samples of some of the products, especially plastics which they copy and manufacture and we buy from them,” he said.
As a result, he added, China Square which at the start was importing 90% of their products, is now importing 60% with 40% of the products at the outlets sourced locally.
The new store in Kisumu, he said, was part of the company’s broader strategy to increase its presence in Kenya’s growing retail market with plans underway to expand to Mombasa, Nakuru and Eldoret cities.
By Chris Mahandara
