Kenya’s leading supermarket chains continued to expand their businesses in 2025, with Naivas, Quickmart and Carrefour Kenya collectively generating more than Sh212 billion in revenue.
Naivas remained the largest of the three by both revenue and physical footprint, reporting Sh114 billion in sales for the financial year ended June 2025.
The retailer had 108 stores at the close of the financial year, according to disclosures by Mauritius-based IBL Group, which leads a consortium that owns a majority stake in the Kenyan supermarket chain.
The sales represented growth of about 21.6 per cent from the previous financial year, when Naivas recorded sales of Sh93.31 billion. Its net profit also rose to about Sh2.42 billion, compared with Sh1.68 billion in the preceding year.
Naivas’ rapid expansion has been a major feature of Kenya’s retail market. The chain grew from 66 stores in 2020 to 108 by June 2025, with its sales averaging more than Sh1 billion per outlet.
Quickmart, meanwhile, generated Sh50.4 billion in revenue during the year ended December 2025, placing it second among the three retailers by sales. The company had 64 stores at the end of 2025, before accelerating its expansion to 72 outlets by June 2026.
Quickmart’s 2025 revenue represented an average annual growth rate of 18.4 per cent between 2021 and 2025, according to company disclosures. It reported adjusted profit after tax of Sh1.7 billion for the year.
The retailer has also built a significant digital and loyalty customer base, with about 2.5 million Q-Points members accounting for roughly 74 per cent of sales in FY2025 and the first half of 2026.
The chain is targeting further expansion, with plans to reach more than 100 stores over the medium term. Its strategy includes opening 10 to 15 outlets annually while investing in digital retail, delivery partnerships and operational efficiency.
Carrefour Kenya, operated by Dubai-based Majid Al Futtaim, recorded revenue of approximately Sh48.7 billion in 2025, according to the group’s financial disclosures.
This was an increase from about Sh42.95 billion in 2024, representing growth of nearly Sh5.9 billion. Carrefour added eight outlets during 2025, taking its Kenyan network to 34 stores by the end of the year.
The retailer entered the Kenyan market in 2016 and has invested heavily in its local operations. By 2026, the company said it had spent close to Sh15 billion on expanding its Kenyan footprint and paid about Sh239 billion to more than 690 local suppliers over its first decade in the country.
Kenya’s supermarket industry has witnessed significant changes over the past decade following the collapse or withdrawal of several major chains, including Nakumatt, Tuskys, Uchumi, Shoprite and Game.
The surviving retailers are now increasingly focused on convenience, pricing, store locations, promotions and digital shopping.
Retailers are moving beyond traditional large shopping malls into neighbourhood and middle-income areas as consumers become more value-conscious.
Also Read: Kenya Airways unveils new digital platform to transform customer experience
