Gilani’s Supermarket Ltd is a leading wholesale and retail supermarket in the heart of Nakuru, a city in the Rift Valley region of Kenya.
Established in 1974, the business has grown to become one of the largest retail and wholesale facilities in the area, with interests in supermarket, hospitality, and real estate.
The history of Gilani’s Supermarket dates back to 1972, when the family patriarch Mr. Ghulam Hussein and his sons Salim and Nazmi started a small retail shop known as Gilani’s Agency, situated along Pandit Nehru road in Nakuru city.
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The retail shop grew steadily, and by the late 1980s, it had grown to be the only wholesale shop in Nakuru and its environs.
As the business grew, the family kicked off their expansion strategy and relocated to its current location along Club road, off Kenyatta Avenue in the Central Business District (CBD) of Nakuru city.
Within a span of two years, the business had grown from making a three-digit profit to a seven-figure profit, attracting big-time investors.
Today, Gilani’s Supermarket has morphed into a shopping complex featuring a wholesale unit and a food restaurant division that offers Asian, English, and African cuisine.
The business also has a real estate division that develops and lets commercial buildings in Nakuru town, including Tower 1, which at 14 floors is one of the tallest buildings in Nakuru city.
What sets Gilani’s Supermarket apart is its commitment to keeping the business under the management of the family.
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According to the Supermarket CEO, Faiz Gilani, almost every member of the family has worked in the supermarket. Even those who have gone ahead to establish their own businesses started by working for the family business.
“We have all been encouraged to do this. The younger members of the family are taken through everything they need to know about the business way before they are allowed to take over,” said Mr. Faiz in an earlier interview with The Standard.
The family’s commitment to the business has paid off, with Gilani’s Supermarket becoming a household name in Nakuru and its environs.
The Supermarket, which sits on 58,000 square feet, offers a wide range of consumer goods and products, including fresh produce, dairy products, meat, poultry, and fish, among others.
In addition, the business has a warehouse for bulk buying located along Sungura Road, Industrial Area with over 120,000 sq. ft of storage space, where all distribution products are stored. This allows the business to cater to the needs of both wholesale and retail customers, offering competitive prices and quality products.
However, like any other business, Gilani’s Supermarket has faced its fair share of challenges.
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In November 2022, the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) approved the acquisition of certain business and assets (distribution business) of Gilanis Supermarket by Oak Habour Holdings Limited.
Oak Habour Holdings Limited (Oak), the acquirer, is an investment holding company with interests in the energy sector, cargo and freight handling, among others. According to CAK, Oak does not operate any business in Kenya, thus it did not generate any turnover or have assets in 2021.
“The Competition Authority of Kenya has approved the proposed acquisition of certain business and assets (distribution business) of Gilani’s Supermarket by Oak Habour Holdings Limited unconditionally,” CAK said in a statement.
The private equity fund, which is acquiring a controlling stake, is set to pump capital into the business, providing an opportunity for Gilani’s Supermarket to expand further and strengthen its position in the market.