By Bizna Brand Analyst
Kenyan shoppers have a luxury of choice when it comes to supermarkets. Hundreds of decent brands are emerging everyday. But not all of them can boast of quality service and large customer bases. When we think of the top horses, only two names come to mind: Tuskys and Nakumatt. Both supermarkets have been part of our lives for decades now as dominant forces in the retail sector. But which is the better one?
Pricing
For people seeking to cut costs, Tuskys is your best bet. Nakumatt prices are generally high compared to other supermarkets. Not higher than Uchumi but still high. Nakumatt stores in malls especially are known to have crazy prices. While certain items may appear cheaper when you purchase them at Nakumatt, this is by design. The supermarket charges shoppers less for some items, but if you are someone who pays close attention to prices, you will realize that most of the items actually cost a lot more than they would if you had purchased them at a different store. This is by design and is a way for Nakumatt to recoup what they’ve lost on the less expensive items.
Customer numbers?
Both supermarkets have lots of customers but of different social classes. Nakumatt mainly appeals to the upper middle class and the wealthy while Tuskys appeals to the upper middle class and lower middle class as well as lower class. Here it’s a situation of neck to neck. You will never find a ghost town situation in either retailer.
Money making
Last year, Tuskys recorded revenues of around 40 billion shillings while Nakumatt had revenues of approximately 51.6 billion shillings. Clear winner huh?
Product variety
Whatever product you need at Nakumatt, there will be a section for you to check out. You can head to the chain and purchase mboga for the week, buy electronic devices, get cleaning products and shop for clothes all in a single trip. It is truly a one-stop shop, unlike any other store of its kind. Tuskys tends to lack some commodities unless it’s one of the bigger stores.
Customer service
Tuskys has great attendants but terrible cashiers sometimes. More often, you will find a number of cashiers taking a break with no one standing in for them. What results is customers congregating on two lines yet there are several cashier places empty. For Nakummat, it’s vice versa. There is never a problem with cashiers but getting someone to assist you can difficult at times.
Conclusion
It’s thus clear that both supermarkets are doing well financially. It’s like two students in position one and two who both have a grade A. Nakumatt takes position one due to greater numbers but Tuskys follows closely. A choice between the two largely depends on prestige, pocket depth and consumer preference. if you love going to malls and exotic places, you will mostly be forced to shop at the prestigious Nakumatt stores but if you hang around town, Tuskys will be your best bet to pop in quickly and do your shopping.
