South African store open doors in Kenya

South African construction material retailer, Builders, is set to open doors in Kenya later this month.

The store, located at Nairobi’s Karen Waterfront Mall, will be the company’s ninth outside South Africa with the others in Botswana, Mozambique and Zambia.

It will be the first in the East African region and will seek to tap into the market with its wide range of high-quality do-it-yourself (DIY), home improvement and building materials products. 

“Builders is an established brand providing solutions for whatever you want or need to live better. Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast, a homeowner, a small business or large contractor, Kenyans will soon experience the power to get it done,” said the firm in a statement announcing the new store.

Other than the normal showroom for selling of products, the Karen store will also have a garden centre, which will act as a building demo for outside construction.

Last year, Builders’ parent company Mass Mart announced its expansion plans targeting East Africa and Zambia markets.

“Kenya and Zambia have quite strong tourism industries and little bit of local industries, so the economic play is a bit more robust,” said Group Chief Executive Guy Hayward.

The company said it has invested Sh500 million in the Karen store.