Japanese organisation partners with Nakumatt in one month shopping experience

Japanese ambassador to Kenya Mr. Tatsushi Terada (left) displays one of the Japanese products on offer when he launched the month long Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Antenna Shop at Nakumatt Mega, Nairobi. He is with Mr. Neel Shah, Nakumatt Holdings Business Development Manager (center) and Mr. Atsuhiko Naoe, JETRO Managing Director.

 

The Japan external trade organization (JETRO) has for the second time organised a one month shopping experience of Japanese daily products in Kenya. 

The Japan ambassador to Kenya Mr. Tatsushi Terada launched the initiative dubbed Antenna Shop Japan 2016 in partnership with Nakumatt Holdings and local consumer products distributor Debnham and Fear Kenya Ltd d at the Nakumatt Mega Supermarket. 

Mr. Terada describes the initiative as a strategic effort to promote retail trade partnerships between Kenya and Japan. 

JETRO staged the first Antenna Shop Japan in 2014 and the successful experiential sales, according to the Managing Director Mr. Atsuhiko Naoe, motivated some Japanese companies to develop new products to suit the local market needs. 

The Antenna Shops have been established at Nakumatt’s Mega, Junction and Village Market Branches and feature a range of consumer products including office, home and beauty products. 

Mr. Terada said Japanese company’s interest towards the growing Kenya’s consumer market is increasing, citing the recent entry into the Kenyan market of fast food outlet Teriyaki Japan serving “Chicken Teriyaki Rice/Noodles”.  

The ambassador said that there are currently around 40 Japanese companies operating in Kenya mostly concentrated around motor cycles, cosmetics and food products. 

Japan’s exports to Kenya in 2014 reached 955 million US Dollars, 4.9 percent increase from previous year and Japan’s import from Kenya reached 60 million US Dollars, with a 29.9 percent increase. Major exports to Kenya is automobile which accounts for 66.8 percent of the export value, where major imported items are cut flowers (23.2 percent), spices, coffee and tea (20 percent). Now Kenya is the largest exporting country of roses to Japan, amounting to more than 40 percent of the total importation value. 

Mr. Naoe said that it is essential for companies to have local partner to enter the targeted market. Prior to this test marketing, JETRO in cooperation with Debenham and Fear Limited and Radbone Clark held a business matching event last September in Japan where Kenyan importers and Japanese manufacturing companies agreed on which product to be showcased at the Antenna Shop. 

The MD said that during the one month trial sale, JETRO will conduct an on-site interview with customers and will provide feedback to the Japanese companies along with the sales record, for Japanese companies to further understand the market needs.

He said the experience was aimed at promoting Japanese daily products to everyday shopping in Kenya and said JETRO hoped the event would raise interest in new products from Japan among Kenyan consumers. 

Nakumatt Holdings’ Business Development Manager Mr. Need Shah welcomed the participation of Japanese manufacturers’ retail products in Kenya through Nakumatt and outlines the retailer’s commitment towards facilitating global trade trade in East Africa by forging partnerships with partners like JETRO.

JETRO is a Japanese government-related organization that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world. Originally established in 1958, JETRO has 73 offices in 54 countries including offices in Nairobi, Kenya.

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