Quickmart Opens Fourth Nakuru Outlet, Bets On 24-Hour Economy

By Elijah Cherutich

Quickmart has expanded its Nakuru footprint to four outlets after opening new branches in Section 58 and along Kenyatta Avenue, strengthening its presence in the city where the supermarket chain was founded and raising expectations of more jobs, longer trading hours and stronger local supply chains.

The twin launch pushed Quickmart’s national store network to 70 outlets, with the new Nakuru branches joining its Shabab and Statehouse Avenue stores. The company says the Nakuru outlets will operate on a 24-hour model, positioning the city for extended retail activity beyond normal business hours.

Quickmart was founded in Nakuru in 2006 by the late businessman John Kinuthia before expanding into Nairobi and other counties. The retailer opened its first Nairobi branch in Ruai in 2010, after starting out in Nakuru.

Speaking during the opening at Section 58, Quickmart Chief Executive Officer Peter Kang’iri said the retailer’s return to its home market with fresh investment marked an important milestone in its national growth strategy.

“We have become the first retailer in Nakuru County to run a 24-hour economy. We currently have about 8,000 employees across the country and we are contributing heavily to national development,” Kang’iri said.

The expansion is expected to stimulate Nakuru’s local economy through direct employment, transport services, security contracts, cleaning services, warehousing, fresh produce supply and increased business for local vendors who feed into the formal retail chain.

Nakuru’s growth as a commercial hub gives the retailer a strong base for expansion. A city development review shows Nakuru’s population rose from 570,674 in 2019 to 686,630 in 2022 and is projected to surpass one million by 2030. The report identifies wholesale and retail trade as the city’s dominant income source, followed by transport.

Quickmart Chief Marketing Officer Betty Wamaitha said the opening of the 70th outlet was significant as the chain marks 20 years since it began operations in Nakuru.

“We have seen the potential in Nakuru. It is a growing city and, as the hometown of Quickmart, we want to take full advantage of the opportunities,” Wamaitha said.

The chain’s rapid growth was accelerated after Adenia Partners invested in Quickmart and supported its merger with Tumaini Self Service in 2019.

The Nakuru openings also come at a time when formal retailers are pushing deeper into counties as urbanisation, devolution and changing consumer habits create new growth centres outside Nairobi. Retail sector players have previously argued that formal retail still has room to grow, especially in counties where rising populations are supporting demand for convenience shopping.

Beyond Kenya, Quickmart has also been linked to wider regional ambitions. Africa Intelligence reported in February 2026 that the retailer, backed by majority shareholder Adenia Partners, was eyeing new markets in East Africa as part of a broader expansion plan.

For Nakuru, the four-outlet footprint signals more than supermarket competition. It points to rising investor confidence in the city’s consumer market, growing demand for organised retail and the gradual emergence of night-time commerce supported by transport, security and service-sector jobs.

Thousands of shoppers streamed into the new outlets shortly after the launch, taking advantage of opening offers and signalling strong consumer interest in the retailer’s expanded presence in its founding city.