CAPITALISING ON RAPIDLY EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES
SIMBISA BRANDS KENYA
2 | Africa Outlook issue 76
RETAIL
Quintessential
QSR
Simbisa Brands’ Kenyan operation is an embodiment of the entire group, providing quality food retail for the benefit of customers, employees and shareholders alike Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Josh Hyland
Africa Outlook issue 76 | 3
SIMBISA BRANDS KENYA
Jacobs Joinery and Shopfitters Jacobs Joinery and Shopfitters specialises in the design, manufacture and installation of bespoke shopfitting for a wide range of clients and international brands. With over 25 year’s industry experience, we have a highly successful track record of professional, world class service. We are proud to have partnered with Simbisa Brands Kenya on no fewer than four brands and 24 food outlets in three countries. This includes Chicken Inn, Pizza Inn, Galitos and the Grill Shack. We wish Simbisa Brands much success as they continue to expand. We will continue to work with them on developing further into the African market.
T
here’s much in store for SubSaharan Africa’s retail scene. A region characterised by quick development and unrivalled economic growth, the sub-continent’s consumer sector has witnessed surging investor interest in recent years, a trend that has dictated the economic diversification of many countries away from primary industries and towards the demands of a growing consumer class.
A SIMBISA BRANDS BREAKDOWN VISION: To create value
for customers, people and shareholders through its brands
MISSION: To empower people to always deliver best in class restaurant experiences to valued customers
NUMBER OF PEOPLE
EMPLOYED AT SIMBISA: 5,100
CUSTOMERS SERVED
ANNUALLY: 52.5 million 4 | Africa Outlook issue 76
Such a shift is owed to a number of factors. According to the World Bank, for example, Africa is well on the way to becoming the home of nearly 226 million people between the ages of 15 and 24 years old by 2050, a demographic that is expected to drive consumerism for years to come. Meanwhile, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) predicts that the continent’s urban population will increase to 56 percent in 2050, up from the 35 percent recorded in 2010, simultaneously making it the most rapidly urbanising region in the world. Against this backdrop, quick service retail (QSR) businesses are thriving, successfully capitalising on the abundant array of opportunities available. Simbisa Brands Kenya Limited stands as one such enterprise. “Simbisa means to strength and to empower,” the company states on its website. “It is a Shona word... The name represents what the business and its people stand for; the endeavour to create and sustain a strong and empowered brand that is recognised across all regions.”
www.jacobsshopfitters.com
Intraspeed Arcpro (k) Ltd INTRASPEED ARCPRO (K) Ltd is a dynamic entrepreneurial logistics service provider with a vision to provide end to end world class Supply Chain Solutions. Intraspeed has its operations located at East African busiest airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and largest sea port city, Mombasa. At Intraspeed we provide Clearing & Forwarding services based on multimodal import and export logistics model in air, sea and road movements. Intraspeed is your freight-focused Third Party Logistics partner of choice. We offer 3PL functions from transportation, warehousing, distribution and growth.
Beyond Logistics T +254206822950/1/2 E info@intraspeedarcpro.com www.intraspeedarcpro.com
RETAIL
Jacobs Joinery and Shopfitters specialises in the design, manufacture and installation of bespoke Shopfitting for a wide range of clients and international brands. With over 25 years’ industry experience, we have a highly successful track record of professional, world class service. Offering quality workmanship, technical expertise, and a wealth of experience in Africa, Jacobs Joinery and Shopfitters has established itself as an industry leader. We are proud to have partnered with Simbisa on no fewer than four brands and 24 food outlets in three countries. SOME OF OUR INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS
CONTACT US TODAY FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL TURNKEY SOLUTION. JOHANNESBURG: +27 11 791 3671| PIETERMARITZBURG: +27 33 386 8244
www.jacobsshopfitters.com
CONTRACT LOGISTICS
FREIGHT MANAGEMENT Africa Outlook issue 76 | 5
SIMBISA BRANDS KENYA
Two Rivers Two Rivers is probably the most visited destination in East Africa, having welcomed over 15 million visitors since its opening in 2017. The mall is home to 139 stores, 18 eateries and the largest hypermarket in the region. It hosts a rich mix of global and local brands, indoor entertainment, outdoor arena, a theme park and the largest ferris wheel in the region; delivering an unparalleled shopping and entertainment experience. Set the pace with us today as a tenant or shopper. Discover more on www.tworiversmall.com or customerservice@tworivers.co.ke.
www.tworiversmall.com
MAINTAINING QUALITY A group portfolio comprising a multitude of major food retail brands, including Pizza Inn, Chicken Inn, Galito’s, The Grill Shack, Bakers Inn, Kids Zone, Visa E Caffe and Creamy Inn, Simbisa’s pan-African footprint spans 459 QSR restaurants across nine countries at present. Having been operational since 1987 and for more than a decade in Kenya, the company’s ever-growing portfolio has come to embody its overriding vision and mission: to create value for its customers, people and shareholders, and empower its employees to always deliver best in class restaurant experiences. Chicken Inn, the firm’s oldest QSR brand, is one that provides the evidence, having established an unrivalled reputation in the market as a result of its warm, inviting culture specifically designed to appeal to all age groups. “Chicken Inn is famous for its fried 6 | Africa Outlook issue 76
chicken,” the company adds. “We are renowned for serving tasty fried chicken pieces and a wide range of other menu items including hand-cut chips made fresh daily, chicken burgers, slow roasted rotisserie chicken, beef burgers, spicy wings, chicken bites and other meals.” Likewise, Creamy Inn has developed a similarly enviable niche, catering to those with a sweet tooth. “Creamy Inn is renowned for its delicious, creamy ice cream that is available in a delectable selection of cones, cups, sundaes, milkshakes and waffles,” Simbisa reveals. “The brand is loved by young and old alike and is the perfect reward while shopping as well as a destination for the whole family.” Each brand harbours its own distinct niche, allowing the Simbisa group to readily capitalise on the different tastes, preferences and demands of a broad range of consumers in what is a fast-moving QSR environment.
RETAIL
The Packaging People
As one of the leading print and packaging companies in East Africa, Pressmaster Africa mainly specialises in printing on paper and paper board related packaging. We offer the best value in all aspects of print and packaging, through our revolutionary, innovative ideas and investment in the latest technology in printing, die-cutting, die-making, and graphics.
www.pressmaster.co.ke
Our products & services:
Earthly & Wholesome. Gaea Foods is, Because Simbisa Brands is! Our story has been a story of Ubuntu. A tale of how a business came to the country and provided opportunities for growth of the local ecosystem through buying local and sourcing local. Since 1998, Gaea Foods has been in the potato space, providing solutions tailor made for the various quick service restaurants like Simbisa Brand’s Galitos, Chicken Inn and Bakers’ inn, as well as schools, institutions and local hotels. Our products are fresh cut potato strips for chips/French fries, as well as cubed potatoes, sliced potatoes and whole peeled potatoes.
enquiry@pressmaster.co.ke +254 780 232 302
• Cardboard & Corrugated Boxes • Printed boxes • Pizza and fish boxes • Boutique Bags • Cake Bases and Cases • Paper Cups & Plates • Tissue wrappers • Paper Cores • Die making and cutting • Lamination, foiling and embossing
Working closely with Simbisa Brands has seen Gaea Foods expand her capacity to meet the ever increasing demand for fresh cut,quality potatoes. This expansion has also seen us increase and formalise the relationship we have with farmers who supply the potatoes in addition to the potatoes that come from our farms. Together, We go far. Simbisa’s presence in Kenya has worked positively to grow the local potato value chain, while strengthening the ecosystem by providing opportunity for innovations within businesses, supporting livelihoods of local farmers and building strong local urban dining experience for the customers, who are always assured of fresh local potatoes from Simbisa counters! We are happy to be associated with Simbisa Brands! P.O. BOX 22517 00400 Nairobi, Kenya +254 716 654674 www.gaeafoods.com
Africa Outlook issue 76 | 7
SIMBISA BRANDS KENYA INTRODUCTION
THREE DECADES IN THE MAKING Simbisa Brands opened its inaugural Chicken Inn outlet in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1987. Following this, the business continued to expand, both launching new brands and franchising existing brands to extend its footprint across Africa. In 1998, the organisation’s parent company, Innscor, then listed on the Zimbabwean Stock Exchange (ZSE), leveraging Simbisa to spread its footprint as a diverse pan-African operation, opening QSR outlets in Zambia, Kenya and Ghana in the process. Since then, the organisation has grown to operate franchise outlets across both the four aforementioned countries and DRC, Malawi, Namibia, Mauritius and Swaziland, largely based in built up urban areas such as central business districts, malls, and other populated areas. In 2015, Simbisa was then unbundled and listed as a separate entity on the ZSE, with all of Innscor’s brands including Chicken Inn thereafter becoming owned and operated directly by Simbisa Brands.
Sheffield Africa Sheffield Africa has a great relationship with Simbisa Brands having supplied commercial kitchen, cold room and extraction systems to most of their over 120 quick service restaurants such as Pizza Inn, Chicken Inn, Bakers Inn, Creamy Inn, Galito’s, The Grill Shack, among others in Kenya as they continue expanding in the region. Sheffield’s understanding of Simbisa Brand’s and quick service restaurants operational needs and requirements to enhance the full efficiency of their kitchen production is essential in the design and layout of any QSR. Having grown with the restaurant chain by treating each branch as a unique set up, QSRs are a Sheffield signature market with their great understanding and expertise in providing functional kitchen solutions for ever expanding chains to meet the demands of the growing trends of the eat out scene and culture. These solutions range from active preparation and cooking kitchen equipment to refrigeration and cold room storage facilities, servery, dessert and beverage production. Sheffield is now venturing into innovative solutions in the food retail industry to serve the QSR market in East Africa such as design build outlets and mobile and containerised facilities favoured by urbanisation, fast paced lifestyles and a rising ‘food on demand’ culture.
At the same time, however, each brand works concurrently to uphold Simbisa’s four key beliefs. The first of these is focused on people, the firm aiming to connect and employ those who embody integrity and accountability. “People who can be relied upon, people with the resilience to face a highly competitive markets and who are passionate about the Simbisa brands vision,” the company affirms. Coupling this, the firm also pays particular attention to performance by operating in an efficient and effective 8 | Africa Outlook issue 76
manner, owed to its overriding motivation of remaining a profitable business. The third belief is then centred around adaptation, a value that the firm uses to incite learning and organic growth, while quality and service, driven by an emphasis on cutting-edge industry standards and innovation, is the fourth. Meanwhile, the company’s corporate social responsibility efforts round off these five core values.
FROM QSR TO CSR The latter of these has been deployed across Zimbabwe, Mauritius and
To showcase these industry leading ideas, Sheffield has invested in prefabricated samples of food service business concepts at its main office located off Old Mombasa Road in Syokimau. The concepts range from express outlets, prefabricated and modified containerised and mobile restaurants, food trucks, grill trailers, beer trailers, coffee mall kiosks, ice cream carts, pasta carts, containerised laundromats and many more. Driven by the quality and customer satisfaction, these facilities can stand the test of time guaranteed by the aftersales service provided by Sheffield Africa.
www.sheffieldafrica.com
RETAIL
TURNKEY SOLUTION PROVIDER FOR COMMERCIAL KITCHEN, LAUNDRY & RETAIL FIT-OUTS Sheffield is your trusted partner from CONCEPT to DESIGN, FABRICATION, SUPPLY, INSTALLATION and AFTERSALES SERVICE across Africa. QUALITY I INNOVATION I EXCELLENCE I CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SHEFFIELD STEEL SYSTEMS LIMITED Off Old Mombasa Road, Opposite Hilton Garden Inn, Before Standard Gauge Railway {SGR} Nairobi, Kenya.
www.sheffieldafrica.com
Namibia, with Kenya, Simbisa’s second largest market, also attracting large portions of social investment form the business. Here, a multitude of initiatives have come to fruition, including a partnership with Abha Light Foundation between November 2017 and March 2018. A non-profit, non-governmental organisation, Abha Light Foundation readily provides affordable healthcare services and free children’s clinics throughout Kenya, operating in an accessible and affordable manner. During the collaboration, Simbisa worked directly with the organisation to empower communities, help vulnerable people overcome challenges and encourage self-reliance. “Our aim is to make a positive change to the lives of the people,” Simbisa adds. This is not all, however. Equally, the QSR specialist previously played an active role in supporting Mater Hospital’s annual Mater Heart Run, donating
500,000 Kenyan shillings ($4,800) which allowed the hospital to sell t-shirts to raise funds and awareness for the event that supports children with heart diseases. Further, the company has visited both Alpha Children’s Home in Kahawa Sukari, Nairobi and Good Sheperd’s Children’s Home, feeding and entertaining the children on each of these excursions while donating items such as clothing, hygiene products and household products. “Simbisa is duty-bound to establish a socially responsible approach that is environmentally conscious and committed to making a positive im-
pact on the community,” the company reiterates, having also sponsored the Kabeberi 7s Rugby Tournament. CSR or otherwise, the future looks bright on all fronts for Simbisa moving forward. The company recently announced a new partnership with food delivery service company Glovo, a move that will facilitate an increase in its consumer base by offering a new, improved delivery last mile option on its food and beverage brands. This is just one way in which the company is hoping to capitalise on the expansive potential of the QSR market across Sub-Saharan Africa during the coming years, however, the company also planning to further broaden its horizons across the continent. Simbisa states, outlining these ambitions: “Expansion into the region is critical to spread the risks over different markets and to achieve our goal of spreading our footprint into Africa as a diversified pan-African operation.” Africa Outlook issue 76 | 9
PRODUCED BY AFRICA OUTLOOK MAGAZINE