Last year, French retail chain Carrefour opened its doors at an upmarket shopping mall in Karen, Nairobi. Yet Africa's biggest retailer, Shoprite Holdings, has not yet made a foray into the country, raising questions about the failure of South African retailers to make significant inroads in the region. Although Shoprite has become a dominant player in some major African markets - reporting some impressive numbers in the face of low commodity prices and forex shortages in certain countries - the East African market has proved a minefield for the retailer. Celeste Fauconnier, an Africa analyst at Rand Merchant Bank, said on Thursday intense competition was central among the reasons South African retailers had not thrived in Kenya. "You've already got your Nakumatt, Uchumi, Tuskys in Kenya and Botswana-based Choppies thinking of going in. It has more to do with the competition than anything else." Fauconnier said foreign retailers needed to thoroughly assess the competition and be wil...
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