Uchumi Supermarket has reopened two outlets in Nairobi, marking its return to Kenya’s retail market after years of restructuring. The retailer relaunched branches at Unicity Mall along Thika Road near Kenyatta University and at Lang’ata Hyper off Lang’ata Road.
The Unicity Mall store, opened in late 2024, now offers essential goods and bakery services. The Lang’ata Hyper site operates as a mixed‑use retail and commercial space, hosting Uchumi alongside other tenants.
In a social media post, Uchumi said the reopening reflects a renewed connection with customers: “Uchumi is back — not just as a store, but as a story reborn… Welcome back to the supermarket you never stopped loving.”
Financial Performance
Uchumi reported its first operating profit in more than a decade for the year ended June 2025. The retailer posted an operating profit of KSh 8.8 million, reversing a KSh 49.7 million loss the previous year. Gross profit rose to KSh 27.7 million, while other income increased to KSh 62.7 million, driven mainly by rental income from tenants such as China Square at Lang’ata Hyper.
Sales climbed 88% to KSh 123.0 million, extending a two‑year recovery from the 2023 low of KSh 36.1 million.
Share Price Rally
Uchumi’s turnaround has been reflected in its share price. The stock closed at KES 1.21 on Friday, January 16, 2026, down 2.4% from the previous day’s close of KES 1.24. Despite the dip, Uchumi has gained 28.7% year‑to‑date, ranking first on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) in performance.
The rally began in late 2025, when Uchumi shares surged 200% in November, making it the best‑performing counter at the NSE. By December 2, 2025, the stock had risen 40.5% in one week, 208% in four weeks, 283% in three months, 344% in six months, 484% in one year, and 617% year‑to‑date.
Trading activity has also been strong. Between October 14, 2025 and January 16, 2026, Uchumi ranked as the eighth most traded stock on the NSE. Investors exchanged 42.1 million shares in 11,338 deals, valued at KES 46.4 million. Average daily volume stood at 668,025 shares, with a high of 4.39 million shares on December 9 and a low of 51,547 shares on October 16.
Analysts caution that Uchumi has lost 7% of its value in the past four weeks, highlighting volatility even as the broader rally continues.
Restructuring Progress
Uchumi continues to operate under a court‑supervised Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA). The retailer has settled KSh 232.5 million of the KSh 245.9 million planned under the current phase, covering monitor fees, legal obligations, pension arrears, and repayments to long‑term lenders. Payments to staff salary arrears and trade creditors remain ongoing.
Operating costs shifted unevenly: administration expenses fell to KSh 20.5 million, legal fees declined to KSh 6.6 million, while staff costs rose to KSh 37.6 million and general expenses to KSh 13.5 million.
Outlook
The rebound follows eight years of heavy losses that peaked at KSh 2.2 billion in 2015. Reduced scale, lower overheads, and stronger rental income have stabilised operations. Uchumi faces ongoing property disputes linked to its restructuring plan, and while profit has returned, the supermarket business remains smaller than during its 2011–2014 peak.
