KENYA – Artcaffe Group, owned by US private equity firm Emerging Capital Partners (ECP), has opened it second gourmet food store in Westlands, Nairobi-Kenya.

The store, spread across 8000 sq ft, features a curated selection of artisanal food products that are responsibly and reliably sourced and showcase a selection of pre-prepared meals.

Offering a one stop shop, the outlet has a specialty butchery, pantry, fresh produce section, along with homeware and fresh flowers to complete the retail experience.

Further enhancing the experience, Artcaffé Market Rhapta Square also has a cellar of unique wines and spirits offering a delectable range from the well-priced to the finest, sourced from around the world. The Icing on the cake is the full-service Artcaffé restaurant and rooftop bar.

Opening of the one-stop shop comes months after the famous restaurant group cut ribbon to its first gourmet food store in 2021 in Kileleshwa, Nairobi, supported by an extremely successful online market delivery platform, launched in 2020.

Also, this month has seen the opening of the largest Artcaffé Coffee & Bakery on the first floor of Britam Tower, Upper Hill, and two new outlets on at Shell Petrol Stations on the Northern and Eastern Bypass.

Sagi Vaknin, CEO of the Artcaffé Group said, “As a Group, we believe in shaping local dining culture. As consumers, we have become much more cosmopolitan, and are increasingly in search of sophisticated experiences that we can recreate at home – experiences like those as cherished in our Artcaffé Coffee & Bakery restaurants.

“We recognize that a physical outlet offers customers the opportunity for interaction and discovery, and a place filled with joy and value.  It is with this ethos that our signature 8000sq ft store has been created.”

Artcaffé opened its first restaurant in 2008 and currently boasts of having over 50 outlets spread across Nairobi.

The Group also operates a sophisticated central bakery, kitchen, and logistics center that prepares and distributes artisanal baked goods, food, and drink shipments to its restaurants daily.

The central kitchen is key to the company’s business model, enabling consistent delivery of fresh and high-quality products.

The group’s family of 1,300 dedicated and passionate staff is expected to grow at a rate of around 40 new hires per new store opening.

Future growth plans for The Artcaffé Market include prime new locations on Kiambu Road and Gigiri.

Food service businesses have been on the rise in Kenya, propelled by the expanding middle class with higher disposable incomes to spend on luxury items.

According to Jumia Food’s 2019 index report, growth in Kenya’s Food and Accommodation Services was set at 10.6%, outpacing the real GDP growth of 5.6%.

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