Chandarana Supermarket: Meet Owners Of Kenyan Retail Chain

• Chandarana Supermarket is one of the Kenyan retailers competing with Naivas, Magunas, Quickmart, Khetia's and Eastmatt
• The retailer, which was founded by the late businessman Shantilal Mulji Thakkar, entered the supermarket business in 1959 and is run by the Dukawallah family
• It has over 25 branches in major Kenyan towns, including Nairobi, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nakuru, Naivasha, Nanyuki and Nyali

TUKO.co.ke journalist Japhet Ruto brings over eight years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting, offering deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.

Kenya is regarded as East Africa's economic hub, and wealthy individuals and families have invested in supermarket chains.

As retailers like Nakumatt and Uchumi went under, others have stood the test of time amid stiff competition.

Chandarana Supermarket is one of the retailers competing with Naivas, Quickmart, Khetia's and Eastmatt.

Who owns Chandarana Supermarket?

According to its website, the retailer entered the supermarket business in 1959 and is run by the Dukawallah family.

It has over 25 branches in major Kenyan towns, including Nairobi, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nakuru, Naivasha, Nanyuki, Nyali, Changamwe and Diani.

"We are an independent chain of supermarkets which is Kenyan owned, located in Nairobi, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nanyuki and Mombasa," the retailer stated.

The late businessman Shantilal Mulji Thakkar established the supermarket from a small shop in Highridge, Parklands, Nairobi.

His sons Anil Thakkar, Sanjay Thakkar and Dipan Thakkara are now managing the enterprise.

Who owns Khetia's Supermarket?

Earlier, TUKO.co.ke reported that Khetia's Supermarket, under the management of Ashok Khetia, started as a small wholesale shop in May 1982 in Kitale, Trans-Nzoia county.

Khetia's small shop was based in Laini Moja and started with two employees who hawked goods to Trans-Nzoia residents using a pickup vehicle.

As business boomed, the retailer acquired property across major Western and Rift Valley towns, including Kabarnet Mineral Water Company.

Who owns Quickmart?

Quickmart is a family-owned retailer that has been operating for over 15 years.

It boasts 60 stores countrywide and employs over 6,000 Kenyans.

The retailer was established in Nakuru city in 2006 by the late businessman John Kinuthia.

John died in 2016, leaving the supermarket's management to his family. By 2017, its gross annual sales exceeded KSh 1 billion.

In 2019, the retailer merged with Tumaini Self Service Limited to form the Quickmart brand.

Adenia Partners became the new majority shareholder of the entity under its local subsidiary, Sokoni Retail Kenya.

Proofreading by Asher Omondi, current affairs journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.