SUPPLY CHAIN

Unilever opens its new high-tech East Africa warehouse in Nairobi

By our News Team | 2023

Equipped with the latest developments in automated storage and retrieval systems, it will handle high-mix, health and beauty products.

FMCG giant Unilever East Africa has opened a new 23,000 square metre warehouse in Nairobi. The facility cost US$3.6-m to build and has automated storage and retrieval systems that allow the company to process and ship its orders more efficiently.

According to Unilever, the warehouse is designed to flexibly handle high-mix, health, and beauty products across the region.

Photo credit: Blunt Architects

It is equipped with the latest developments in automated storage and retrieval systems and has a greater pallet capacity to enable the company to store, process and ship its products in a more efficient manner.

Increasing demand but limited warehousing capacity

Luck Ochieng, MD of Unilever Kenya, said that, with the new facility, the company aimed to close the gap between higher demand and shortage of supply. He noted that there has been increasing demand for Unilever’s products in recent times, but limited warehousing capacity to support this.

“At Unilever, we continue to invest and strengthen our commitment to Kenya with the expansion of our facilities in the country. We strongly believe in the potential of this country and our consumers, and we are fully committed to playing a role in their respective growth stories,” added Unilever’s Head of Supply Chain in Africa, Christian Byron.

He noted that 70% of raw and packaging materials used by Unilever for production in Africa was made in Africa, which had a positive impact on the affordability of the company’s products.

Unilever East Africa is present in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. It has five factories in the region, which it says manufactures 81% of FMCG products sold in East Africa.

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