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RETAIL STRATEGY

Zimbabwe’s Bon Marché spreads its premium-brand wings outside Harare

By our News Team | 2023

Bon Marché has typically confined itself to the affluent suburbs of Zimbabwe’s capital. Now it has opened in Marondera in Mashonaland East,

Retail chain OK Zimbabwe has opened its first Bon Marché store outside the city of Harare. The premium shopping brand has eight stores in the capital and its new outlet is now operating in Marondera, about 70km south-east of the capital.

 

The opening celebrations included supplier promotions, free toll-gate passes, product sampling, and vouchers to spend within the store.

Retail Strategy

Photo credit: Bon Marché via Facebook

OK Zimbabwe says it designed the new-look store using the latest thinking in retail architecture. This emphasises natural light, sustainability and quality finishing.

 

“We began with the shopper in mind and built our store around international trends that make shopping more pleasurable and enjoyable,” explains Juliet Ziswa, Group Marketing Director for OK Zimbabwe.

 

“The store, for example, has very wide aisles to accommodate family shopping missions. It optimises the use of a lot of light throughout the store to accentuate the freshness of our fruit and vegetable range, and we have built sustainability into the design by using glass door coolers throughout the shop for better energy efficiency.”

 

Clear intention to diversify

 

According to Pindula News, the expansion of Bon Marché into non-traditional geographies “signals a deliberate and clear intention by the group to diversify its income from the core middle market, cornered by its eponymous OK Stores”.

 

Bon Marché outlets are typically located in Harare’s more upmarket northern suburbs. Marondera is an affluent city of around 57,000 people and is situated on the Beira-Bulawayo railway line. It is known for some of the country’s best private schools and has wineries.

 

There is tough competition in the local grocery retail sector from the likes of Spar, Pick n Pay, N Richards and OK Stores.

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Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.

Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.

Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.

  • Other current and previous roles played by Dr Kin Kariisa:
  • Lecturer of e-Government and Information Security to graduate students at Makerere University, Kampala and Radbond University in the Netherlands
  • Director of Eco Bank Uganda Limited, one of the largest banks in Africa
  • Chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters, an umbrella industry association for all Television, Radio and online broadcasters in Uganda.
  • Chairman of Board of Directors of Nile Hotel International, that owns the leading hotel in Uganda, Kampala Serena Hotel.
  • Chairman of Board of Directors of Soliton Telmec Uganda, the leading telecom company in Optic fibre business managing over 80% of optic fibre in Uganda.