After suffering service interruptions yesterday and last week, Naivas has resumed operations at all of its branches.

PHOTO | COURTESY Nivas Supermarketresumes services

Services were affected since transactions could not occur due to a system glitch.

To protect their identity, a worker at the retailer's Kenyatta Avenue location confirmed that the outage did indeed occur yesterday as well.

During the disruption, some branches were temporarily closed while.

However, a spot check on Thursday revealed that business at the store was as usual, with customers making purchases.

In 1990, a modest chain called Naivas started. Since then, it has expanded to become one of the biggest shops in the nation.

As of June of last year, it has 8,000 employees and over 84 outlets nationwide.

It recorded sales of Sh65.1 billion with a profit of Sh2 billion for the fiscal year that ended in June 2021.

Before Christmas in December 2022, it added three new branches, bringing its nationwide stores to 91.

PHOTO | COURTESY Naivas resumes it's services

They are Naivas Nairobi West, Naivas Express Uthiru, and Naivas Foodmarket Ojijo in Parklands.

They also have other branches across the country and in major towns and cities nationwide.

Through the investment vehicle Naivas International, the Mukuha family and the institutional investors own Naivas Ltd, the operating company. The long-term possibilities of the retail chain excite new investors.

According to recent revelations, the family partnered with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), German fund DEG, private equity firms Amethis and MCB Equity Fund, and the country's largest supermarket to sell a 40% stake for a record-breaking $151.97 million (Sh18.25 billion).

The transaction's finer points were a secret during the announcement in June.

The buying consortium leader was the Mauritius-based conglomerate IBL Group, which has since disclosed the details of the recently concluded transaction, including that the founding family also sold an 8.5 per cent stake.

Based on the $100 million (Sh12 billion) IBL announced as the price it paid for obtaining a 26.32 per cent ownership in the grocery chain, the 8.5 per cent interest is worth $32.29 million (Sh3.8 billion).