french-sports-retailer
From left: Franck Pilet, Expansion Manager Decathlon, Phillipe Cauviere CEO, The Hub Mall Karen, Valery Guers, Decathlon Nairobi Project leader and Margaret Mbaka, MD Janus Continental Group exchange documents at the lease signing of the Decathlon store at the Hub Karen Mall.

Nairobi, December 15th, 2017 – A leading global sports retail firm has announced plans to enter the Kenyan market in coming months as part of its continental expansion plans.

Coming hot on the heels of recent store openings in Ghana and South Africa earlier this year, Decathlon, a dedicated sports equipment retailer and manufacturer with a French heritage and featuring 1267 stores in 35 countries globally, has confirmed that plans are underway to establish its first East Africa store at The Hub Karen next year.

The entry of Decathlon in the local market will serve to further enhance Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows in the local formal retail market by French companies.

Established in 1976, in France, Decathlon currently operates in more than 35 countries globally with turnovers in excess of 10 billion euro. Last year, with more than 300 stores in its home market of France, Decathlon generated turnovers in excess of Euro 3.3 billion with its international business generating more than Euro 6.7 billion from its operations in Brazil, Mexico, China, Russia, India and Europe among other regions.

According to Decathlon Nairobi Project Leader, Valéry Guers, the firm has completed lease negotiations with The Hub Karen management and is now set to embark on the 1500 square metres (16150 sqft) store fit out. Once concluded, Decathlon, popularly known in the local scene for its Kalenji brand, said will be setting out to develop a Sports Goods Mega Store appropriately stocked with a choice of 36,000 store keeping units (SKUs) and equipment covering over 70 sports.

The Decathlon Nairobi Store, Guers said, has been conceptualised as a family destination thus the reason to open at The Hub Karen. Globally recognised for its innovative products and value for money products, the Decathlon Nairobi store will showcase its groundbreaking designs such as Kalenji (running gear), Kipsta (football), Quechua (hiking and camping), Domyos (fitness), Artengo (tennis) and Inesis (golf), among others.

“With the support of the team at The Hub Karen, we are finalizing on our market entry plans for Kenya which remains a key part of our Africa expansion plans,” Guers said, adding that, “Kenya presents a unique market opportunity for us at Decathlon given its global renowned athletic prowess and general formal retail advancements. This fits in very well with our corporate mission to innovate and to remain the main playing partner of all sportsmen.”

In store, Decathlon will ensure that our products are available to test and try, so people can get a feel for the product before making the decision to purchase them or not.

To provide a complete sporting experience to customers’, the store will have multiple zones starting from Sports Experience, Play to Discovery. The multiple-zone concept is based on learning, experiencing and discovering all forms of sports under one roof.

“The vision is to make sports available to every individual by creating an environment that makes sport easily accessible to many,” said Guers

While confirming the ongoing engagements, The Hub Karen, Chief Executive Officer, Philippe Cauviere said the Lifestyle shopping complex will provide over 1500 square metres (16150 sqft) shop floor space and access to the common use 540 square metres (5810 sqft) of playground/experiential area at the shopping complex.

The entry of Decathlon in the local market and at The Hub Karen, Cauviere said will further serve to deepen Kenya’s formal retail market as international retailers continue to explore local opportunities. At The Hub Karen, leading lifestyle brands including Turkish clothing firm LC Waikiki and South Africa’s Woolworths have recently set up shop joining a prestigious list of retailers including French retailer Carrefour.

“At The Hub Karen, we are proud to be associated with Decathlon as part of our commitment to provide a unique lifestyle shopping destination for the discerning market,” Cauviere said.

Besides the sales of leading sports brand names, Decathlon is also a key private brands developer and currently markets more than 20 Decathlon Brands, each dedicated to a specific sport.

Based on an integrated model, Decathlon controls all the stages of its products life: from research and development to sales through design, production, and logistics. Present in France and abroad Decathlon Teams globally have been working with a constant ambition: to innovate in all areas to remain the main playing partner of all sportsmen.

In Kenya, with a more than 35,000 square meters (376,740 sqft) gross lettable area featuring retail outlets, offices, and a purpose built leisure centre, The Hub Karen, opened in February 2016.

The Lifestyle destination mall features more than 1,300 eatery seats and 85 shopping stores hosting local and international retailers. Some of the brands in the mall include French retail giant Carrefour, Furniture Palace, Funscapes, F&F Fashion, Bossini, Adidas, Reebok, Burger King, Dominos, KFC, Artcaffe, Spurs, Ocean Basket and Zucchini.

The Lifestyle destination for work, play and leisure is part of the Janus Continental Group, an international conglomerate, comprising of market-leading companies in the Energy, Hospitality and Real Estate sectors.

 

Editor’s Note:

Decathlon Nairobi will be introducing 40 sports to the Kenyan market including skating, snorkeling, scuba diving, hiking and kayaking…Equipment and gear for these sports will be available at the Decathlon store and on www.decathlon.co.ke as soon the store is open.

DECATHLON INNOVATION

Innovation is an important part of everything we do. We are exploring and researching new products,
concepts and event ideas regularly to ensure your sports experience is constantly improving and
enjoyable. In addition, Decathlon will be embarking on various activities to promote different types of
sports in Nairobi.

As Decathlon is known for its innovative products and value for money products, it will showcase its own
brands to the Kenyan market. This includes ground breaking designs such as Kalenji (running gears),
clearly inspired by the Kalenjin Tribe, recognised as the place of the world’s best runners. But also: Kipsta (football), Quechua (hiking and camping), Domyos (fitness), Artengo (tennis) and Inesis (golf), and many others…

All these brands have already been approved by customers across the world and have helped Decathlon
to make the pleasure and benefits of sports accessible to many.

Our purpose: “to make sport accessible to many” through:

  • Our store: with a choice of more than 3,000 products in 40 sports ranging from running,
    football, basketball and cycling; to archery, hiking, kayaking and so on. It will be more than a store; it will be a place for sport experience: in store and outside with our free playground. The range will be available  on www.decathlon.co.ke
  • Our team:  To provide a complete sporting experience to sports users, we will recruit Kenyan sportsmen, ready to share with all, their passion in sport. The main goal is to create experiences, and to make sports discovery great.
  • Our prices: Decathlon offers sports users quality products at the lowest price and a warranty on all its products; a proof of their high quality.

Media contacts:

For Decathlon:

Valéry Guers
Decathlon Nairobi Leader
Email: valery.guers@decathlon.com

Pascaline Asser
Corporate Communication Leader
Email: pascaline.asser@decathlon.com

For The Hub Karen:

Philippe Cauviere
Chief Executive Officer
Email: pcauviere@TheHubKaren.com

Anthony Kagiri
Group Corporate Affairs Manager
Email: akagiri@januscontinental.com