Sports Direct has entered the African retail market with two stores in Nairobi, Kenya, under a partnership between parent company Frasers Group and Hudson Group.
The move is part of Frasers Group’s wider international expansion and continuing implementation of its “Elevation Strategy”.
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Hudson Group CEO Chris Muscat said: “Through these openings, we have changed the landscape of sports retail in Nairobi, offering a large-format dedicated sports retail experience that gives Kenyan customers access to world-class sports brands, combining leading sports brands as well as more accessible and affordable offerings.
“This unique proposition in Kenya’s sports retail sector was made possible through Hudson’s extensive experience in the region and Frasers’ ambitions to bring large-format retailing to Africa in the sporting goods sector. We are incredibly proud of our teams and partners for bringing this vision to life and look forward to building on this momentum as we expand Sports Direct across Africa.”
The retailer has opened a 930m² store at Sarit Centre and a 725m² outlet at Galleria Mall.
Both sites stock performance, training and lifestyle apparel, footwear and equipment, with dedicated categories for men, women and children.
The range includes third-party international brands such as adidas, ASICS, New Balance, Nike, PUMA, and Under Armour.
It also features Sports Direct’s dedicated retail concepts for running, football and outdoor categories, which combine specialised equipment, advisory services and digital tools.
The stores additionally carry Frasers Group’s proprietary brand portfolio, including Everlast, Slazenger, Karrimor, Jack Wills and USA Pro.
In June, Frasers Group launched its first Sports Direct outlet in the Nordic region.
The following month, it agreed to sell its entire stake in Sports Direct Malaysia to MAP Aktif Adiperkasa (MAP Active) for around $150m.
Late last month, Frasers Group said it had secured majority control of German apparel company Hugo Boss, raising its direct stake to 50.08% for €7.63m ($8.55m).
The UK-listed retail entity used existing cash reserves to fund the purchase of an additional 198,666 shares.
Following the transaction, Frasers will consolidate Hugo Boss into its financial accounts, incorporating its revenue, earnings, assets and liabilities.
