The emergence of supermarkets offering authentic African foods marks a significant cultural and economic shift. These stores not only cater to the African diaspora but also introduce diverse flavors and traditions to a broader audience. From Nottingham to Houston and beyond, African supermarkets are becoming vital community hubs, supporting local entrepreneurs and enriching the culinary landscape.
A new supermarket with a rich selection of authentic African foods is turning up the heat in Nottingham. Thamar's Foods, in Bath Street, Sneinton, signals an expansion for owner Olatunji Kaka. He first opened a shop in 2018, just around the corner in Carlton Road. The new premises, on the edge of Sneinton Market, are filled with core ingredients, not just to give the city's African population a taste of home but also for any adventurous cooks wanting to spice up their lives.
Olatunji said: "This store is a wonderful addition to our area, bringing a rich selection of authentic African foods, beauty products, and cultural items that celebrate the diversity and heritage of the African continent. It aims to serve both the African diaspora and anyone interested in experiencing the vibrant flavours and traditions of Africa. It will offer a wide range of products, including fresh spices, traditional foods and unique household items that are often hard to find locally."
Thamar's Foods will also serve as a cultural hub where people can learn more about African foods. "I wanted a second shop for growth. As it is now I think it's the biggest African shop in Nottingham. We have a lot of things from Nigeria and international products as well." Names like whole egusi (melon seeds), ugu leaves and gari might not mean much to the average Nottinghamian but Olatunji will happily explain. Gari is made from ground cassava. It can be eaten in cold water or cooked in hot water to make a dough-like snack called eba to accompany a stew.
By the time you've left the shop you'll have expanded your knowledge to learn all about moin moin (boiled bean pudding), elubo (yam flour), chin chin (a crunchy fried snack) and egusi soup, the ultimate West African comfort food. In the freezer are chicken gizzards and feet, goat, mackerel and blue swimming crab. Packs of dried stockfish tusk, bonga fillet and smoked baracuda are stocked along with regular supermarket items such as washing-up liquid, honey, cooking oil and Heinz salad cream.
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"We have the best food in the world. It's easy to make and it's very nice. You can watch on YouTube how to make it. We like spicy food," said Olatunji, who left Nigeria for the UK 22 years ago to make a better life. Visitors to the shop will find an interesting array of soft drinks too, including Malta Guinness. Ground Cameroon hot pepper, scotch bonnet chillies, shito sauce and a wide array of seasonings will bring the flavour and make temperatures soar.
Similarly, in Houston, Texas, Wazobia African Market celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023, marking a decade of serving the African community. Founded by Tunde Fasina, Wazobia aimed to consolidate the fragmented market by offering a wide range of African products under one roof.
Wazobia African Market celebrates 10 years serving community
Fasina noted the initial financial challenges, stating, "Money. There was no money. It was literally starting from scratch, and money was a huge bit of a problem." It literally was a factor for a whole number of years because we started with very little money. Then, we had to contend with growth. We were growing and didn’t have money to fund the growth. There was a lot of praying, mathematical magic and hard work. Watching the numbers, especially expenditures very closely and micromanaging every aspect of the business to maximize the amount of money we were able to reinvest into the business. It was very difficult. A lot of personal sacrifices had to be made."
Wazobia has continuously evolved based on customer feedback, implementing programs to actively seek customer input. Fasina emphasized, "Changes evolve with the customers’ wants and needs. We are always looking for how we can make our services better. We value customer feedback and it’s a gift for us. What we’ve done over time is implement programs that actively seek customer feedback. We’ve learned that we are constantly evolving to meet their expectations. It’s not just in groceries. It has to be in the way they liked to be served. We aren’t shy about changing the entire thing as long as it is what the majority of customers want. If it’s a product a customer wants, we will do the research and see if it’s something we can do."
Wazobia is more than a grocery store, becoming a community hub and supporter of local entrepreneurs. Fasina noted the difficulty in sourcing unique products, "Mainly products, difficult products to find. There is some stuff that we literally got from Kenya and it took almost 18 months to find everything. There’s one that I’ve been given from South Africa." He also highlighted the importance of customer care, noting, "In our community, one of the strangest things unfortunately is customers cannot believe that they’re shopping at a place that actually cares about them. So, it’s hard for them to open up. We do a lot of giveaways because we’ve got a surplus. We have a customer’s appreciation which we do on a yearly basis. The point behind that is to provide an environment which our customers come together to enjoy themselves with their children, have fun, win prizes, and it’s all free."
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Wazobia also adapts successful strategies from other cultures, "We take from what white people do, because they’ve done it better. Why reinvent the wheel? Go there and look at what they are doing and see what is working and adapt it with some African flavor. That’s it." Wazobia sets a very high bar because we go through extensive research. The fact that I find the product with you doesn’t mean it’s entering my store the next day. We ask a whole lot of questions and assess from who we are buying it.
The store’s commitment to quality and long-term relationships is paramount. "How long has this person been in business? Are they reputable? How long have they been in business? Who have they been in business with? We get all that information first before we start going. Do we get it right all the time? No. But what we do know is this, because of how much we buy and what we are capable of doing, we stress the importance of long-term relationships rather than short-term profit. If you want to keep making money with us, you better make sure that you give us the very best stuff."
Among the most sought-after products at Wazobia are yams. "Hands down … Yams!! I make sure I have a certain amount of supply every month. It is not easy. From the moment you get one box of yams it takes eight weeks of planning. So, you have to make sure that you run your game all the time."
Wazobia’s annual summer party at a park has become a significant community event. "It’s a continuation of what we’ve done every year. Every summer we hold a party at a park and it keeps growing on a yearly basis. People come for the fun and activities. You have the opportunity to win prizes. We give away a television, laptop, free groceries for a year, even a car! It’s an avenue to bring everyone together, celebrate our achievements, and the support the community has shown us in the last 10 years. This year we are having it in the Sugarland Baseball Stadium. It’s a massive place to accommodate everyone who comes. We are giving the opportunity for vendors to showcase their products to the community as well."
Wazobia African Market officially launched on June 18, 2013. The store recorded a profit for the first time. We increased 100% in volume and began to import products directly from local communities in Africa. Our Fun fair moves to a Park for the first time. The store got renovated. Mayor of Houston, Sylvester Turner, officially opened our second outlet on March 18, 2019, gave us an award recognition for our service to the community and made a Wazobia Market Day Proclamation. Coronavirus pandemic creates logistical and cash flow challenges. Product shortage leads to price hikes all over the country. We refused to increase our prices as a show of support to the people who are vulnerable in the community. Houston and surrounding areas experienced an extreme weather with freezing conditions, causing disruptions and water shortage. We kept our doors open to feed as many people as possible.
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In St. Cloud, Minnesota, Liberian immigrants Jacob and Prayer Gray opened Gray's African Grocers on Aug. 2, 2024. The store offers standard grocery items alongside African staples like fufu, dried fish, and jollof rice. Prices are slightly higher than larger retailers due to the downtown location and sourcing from Twin Cities suppliers. The couple hopes the store will provide convenience to downtown residents and teach their six children about business and work ethic.
"It's always a dream to come to America," Prayer Gray said. "To actually come the right way, being yourself, working hard, getting some degrees and having a whole life." The grocery store's owners said they expect to sell African foods like fufu, dried fish and jollof rice. Gray's African Grocers, 512 W. St. Germain St., also plans to carry traditional grocery and household items. Jacob Gray said this may include chips, milk, produce, toothpicks, tissues, soap and phone accessories.
"It's a place where people can try new things, African food, different stuff," Prayer Gray said. Jacob Gray said prices will be similar to Walmart, but maybe a quarter more expensive. He said the increased costs come with the downtown location. As for the African food, he said it will be slightly more expensive in St. Cloud compared to the Twin Cities.
Gray said the higher prices are because his suppliers are based in the Twin Cities, and he plans to run back and forth to stock his store, creating extra expenses compared to African grocers in the Twin Cities market. "In Minneapolis and St. Paul, there are a lot of Liberians living out there," Jacob Gray said. "But people want to come out here, too. The fact is something like this is not popular here, so they gotta drive back. Even myself, I go into the city all the time shopping and then come back."
Despite higher supply costs for opening the St. Cloud store, the couple said they're excited to introduce their West African culture to the Granite City. But that's not all. Jacob Gray said he wants to create convenience for downtown St. Cloud residents. The neighborhood didn't have a grocery story before the couple moved to the area, which is something St. Cloud's mayoral candidates discussed during the 2024 election.
"Above us are apartments," Jacob Gray said. "Some day they might not want to go to Walmart. Imagine coming downstairs to grab items (instead of driving to Walmart)." It's also about family. Jacob and Prayer Gray have six children, and they hope the store will give them a head start in life. The couple hopes growing up with the store will help teach their children how businesses work, how to maintain a work ethic and the responsibility of having a job. The two told the St. Cloud Times they hope to buy a house in St. Joseph. Jacob Gray is also a mechanic.
If all goes well, the couple hopes to start a food truck to serve African cuisine in central Minnesota. The Grays originally hoped to start a restaurant inside the grocery store, but the building's kitchen needed significant repair. "In a year from now, or two, we might buy a food truck and start with that," Jacob Gray said.
Key Figures in the African Supermarket Industry
Across the African continent, several supermarket magnates have significantly reshaped the retail landscape. These leaders have built formidable supply chains that drive GDP growth and regional integration.
- Christo Wiese (Shoprite): Transformed Shoprite into Africa’s largest grocery giant, employing over 140,000 people.
- Ivan and Lynette Saltzman (Dis-Chem Pharmacies): Redefined healthcare retail in Africa, expanding to more than 300 outlets.
- Raymond Ackerman (Pick ‘n Pay): Established South Africa’s second-largest supermarket chain, with over 2,000 stores across eight African nations.
- Ramachandran Ottapathu (Choppies Enterprises): Expanded Choppies across multiple African markets, offering a diverse inventory and private-label products.
- Tayo Amusan (Persianas Group): Developed landmark retail projects like The Palms Shopping Malls and acquired Shoprite’s Nigerian business.
- Victor Maina (Maathai Supermarkets): A self-made billionaire who built a diversified empire spanning retail, real estate, construction, and entertainment.
- Simon Wachira (Magunas Supermarkets): Expanded from hawking to building a retail powerhouse across Kenya, focusing on customer service and local sourcing.
- Mukuha Family (Naivas Supermarket): Built Kenya’s largest retail chain from a single shop, now operating 106 outlets across the country.
- Bhagwan Khubchandani Family (Melcom Group): Established Ghana’s largest retail chain, Melcom, with over 65 stores nationwide.
- Atul Shah (Nakumatt Holdings): Transformed Nakumatt into East Africa’s largest privately owned supermarket chain before facing financial challenges.
These entrepreneurs have not only expanded their brands but also contributed to millions of jobs across Africa. Figures like Victor Maina and Simon Wachira have championed indigenous ownership in the formal economy. Across Ghana, the Khubchandani family’s Melcom has strengthened consumer access through logistics innovations, supporting domestic industries.
Collectively, these leaders have fortified Africa’s retail supply chains, localized value addition, and stimulated ancillary industries like real estate, transport, and agribusiness. Their sustained investments have accelerated urbanization, modernized consumer markets, and anchored retail as a critical pillar of GDP contribution in nations such as South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, and Botswana. Their ventures are not just business empires-they are economic engines transforming Africa’s future.
Spotlight on Key Figures
Christo Wiese
Net Worth: $1.6 billion
Nationality: South African
Supermarket: Shoprite Holdings (South Africa)
South African retail tycoon Christo Wiese transformed Shoprite from a modest chain of eight Cape Town supermarkets in 1979 into Africa’s largest grocery giant, with over 2,989 stores and about 142,000 employees across the continent. As former chairman and its largest individual shareholder, Wiese was instrumental in shaping Shoprite’s rise. Today, his 10.67 percent stake-makes him the second-largest shareholder and one of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange’s wealthiest investors. Beyond Shoprite, Wiese holds stakes in several companies, cementing his legacy as one of Africa’s most influential business figures.
Christo Wiese, South African retail tycoon
Ivan and Lynette Saltzman
Net Worth: $1 billion as of 2018
Nationality: South African
Supermarket: Dis-Chem Pharmacies (South Africa)
The visionary leadership of Ivan and Lynette Saltzman has been the driving force behind the astounding growth of the Gauteng-based healthcare group since its establishment in 1978. Their transformative efforts have propelled Dis-Chem into becoming a premier retail pharmacy chain across Africa, managing a network of more than 300 stores. The Saltzman family’s profound understanding of both the retail and healthcare sectors has enabled Dis-Chem Group to expand its services, encompassing family clinics and wound care centers. With an impressive 29.3-percent stake, the Saltzman family’s influence on Dis-Chem’s expansion has positioned them as key players in the African retail landscape.
Ivan and Lynette Saltzman, founders of Dis-Chem Pharmacies
Raymond Ackerman
Net Worth: $500 million as of 2015
Nationality: South African
Supermarket: Pick ‘n Pay (South Africa)
Established in 1967, Pick n Pay has grown into South Africa’s second-largest supermarket chain. The Ackerman legacy within Pick ‘n Pay stores has left an indelible mark on the continent’s retail industry. Founded in 1967 by Raymond Ackerman, the retail giant has thrived under his leadership and continues its upward trajectory under his son, Gareth Ackerman, the company’s chairman. The Ackerman family’s stewardship has fueled Pick ‘n Pay’s expansion to more than 2,000 stores across eight African nations. In 2022, the retailer achieved an impressive 8.9-percent increase in revenue, soaring from R97.9 billion ($5.36 billion) to R106.6 billion ($5.84 billion), solidifying its status as a leading player in the African retail industry.
Ramachandran Ottapathu
Net Worth: $50 millionNationality: BotswanaSupermarket: Choppies Enterprises (Botswana)
The co-founder of Choppies Enterprises, Ramachandran Ottapathu, holds a substantial 29.95-percent controlling interest in the Gaborone-based retail conglomerate. His leadership has been instrumental in Choppies’ expansive growth. With an extensive distribution network stretching across South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Kenya, Choppies has positioned itself as a retail powerhouse. Ottapathu’s strategic leadership has been pivotal in the company’s success, offering a diverse inventory featuring global food brands and exclusive private-label products, making Choppies a significant player in multiple African markets.
Tayo Amusan
Nationality: NigerianSupermarket: Persianas Group / The Palms (Nigeria)
Nigerian property magnate Tayo Amusan has played a pivotal role in transforming Africa’s retail scene. Through Persianas Group, he has developed landmark projects like The Palms Shopping Malls, turning retail into a leisure-driven experience. Persianas has built a reputation for delivering premium retail, residential, and commercial spaces across Nigeria. Under Amusan’s leadership, the group expanded its footprint by acquiring 100 percent of Retail Supermarkets Nigeria Limited, operator of Shoprite’s Nigerian business. This bold move cements Amusan’s position as a key architect of Africa’s modern retail industry, blending world-class property development with strategic acquisitions to redefine consumer experiences.
Victor Maina
Nationality: KenyanSupermarket: Maathai Supermarkets (Kenya)
Victor Maina, founder of Maathai Supermarkets, is a self-made Kenyan billionaire with a fortune exceeding $1 billion. From humble beginnings as a hawker in Nairobi’s Marikiti and Muthurwa markets, he built a diversified empire spanning retail, real estate, construction, and entertainment. Maathai Supermarkets, launched in the early 2000s, operates 11 outlets, including in Nairobi’s CBD and Embu Town. In 2025, Maina unveiled the nine-story Wholesale Mall OTC in Nairobi, further expanding his footprint. His portfolio also includes Klub Image and Klub Liquid Cash in Thika. Maina’s journey from street vendor to retail magnate reshaped Central Kenya’s economy and modernized its retail landscape.
Simon Wachira
Nationality: KenyanSupermarket: Magunas Supermarkets
Simon Wachira, founder of Magunas Supermarkets, rose from hawking at Mukuyu market to building a retail powerhouse across Kenya, with outlets in Murang’a, Embu, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Meru, Kitui, and Nairobi. His customer-first focus, credit-driven sourcing, and embrace of the “Buy Kenya, Build Kenya” drive fueled Magunas’ growth, creating hundreds of jobs and empowering local farmers. Wachira further expanded into hospitality with Nokras Hotel and Nokras Riverine Spa. His deep-rooted values of hard work, honesty, and generosity shine through his community support efforts, notably during the COVID-19 crisis, cementing his legacy as both a business leader and a philanthropist.
Mukuha Family
Nationality: KenyaSupermarket: Naivas Supermarket (Kenya)
Peter Mukuha Kago, founder of Naivas Supermarket, built Kenya’s largest retail chain from a single Rongai shop in 1990. His bold vision and strategic expansion grew Naivas to 106 outlets across all 47 counties by September 2024. The Mukuha family, holding a 70% stake, has preserved his legacy through partnerships with Amethis Finance, IBL Group, Proparco, and DEG, fueling growth while maintaining local control. Under family leadership, Naivas posted a Sh1.87 billion profit in 2024, modernizing through private-label products and digital innovation. The Mukuha Foundation furthers Kago’s community-driven spirit, funding education and healthcare in Nakuru and Nairobi.
Bhagwan Khubchandani Family
Nationality: GhanaSupermarket: Melcom Group (Ghana)
Bhagwan Khubchandani, a seasoned entrepreneur with over 60 years of experience in Japan, Hong Kong, Ghana, and Nigeria, founded Melcom Group in 1989 alongside his sons-in-law, Mahesh Melwani and Ramesh Sadhwani. With a modest initial investment of $2 million, they established Ghana’s largest retail chain, Melcom, which now operates over 65 stores nationwide. The group has diversified into six subsidiaries, including Century Industries Limited, Crownstar Electronics, and Melcom Travel and Tours, among others. Bhagwan’s leadership philosophy emphasized customer satisfaction and community engagement, earning him the title of Ghana’s Greatest Entrepreneur of All Time at the Ghana Entrepreneur and Corporate Executive Awards. He passed away on January 25, 2021, at the age of 84.
Atul Shah
Nationality: KenyaSupermarket: Nakumatt Holdings (Kenya)
Atul Shah transformed Nakumatt from a modest family-run store into East Africa’s largest privately owned supermarket chain. By 2013, Nakumatt operated 50 stores across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda, employed over 7,000 people, and generated annual sales exceeding $650 million. The company was valued at approximately $400 million at its peak. However, rapid expansion fueled by borrowed funds led to financial instability. By 2017, Nakumatt faced significant challenges, including store closures, layoffs, and mounting debts.
Conclusion
The rise of African supermarkets represents a dynamic intersection of culture, community, and commerce. From local initiatives in Nottingham and Houston to the expansive networks built by magnates across Africa, these stores are reshaping retail landscapes and fostering economic growth. As they continue to evolve, they promise to play an increasingly vital role in connecting communities and celebrating the rich diversity of African cultures.
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