Nairobi County has ordered the immediate closure of all Naivas Supermarkets within the city after it emerged that the popular retailer had been selling expired products.
The directive was issued on Wednesday, May 14, following a spot check by the Nairobi County Health Committee, which uncovered expired items on the shelves at Naivas Moi Avenue branch.
“We are here at Naivas Moi Avenue, and we have realised there are expired products on the shelf, putting Nairobians at risk,” said committee chairperson and MCA Maurice Ochieng.
During the inspection, officials found expired yoghurt and several other items lacking expiry date labels — a serious health risk to unsuspecting customers. In addition to this, it was discovered that some staff handling food items had not undergone mandatory medical tests and certifications.
“We also established that the people handling these products have not been tested. Therefore, as a committee, we resolve to close all Naivas outlets in Nairobi until all their staff are medically certified,” added Ochieng.
The county leadership said the closure would allow for a thorough investigation not just into the supermarket chain, but also its suppliers. Naivas will only be allowed to reopen once all health and safety conditions are met.
The discovery was demonstrated to the press, with MCA Ochieng showing samples of the expired products.
He further called on Nairobi County Chief Health Officer, Suzzane Silantoi, to act swiftly and intensify health and safety inspections across all food outlets in the city.
Naivas Supermarket, which operates more than 30 branches across Nairobi in areas like Kilimani, Westlands, Lang’ata, Buruburu, and Kasarani, now faces a major operational setback.
The closure could also put hundreds of employees at risk of losing their jobs if the standoff persists.
Naivas is currently the largest supermarket chain in Kenya with 106 branches countrywide as of November 2024.
Its main competitors are Quick Mart with 55 outlets and Chandarana Foodplus with 26 branches.
