Author: Muindi

Global payment technology firm Mastercard says it will remove first-use, PVC plastics from payment cards on its network by the year 2028. Why? This move accelerates Mastercard’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its cards and further reinforces its sustainability commitments. This mandate will include recycled or bio-sourced plastics such as rPVC, rPET, or PLA and will extend to Mastercard’s global issuing partners. “Mastercard is committed to advancing climate action and reducing waste by driving its business toward net zero emissions and leveraging its network and scale to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon, regenerative economy,” said Ellen Jackowski,…

Naivas, Kenya’s largest retailer, has opened a new retail location in Kiambu County, expanding its footprint to 92. The new outlet is located at Brick Mall along Kiambu Road in Thindigua Kiambu County. https://twitter.com/naivas_kenya/status/1643886196127301639?s=20 “The entry of Naivas Supermarket in Thindigua and surrounding regions is a clear indication of the increasing demand for convenience by consumers with diverse preferences and interests who want to be served at their close proximity by major retailers that have the necessary resources to facilitate such convenience,” Cytonn Investments notes on the expansion. Previously, Thindigua was only served by Quickmart Supermarket as the only major…

Standard Chartered Plc says the sale of its assets in Cameroon, Gambia, Angola, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, and two other markets in the Middle East will be completed in 2023. The banks’ exit aims to improve profits as part of its “refreshed strategy”. In Tanzania and Cote d’Ivoire, the Consumer, Private and Business Banking businesses will be exited, and the focus will be on its Corporate, Commercial and Institutional Banking (“CCIB”) business. “The assets … have been presented as held for sale following the approval of Group management, and the transactions are expected to complete in 2023,” Standard Chartered Plc said…

Samsung Electronics, South Korea’s biggest company, says preliminary results for the March quarter on Friday its operating profit declined nearly 96 per cent from 2022 due to a sharp drop in chip demand. According to its earnings guidance, Samsung estimated its January-March operating profit at $454.9 million, sharply down from 14.12 trillion won a year ago. Sales likely fell 19 per cent to 63 trillion won from 77.78 trillion won a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.  As a result, it is adjusting chip output to a “meaningful level” to resolve the inventory glut and falling memory…

Multichoice Kenya hosted a Content Showcase extravaganza to celebrate milestones and unveil its 2023 first-quarter content propositions to customers. The showcase came when MultiChoice, under its key brands, including DStv, GOtv, and Showmax, embarked on an aggressive campaign to invest in local content production and enhance their digital channels to offer value for money and rich viewer experiences. The showcase was also an opportunity to thank all of MultiChoice Kenya’s commercial partners. “This showcase is an important date in our annual calendar as our stakeholders and media partners are imperative to our success, and we want them to be the…

Mauritius-based property firm Grit Real Estate Income Group acquired an additional 50.0 per cent ownership stake in Buffalo Mall in Naivasha.  The deal, valued at Kshs 262.8 million, gave Grit full ownership of the retail facility. The move follows Grit’s laid-out capital commitment to acquire the remaining ownership stake of the mall, which it disclosed in its H1’2022 financial report.  At the close of 2022, Grit held a 50.0 per cent stake, valued at Kshs 762.1 million, which it acquired in April 2016. However, this was a decline from the stake’s acquisition price of Kshs 827.8 million in 2016. The decline was attributed to the following: Tough operating conditions…