Insight Hotelier Edition 10 by INSIGHT PUBLICATIONS

NAIROBI: 13TH - 14TH, SEPTEMBER 2017 MERU: 30TH - 31ST, AUGUST, 2017

uni industries

www.insightpublication.org

East Africa Launched inLimited East Africa

Kitchen solutions Supplier Listing Hospitality Training Technology Trends

Tropical Heat

INSIGHT HOTELIER #10 | JUNE - AUGUST 2017

556001 772305 9

HOTELS | CAMPS | RESORTS | RESTAURANTS & LODGES RESOURCE MAGAZINE

ISSN 2305-5561

EDITION 10 | JUN - AUG 2017

Clique Limited “Your One Stop Hospitality Solution”

TOILETRIES & AMENITIES

LINENS

Glassware Glassware Glassware

GLASSWARE Glassware

CROCKERY, CUTLERY & ACCESSORIES

Crockery

Elegance Prima Cutlery

4000 Series Cutlery Chopping Boards

Chopping Boards

Elegance Prima Cutlery

Non Slip Tray Round & Rect

4000 Series Cutlery

Chopping Boards

Flasks

Non Slip Tray Round & Rect

Airport North Road, Behind Ramtons Building off Mombasa Road P.O. BOX 47876 – 00100, NAIROBI, KENYA Tel: +254 (020) 6554772 / (020) 6557634 Mobile: +254 720 638 638 / +254 732 886 479 Clique ltd#10 | JUNE - AUGUST 2017 INSIGHT Your One StopHOTELIER Hospitality Solution Email: info@clique.co.ke | Website: www.clique.co.ke www.clique.co.ke

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the 10th Edition of the Insight Hotelier Magazine; our quarterly business to business publication distributed for free to hoteliers in major towns of the country and also to members of various hospitality associations in all regions of Kenya. In this edition, we endeavor to address various topics relating to the industry with the theme Kitchen solutions which was aligned to the recent launch by South African brand Uni-Industries sharing their aspirations to the regional market and how they will transform the industry, Automation & Technology trends, Hospitality training and Market outlook among other insightful topics for hoteliers this season.

Titus Korir, Managing Editor

CONNECTING HOTELIERS//

The Insight Hospitality Conference and Expo will continue to reach out to the remaining regions for Eastern, Western & Nyanza, Coastal and Nairobi Region for Kenya and we look forward for our first edition regional event in Kigali, Rwanda later in this Q2/3 of 2017 in the same spirit of reaching out to hoteliers on a one-to-one platform with owners of hotels, restaurants, resorts & camps with an aim of creating an industry network points for both hoteliers and suppliers to share experience and best practices for the betterment of the industry. The above reach out have not been a success without our partners - suppliers, associations and government stakeholder institutions and not forgetting our host hotels for we do appreciate all of them for their support so far which has enabled us to run the 2nd editions this year for the regions already covered and we encourage esteemed suppliers, industry players and stakeholders to continue using our platforms of the Insight the Hospitality Expo to showcase their products and services as a way of reaching out to their target clientele. We do urge Hoteliers also to subscribe to the magazine so as to get direct delivery to their hotels as well as they get listed on the hotelier magazine at every edition cum invitations to attend our events with no extra costs and also enjoy free entrance for two delegates to our regional and national Insight Hospitality conferences and expo. The magazine is available online from the portal http://insightpublication.org/ and you can share your comments and contributions via email: hotelier@insightpublication.org nor visit our online portal www.insighthospitality.org for more information. Finally, we thank all our readers and industry stakeholders for your support and contribution which has moved us this far. Enjoy the Readingâ&#x20AC;Ś

FIND OUR COPIES AT ONLINE...

www.insightpublication.org INSIGHT HOTELIER #10 | JUNE - AUGUST 2017

CONTENT

COVER STORY

REACH YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE AFFORDABLY

Pg 10 HOSPITALITY OUTLOOK

Tourism and hospitality Industry patterns in Africa

Pg 12

08 556001 772305

Uni-Industries Launch Kitchen Solutions In East Africa

ISSN 2305-5561

ISSUE 08 / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2014

RETAIL BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

556001 9

ISSN 2305-5561

RETAIL BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

DEFINING REGIONAL STRATEGIES

EDITION 011 | OCTOBER-DECEMBER, 2015

772305

556001

11 ISSN 2305-5561

9 772305

556001

ISSN 2305-5561

ISSUE 08 / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2014

RETAIL BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

772305

RETAIL BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE DEFINING REGIONAL STRATEGIES

KTCHEN SOLUTIONS

Now available in...

EDITION 012 | FEBRUARY -APRIL 2016

3-4 NOVEMBER 2015 WESTIN HOTEL CAPE TOWN

Unlocking Africa’s retail opportunities

BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION

BOOK TODAY TO RECEIVE 15% DISCOUNT | QUOTE: AFRA15

Retail Revolution Bakery innovation & Butcheryin Insight evolution retail T: +44(0)203 033 2020 W: www.retailcongressafrica.com E: info@retailcongressafrica.com

T: +44(0)203 033 2020 W: www.retailcongressafrica.com E: info@retailcongressafrica.com

Bakery innovation & evolution in retail

• Butchers’ Workshop & Equipment

INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

Leasing transforms retail sector

INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

Customer Service in Retail

PART OF THE

In-storetrends Dispensing Retail Technology - Omni-Channel retailing

CO-SPONSOR:

2ndFORUM

3RD EDITION

>> Dos & Don’ts

Dispensing trends in Retail

RETAILERS’ & AWARDS th

BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

- Milk , Water & Cooking oil

Leasing transforms retail sector - Case study outlook

Dispensing trends in Retail

MEDIA PARTNER:

Mergers & Take-Overs

- Case study outlook

CO-SPONSOR:

MEDIA PARTNER:

PART OF THE

BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

- Milk , Water & Cooking oil

4th >>Retail Payment Trends 2014

- Omni-Channel retailing

Pg 14

December

• North Rift Region • Central Rift Region • Nairobi Region

INSIGHT RETAIL #11 | OCTOBER - DECEMBER, 2015

2nd

Retail Technology trends

10TH

DEC. 2015 December 2015 2014

INSIGHT RETAIL #12 | FEBRUARY - APRIL 2016

HOSPITALITY BRANDS WOW Beverages enters beer mass market with Faxe EDITION 06 | MARCH - MAY 2016

BOOK TODAY TO RECEIVE 15% DISCOUNT | QUOTE: AFRA15 T: +44(0)203 033 2020 W: www.retailcongressafrica.com E: info@retailcongressafrica.com

Restaurant Trends Leasing transforms retail sector

INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

- Case study outlook

Dispensing trends in Retail PART OF THE

Restaurant Leasing transforms retail sector

CO-SPONSOR:

BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

- Milk , Water & Cooking oil

2nd

- Omni-Channel retailing

Central Rift Conference & Exhibition: April 20 - 21, 2016

4th December

2014

06 07

HOSPITALITY TRAINING

Hospitality Furniture

Hospitality Interiors Automation Bakery innovation & Insights + Loyalty program evolution in retail Financing Insight

Hospitality Furniture

Retail Technology trends

556001

ISSN 2305-5561

BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION

MEDIA PARTNER:

556001

Hospitality Outlook

CO-SPONSOR:

Unlocking Africa’s retail opportunities

# Payment & Automation Automation Bakery innovation & Insights + Loyalty program evolution in retail # Hospitality Events INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

772305

HOTELS | CAMPS | RESORTS | RESTAURANTS & LODGES RESOURCE MAGAZINE

T: +44(0)203 033 2020 W: www.retailcongressafrica.com E: info@retailcongressafrica.com

ISSN 2305-5561

556001

ISSUE 08 / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2014

HOTELS | CAMPS | RESORTS | RESTAURANTS & LODGES RESOURCE MAGAZINE

Unlocking Africa’s retail opportunities

BOOK TODAY TO RECEIVE 15% DISCOUNT | QUOTE: AFRA15

Pg 15

9 772305

556001

ISSN 2305-5561

EDITION 07 | JUNE - AUGUST 2016

RETAIL BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

DEFINING REGIONAL STRATEGIES

ISSN 2305-5561

772305

9 772305

556001

ISSN 2305-5561

Our Contacts: Utalii House, 11th Floor. P.O. Box 42013-00100 – Nairobi. Tel: +254 (20) 32224000 Email: md@tourismfinance.go.ke. www.tourismfinance.go.ke EDITION 03 | APR - JUN, 2015

ISSN 2305-5561

772305

ISSUE 08 / OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2014

556001

RETAIL BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE DEFINING REGIONAL STRATEGIES

”FINANCING INGENUITY”

EDITION 03 | APR - JUN, 2015

- Case study outlook

Trends

Brace yourself, Kenya!

Lucrative Marketing

Dispensing trends in Retail

MEDIA PARTNER:

PART OF THE

BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

- Milk , Water & Cooking oil

Retail Technology trends - Omni-Channel retailing HOTELIER’S

4 Hospitality Events 2nd

CONVENTION 2016

December

2014

27TH-28TH JULY 2016, NAIROBI

ELECTRONIC SCALES & WEIGHING SYSTEMS FOR HOSPITALITY & RETAIL INDUSTRY, AGRICULTURE, MEDICINE AND COMMERCE.

ELECTRONIC SCALES & WEIGHING SYSTEMS FOR HOSPITALITY

“Accuracy, quality & service”

& RETAIL INDUSTRY, AGRICULTURE, MEDICINE AND COMMERCE.

Weighing Development Ltd. Weighing solutions solutions at: Engineering Development INSIGHT HOTELIER | APRIL - JUNE, 2015 Tel: +254 +254 703 70355 5577 7764, 64,0733 07335555 Email: engdev@africaonline.co.ke 7777 64.64. Email: engdev@africaonline.co.ke

“Accuracy, quality & service” Weighing solutions at: Engineering Development Ltd. INSIGHT HOTELIER | APRIL - JUNE, 2015 Tel: +254 703 55 77 64, 0733 55 77 64. Email: engdev@africaonline.co.ke INSIGHT HOTELIER - 06 | March - May, 2016

+254.735.350.690 +254.725.350.690 info@insightpublication.org

INSIGHT HOTELIER #10 | JUNE - AUGUST 2017

Published by: Insight Publication Birdi Centre, Mombasa Road P.O. Box 36106 - 00200 Nairobi T. +254 (0) 735 350 690 (0) 725 - 350 690

e. hotelier@insightpublication.org www.insightpublication.org

Editorial team Titus Korir Mutuku Munyiva Advertising Ancent James Anita Rotich Subscription & Distribution Robert Siele

Contributors Lilian Gaitho Johnson Mbugua Antonette Frida Design & Layout Smartex Creative Graffix Tel: +254 721 496 922

©2017 Insight Hotelier. All material is strictly copyright andall rights were reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of Insight Hotelier is strictly forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at the time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors.The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Insight Hotelier or Insight Publications.

INSIGHT HOTELIER #10 | JUNE - AUGUST 2017

HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

Effective Hotel General Manager Insights

hen you are hired a general manager to run your hotel, you expect them to do everything within their power to make your operation successful. In the same capacity, they are responsible for everything that goes on in your hotel. While they may not be the one who failed to fix the air-conditioner in a room but they need to be aware so that they can resolve to fix the problem expeditiously. Ultimately, the general manager is held responsible for making sure that every problem, no matter how small or large, it will need to be resolved. Here are ten tips for General Managers or Supervisors in a hospitality set ups; 1. Be Prepared – General Manager should regularly prepare for meetings and be familiar with their clientele, employees and the Hotel properties. 2. Communicate Effectively with Employees – It is imperative that every employee clearly understands what they should be doing. General Manager should not hide behind a desk, but instead be visible and available to all employees. It is a good idea to publicly praise an employee for doing a good job and a General Manager should never criticize an employee in front of others or on a group email thread. 3. Listen to Employees – There is no better feedback about what is really going on in your hotel than what can be heard from the women and men who do the hard work that keeps a hotel running. If a General Manager discourages employees from bringing up complaints from guests, or from making suggestions on how the hotel can do things better, it makes it harder for a hotel to shine. Employees are a hotel’s greatest asset. We encourage General Manager’s to listen carefully to employees and hotel guests so that every hotel stay is optimized for greatest satisfaction. 4. Management Through Encouragement – Stressing out employees by placing

INSIGHT HOTELIER #10 | JUNE - AUGUST 2017

unrealistic demands on them is a sure way to decrease morale and can lead to a high employee turnover rate. When training general managers, be sure to recommend a management style that includes regular positive reinforcement for all employees. Compliments may be delivered in person, on the phone or in a supportive email. 5. Delegate Work – No one can do it all and there are always people who can do a job as well or better than you. Make sure that the General Manager empowers the entire hospitality team by letting each member shine according to their professional talents.

“When Revenue targets and occupancy go up, the General Manager will take credit, and then the same General Manager should also accept responsibility when revenues are down and take prompt professional steps to improve sales” 6. Blaming Weak Top-Line Revenues for Not Making a Profit – A General Manager who does not take some responsibility for improving sales (top-line revenue), and instead blames the marketing or other departments for not attracting

more paying customers, is shirking responsibility. A well-trained General Manager should regularly consult with the sales team and the sales team should coordinate efforts with the marketing team. Revenue generation cannot be separated from the role of the General Manager. 7. Be Decisive – Work with a General Manager who has no trouble running a team whose principles are transparent, whose operations are consistent, whose communications are positive and prompt, and whose motives are the good of the company where the customer comes first. 8. Always Have the Best Interest of the Hotel in Mind – Work with General Manager’s who believe in the company they work for and who take pride in being a team player for that company at all times. 9. Motivate Employees – Employees can be motivated by kind and supportive words, an increase in pay, a company picnic, employee-ofthe-month recognition or numerous other rewards that make them feel valued and an important asset to the team. 10. Projecting the Right Image for the Hotel – A friendly and personable General Manager who regularly walks through the lobby and talks to guests can do wonders for business. In the hospitality industry, friendly smiles and fabulous customer service are everything. To the Hotel Owners, Proprietor and Director; If your General Manager is excelling at their job and responsibly handles the work that comes with hotel management then reward them generously with praise and let them know that they are leading by example in making your hotel a success. A confident General Manager will in turn encourage their own employees and create a hospitality culture of kindness that is contagious and rewarding for all.

HOSPITALITY AUTOMATION

HOTELIERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CONVENTION 2017 Conference & Exhibition KENYA 2 Edition Coming up nd

DATE September 13th - 14th, 2017

VENUE Nairobi

Event updates & booking.... events@insighthospitality.org +254 780 350 690 +254 725 350 690

hospitality EAST AFRICA

INSIGHT HOTELIER #10 | JUNE - AUGUST 2017

HOUSEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION

We are considered pioneers in the field of apparel manufacturing, having worked in the industry for more that 50 years. We pride ourselves in being the first name in well stitched, high quality, durable and functional clothing. In our continued efforts to being a One Stop Shop, we have commissioned a state of the art knit wear factory so as to meet all uniform requirements

Shirts Blouses Tunics Dresses Trousers Jackets

HOSPITALITY PRODUCTS

Skirts Waist Coats Utility Trousers Utility Shorts Hospitality Aprons

Chef’s Safety Clogs

NAIROBI HEAD OFFICE: Manchester Outﬁtters Ltd, Industrial Area, Oﬀ Dunga Road, P. O. Box 46515, 00100 - Nairobi Tel: +254 20 298 4000, Fax: +254 20 298 4015, Email: service@man-out.com, Website: www.man-outt.com

MOMBASA BRANCH: Manchester Outﬁtters Ltd, c/o Image First (EA) Limited, Amal Plaza, First Floor, Shop No. 10,, Near Mamba Village. Links Road, Nyali - Mombasa, P. O. Box: 46515 – 00100 (Nairobi), Tel: +254 733 556 600 / 704 448 402 / 704 448 305 / 736 777 562 Email: INSIGHT HOTELIER #10 | JUNE - AUGUST 2017 8 care@image-ﬁrst.biz

HOSPITALITY AUTOMATION

Solar Water Heating and Energy Management Regulations THE ENERGY (SOLAR WATER HEATING) REGULATIONS 2012 By: http://www.erc.go.ke/ The Energy (Solar Water Heating) Regulations, 2012 require among other things that:1. All premises within the jurisdiction of local authorities with hot water requirements of a capacity exceeding one hundred litres per day shall install and use solar heating systems; 2. Within a period of five years from the effective date of the Regulations, all existing premises with hot water requirements of a capacity exceeding one hundred litres per day shall install and use solar heating systems; 3. An owner of premises, Architect and an Engineer engaged in the design, construction, extension or alteration of premises shall incorporate solar water heating systems in all new premises designs and extensions or alterations to existing premises;

4. An electric power distributor or supplier shall not provide electricity supply to premises where a solar water heating system has not been installed in accordance with the Regulations. The premises targeted by these regulations include: • Domestic Residential Premises • Educational Institutions • Health Institutions • Hotels and Lodges • Restaurants, Cafeterias and other eating places • Laundries. The public is hereby informed that all new buildings that fall in the above categories should install, use and maintain solar water heating systems. For buildings built before the gazettement of the regulations, the deadline for compliance is 25th May 2017.

BEST HOTE LE EVER RP !!!

INSIGHT HOTELIER #10 | JUNE - AUGUST 2017

HOSPITALITY OUTLOOK

Tourism and hospitality Industry patterns in Africa Jumia Travel & Accor Hotels give insights into Africa’s Hospitality Industry, 2017.

by Paul Midy, the Chief Executive Office for Jumia Travel. Although the report indicates that the market is not evenly distributed, with top leaders such as Morocco, Egypt, and South Africa dwarfing other economies on the share of international arrivals; it’s easy to identify why domestic tourism should be on a top priority for respective stakeholders who wish to bolster earnings from the travel trade. It should be noted that in 2016, domestic travel spending generated 63.7% of Africa’s Tourism GDP, as compared to the foreign visitor spending which contributed to 36.3% in 2016 (USD 40.7 bn). Given these figures, Midy urged stakeholders to invest in the (local/regional travel) sub-sector, observing that it’s significantly under-explored, as most stakeholders focus on international visitors.

Hospitality Report Africa Launch speakers. By Lilian Gaitho – Jumia Travel

ourism in Africa is essential for both international and intra-border trade; apart from serving as a major employer by contributing 1 /10 jobs (UNWTO) the sector also serves a unique role in cultural integration and intermediation, therefore cementing the basis for regional trade.

Contributing to 7.8% (USD 165.6bn) of the continent’s GDP in 2016, which is expected to rise to 7.9% of GDP (USD 170.5bn) in 2017, the Tourism and Travel Industry still has more untapped potential as expressed

The e-Factor: smart phones rule Africa The percentage share of bookings completed through the smart phone on Jumia Travel stands at 68% as compared to 32% carried out on desktops. Mobile bookings are growing, well aided by Jumia mobile app which is readily accessible on both IoS and Android platforms. Another interesting observation on the adoption of mobile use is in the search phase, where an increasing

It is for this reason that Jumia Travel, supported the compilation of an in depth report delving into the continent’s travel and tourism ecosystem, including the economic outlook, scale of hotel investment, pricing, air travel and constraints faced by stakeholders in the sector. The Jumia Travel report which follows a successful series of country-based hospitality reports in countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal among others is done in collaboration with French multinational hotel group, Accor Hotels and Ethiopian Airlines, highlighting major tourism, travel, and hospitality trends in Africa, therefore giving a panoramic outlook on what the continent has so far achieved, lingering challenges, as well as various factors determining the industry’s landscape.

INSIGHT HOTELIER #10 | JUNE - AUGUST 2017

Carmen Nibigira , Regional Coordinator - East Africa Tourism Platform.

HOSPITALITY OUTLOOK share of 51% of travelers carry out their pretrip planning and research on smartphone as compared to 49% operating from a desktop. Although it’s worth of note that mobile adaptation may vary from country to country, an overall internet penetration rate of 27.7 % in Africa’s points to the imperative need for hotels to adapt their services to the demands of the tech-savvy customer. The most active demographic falls between age 25-34 at 40.3% followed by 35-44, at 22%. This perhaps majorly explains the rapid adoption of mobile bookings as the age groups fall in the most tech-hungry of generations. Again, intra-bound travel which essentially counts on Africans travelling within Africa takes dominance on Jumia Travel at 90%, with international arrivals amounting to 10%. In her commentary covering inter and intra-border tourism, Carmen Nibigira the Regional Coordinator for East Africa Tourism Platform pressed stakeholders to invest more in developing marketing concepts that appeal and speak to the local market. Souleyman Khol, Head of Marketing and

Revenue Management (Africa and Indian Ocean) of Accor Hotels notes that Africa has the fastest growth in hotel development, taking into account both luxurious lines as well as economic establishments. The VP attributes the growing success in the sector to a rising middle class taking part in both business and leisure travel, “this is good news for us, as this emerging group forms a formidable base for intra-travel across the continent”. It’s worth of note that Africa’s six per cent growth in tourism arrivals doubled that of the global growth at three per cent. Expressing the group’s plan to double its presence in Africa, Souleyman advised hotel investors to adapt their offers to local travel behaviours while also investing in meeting expected standards for the targeted market base. Affluent demographics, three-star preference and the gender question At 40.3%, a more open minded demographic consisting of 22-34 year olds leads the pack in travel numbers, with the subsequent age group of 35-44’s taking up 22% of bookings made on Jumia Travel. This can perhaps be explained by the fact that most of the travelers in the earlier group are more likely

to be un-attached, hence less commitments. Presenting the analysis during the launch, Cyrus Onyiego - Country Manager, Jumia Travel noted that while most business travelers are unaccompanied and on a restrictive travel schedule, leisure travelers are more likely to travel in a group such as that of family members or friends, thereby explaining the numbers. On payment models, the question on security, ease and accountability comes up as pay-at-the-hotel takes over the giant’s share at 72%, as mobile payments contribute to 6% while card payments share 15%. Bank transfers mostly appeal to corporate programs, totaling to 7%. Reflecting the economic status of the average population in African countries, Three-star establishments attract 44% of total bookings, while Four and Five -star respectively take 19% and 4%. The key advantage over competition is that they act as a middle-point for price, service, and amenities. It’s interesting to note that men contribute to 62% of bookings on Jumia Travel, while women take up 32%.

INSIGHT HOTELIER #10 | JUNE - AUGUST 2017

COVER STORY

Uni-Industries Launch Kitchen So

One on One with Roscoe Bremer, Regional General Manager Uni - Industries 1. Briefly touch on the new undertakings and merger by Benham & Universal Industries and what will it take to the industry stakeholders. Universal Industries SA have been supplying indirectly into the East African market for a number of years through their network of South African owned companies and dealer partners in East Africa. To strengthen the foothold and service delivery in the East African market, Universal Industries merged with one of their leading dealer partners in Kenya, namely Benham International. Benham International had been trading in Kenya as well as Tanzania for many years, and had established themselves as a leading player in the local market, and the decision from both parties to work together for the future was an easy one. Form the merger, Uni Industries East Africa Limited was born. 2. From the Regional General Manager’s desk, where do you see Universal Industries in 3yrs / 5yrs? Uni Industries East Africa Limited has earmarked East Africa as fast developing and quick learning player in the hospitality, catering, baking and food service industries, and the goal is to be an intricate part of the

INSIGHT HOTELIER #10 | JUNE - AUGUST 2017

“This new found company Uni Industries East Africa Limited now brings together both South African backing, expertise and support as well as the knowledge, skills and experience from Benham into the market, with the purpose of supplying, supporting and enabling the local businessman, restaurant, bakery or caterer in delivering and attaining success in their businesses” industry by providing the right products, at the right price with the extensive backup that is required to not only supply these industries, but keep them running on a long-term basis. With this in mind, branches are already open in Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar, with Rwanda and Uganda earmarked for the next expansion.

3. Which are your flagship brands in short term and long term? The brands that UNIEA see as the flagships for the industries mentioned, are Macadams, who are leaders in the bakery section, BCE – with their Anvil range of cooking equipment, backed by the availability of all smaller items, (Utensils, Cutlery, Crockery) required within the entire range of the industry. Together with the refrigeration expertise of Staycold as well as Insulated Structures all storage,

COVER STORY

olutions In East Africa cold chain and chilled service items are also catered for. On the Quick Service Restaurant side, FoodServ, who are the market leaders in South Africa with cutting-edge technology, innovative products and the knowledge of how and when to apply these, will enable current, as well as new entries onto this market to thrive and have an edge on their competitors.

Although there are most certainly bigger and longer established competitors in the industry, UNIEA sees itself as a leader in the market based on our purpose and goals. Our goal is to be the best, and if by being the best, we improve our customers businesses and enterprises we will rank ourselves as number 1.

4. Explain some of the strengths of Universal Industries E.A. Ltd from a business perspective and how you look at building the brand Regional. The combined strengths of the two companies and the sharing of local and international expertise and experiences has given UNIEA the direction and strategy to focus on what is most important in this continually and quick changing industry, the customer. By understanding the requirements, the specific needs as well as then backing them up with on the ground technical experts, UNIEA will strive to achieve on my purpose, and that is to ensure our customers are successful.

7. Kindly touch on the notable changes, developments and achievements that have taken place since re-launch of UniIndustries. I think foremost, and most notable, is the now established and highly skilled technical department. As the technology improves on the different products, it is necessary to ensure that the technical backup and knowledge improves and updates with the technology available in the market, and having a team on the ground that can support these products was priority.

5. How would you distinguish yourself from the rest? To distinguish itself in a competitive and everchanging market, UNIEA has committed to doing what we do, better than our competitors and to be the market leaders in the field by continually updating ourselves, our knowledge and our skills while still maintaining our core purpose. 6. From the horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mouth, where do you rank Uni-Industries in respect to the industry you are at and kindly give some reasons to support the ranking if any?

UNI - LAUNCH IN PICTORIAL

The development of the sales team and their approach to a customer requirement orientated way of thinking instead of a sales target driven approach has also been an important change, as it is easy in a growing business and market to forget that the customer and needs is what every decision is driven by. 8. At the same time, when it comes to the South African businesses giants, most of them tend to fail in East African market, how have you worked out on the same to ensure that it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen for the new venture? - It is never easy to speculate on why others might have failed. From UNIEA perspective we are not looking at changing the East African market to suit us, but rather become part of the East African market, understanding the needs and requirements of our customers and then ensuring we can deliver on these expectations, while applying our knowledge and skills in such a way that it benefits the customer on the ground, whether it is as part of the initial design and specification process, the installation and start up or the continued backup and support.

INSIGHT HOTELIER #10 | JUNE - AUGUST 2017

HOSPITALITY BRANDS

WOW Beverages enters beer mass market with Faxe distribution network to enable us to serve our Kenyan consumers nationwide,” said Mr Patrick Gathara, Royal Unibrew Country Manager. Faxe beer portfolio includes Faxe Stout, Faxe 10% and Faxe Premium available in 500ml cans. Established in 1992, WOW Beverages (formerly Wines of the World) is part of the business portfolio of businessman Humphrey Kariuki and was the first private company to import wines and spirits into Kenya. The company recently moved its warehousing and offices to a new state-of-the-art plant in Thika to accommodate its expansion. Mr Lucas reiterated that WOW Beverages would continue to invest in its physical and human resources to support its growth and expansion. WOW Beverages On Trade Channel Manager Muniu Mucheru with Royal Unibrew Country Manager Patrick Gathara, at a Faxe Beer activation at Atlantis Bar, Nairobi.

Nairobi, June, 2016 - Leading Kenyan beverages marketing company, WOW Beverages has entered the beer mass market with a partnership to distribute Faxe Beer. WOW Beverages will market and distribute the canned beer manufactured by Royal UnibrewDenmark’s second largest brewer. Royal Unibrew, a leading beverages provider with a global presence produces, sells and distributes quality beverages with a focus on branded products within the beer, malt beverage soft drinks, cider and long drinks market. WOW Beverages Chief Executive Officer, Chris Lucas said the new partnership

INSIGHT HOTELIER #10 | JUNE - AUGUST 2017

will bolster WOW Beverages’ business line and will enable it to meet a growing demand for quality international beer brands. “This partnership is a strategic step towards the growth of our beer category and goes a long way into our broader strategy of offering a complete portfolio of brands across the consumer chain,” noted Mr Lucas. The tie-up will enable Royal Unibrew to benefit from WOW Beverages’ seamless market footprint in Kenya founded on the firm’s stable and dependable national distribution network. “We were looking for a company with a robust and extensive national

“This new partnership with Royal Unibrew, a globally recognised player, confirms that our substantial investment in sales, marketing and logistics infrastructure is paying dividends and has brought us to global standards,” said Mr Lucas. WOW Beverages, represents three major international spirits companies and carries wine brands from eight wine producing countries as well as specialist beers and premium water brands. Some of the international brands in WOW Beverages spirits portfolio include Jack Daniels, Famous Grouse, Macallan, Bacardi and Martini among many others. The firm’s wine selection include Catena from Argentina, Douglas Green from South Africa, JP Chenet from France, Gato Negro from Chile and Tommasi from Italy.

HOSPITALITY TRAINING

Brace yourself, Kenya!

By Antonette Frida & Johnson Mbugua eautiful sceneries, perfect weather and improving infrastructure. Kenya has the best investment platforms, however “The planned hotels are fewer compared to Kenya’s peers such as Nigeria” by Joshua Masinde on Daily Nation. Has Kenya underestimated the hospitality industry? What’s the reason to having fewer hotel investors? The reason could be that Kenya is not professionally prepared, as majority of the hotels are left with no options but to employ unskilled individuals. This is evident when some of the hotels approach job seeking websites, keeping in mind majority of people have false documentations in order to get employment. Instead they can approach recognized Hospitality colleges, for the students to get internship and make a living.

a chef in the Western world is known as Bachelor of Arts degree Culinary Arts, but in Kenya, we still maintain on referring to it as ‘Catering’ which sounds whimsical to say the least. Not all hope is lost though. The Boma International Hospitality College has recently partnered with Business and Hotel Management School in Switzerland, to give students a chance of gaining World Class hospitality skills, thus positively contributing to the industry. However, we must also view the situation from an individual perspective. Are all the students taking hospitality courses passionate

enough? Are the current employees in the industry hard-working? Hospitality is not for the faint hearted, because it breaks down who you are and molds you to who you are meant to be. Long hours, low pay and arrogant guests can turn out to be a nightmare of a career for some and only the very best will succeed at the highest level of this demanding industry. It is high time for Kenya to realize its potential to become a global leader in Hospitality and prepare for the heavy investment coming into Nairobi from global brands like JW Marriott and the Sheraton. The education sector must improve in order to supply the industry with skilled manpower to satisfy the ever-growing demand.

In addition to this crisis, “My issue is that the waiters conduct racial profiling, but the management couldn’t be bothered.” This was posted on Kaboro’s blog way back in 2011 but to everyone’s surprise it still happens! Who is to blame for this? We have a serious problem that has to be solved or else Kenya will forever be known for its average service standards. Due to the disappointing facts, it’s clear to say that the hospitality courses in Kenya need to be updated. For example, training to become INSIGHT HOTELIER #10 | JUNE - AUGUST 2017

in pictures NORTH RIFT REGION MARCH 2017

CENTRAL RIFT REGION APRIL 2017

2ND EDITION

2017

MT KENYA CENTRAL REGION JUNE 2017

Events Sponsored by:Media Partners

Clique ltd

Your One Stop Hospitality Solution www.clique.co.ke

INSIGHT HOTELIER #10 | JUNE - AUGUST 2017

Event Calendar 2017 Insight Hospitality East Africa will be running the 2nd edition of hotelier’s conference and Expo this year as a B2B Model of reaching out to the hospitality Industry as part of enhancing our reach out programme to the industry apart from the publication – Hotelier magazine which is a quarterly B2B magazine for the hospitality industry and beyond. Our main objective is to creating a platform of sharing with hoteliers the new trends, technological changes, training solutions as the supplier get to network and offer solutions to the industry based on the new developments in the industry among others with the support of industry stakeholder. Who should attend:

Hotel owners, Managers, Head of Departments / supervisors from hospitality sector covering all classes of Hotels, Camps, Lodges, and Resorts within the cluster regions as below.

Duration of the event: All our 2017 events will be a 2 day event per region which will include short seminars cum conference sessions, Exhibitions by solution providers and exceptional cases studies by solution providers.

National Hospitality Event National Events 2017

Kenya: Nairobi < 13-14 Sept’ 2017>

Rwanda : Kigali < Coming up>

Uganda : Kampala < Coming up>

Tanzania : Arusha + Dar es salaam < Coming up>

Regional Clusters of Hospitality Events: Region

Seminar Period

North Rift Region Central & South Rift Region Central Kenya Region

22-23 Feb 2017 (Closed) 05-06 April 2017 (Closed) 24--25 May 2017 (Closed)

Eastern Kenya Region

30-31 Aug’ 2017 (Coming Up)

Meru

Nairobi Regions

13-14 Sept’ 2017 (Coming Up)

Nairobi

Western & Nyanza Region Coastal Region

Event Venue Eldoret Nakuru Nyeri

Hoteliers from the following towns to attend Kapsabet, Nandi-Hills, Kitale, Iten, Kabarnet, Malaba, Bungoma, Webuye, Eldoret cum adjacent towns. Naivasha, Gilgil, Nyahururu, Olkalau , Njoro, Elburgon, Molo, E/Ravine, Narok, Masai Mara, Nakuru cum adjacent towns. Muranga, Embu, Nanyuki, Nyahururu, Karatina, Narumoru , Nyeri cum adjacent towns. Embu, Nkubu, Chuka, Maua, Chogoria , Isiolo, Meru cum adjacent towns.

Machakos, Thika, Limuru, Nairobi & Adjacent towns cum Hoteliers from other towns can attend. Kisumu Kakamega , Mumias , Nambale, Busia, Siaya, Ugunja, Vihiga, 11-12 Oct’ 2017 Kericho , Sotik, Bomet, Keroka, Migori, Homabay , Rongo, (Coming up…) Kendubay, Oyugis, Kisii, Kisumu cum adjacent towns. 15-16 Nov’ 2017 Mombasa Voi, Kilifi, Diani, Malindi, Mtwapa, Lamu, Mombasa cum (Coming up…) adjacent towns.  Respective dates to be confirmed in due course***

RIC Ltd, P.O. Box 36106-00200 Nairobi - Kenya; +254.735 350 690/0725 350 690; events@insighthospitality.org / www.insighthospitality.org or www.insightpublication.org

INSIGHT HOTELIER #10 | JUNE - AUGUST 2017

SUPPLIER LISTING

Hospitality Equipments & Kitchen related solutions

Nairobi Kitchen Care Ltd Allbid House, Along Main Mombasa Road P.O. Box 44669-00100 Nairobi, Kenya. Tel:+254 (0)725 351 079 | 0727 246 209 Email: info@nkc.co.ke www.nkc.co.ke Category – Hospitality Equipments & Solutions • All kitchen Equipments • Stainless steel Fabrications • Refrigeration Solutions • Set ups for Deli / Butchery / Bakeries etc

Exhibitors @ The Conference