Safaricom’s Ziidi Trader platform recorded heavy activity on Tuesday as investors moved to buy shares in Quickmart following the opening of the supermarket’s initial public offering (IPO).

Traffic on the platform reportedly exceeded 100,000 users at one point, with the busiest period between 10am and 2pm, highlighting growing interest among retail investors in accessing shares through mobile phones.

The activity came as Quickmart opened an offer for two billion ordinary shares at Sh7.50 each. The shares represent 50 per cent of the supermarket’s issued share capital, giving the offer a target of Sh15 billion.

Investors need a minimum of 500 shares, meaning they can participate with Sh3,750.

The Quickmart IPO is a secondary sale, meaning the shares are being sold by existing shareholders rather than the supermarket raising new capital. The offer will run until October 30, with results expected on November 6 and trading on the Nairobi Securities Exchange scheduled to begin on November 12.

Quickmart has expanded significantly since opening its first store in Nakuru in 2006. The retailer now operates 72 stores across 16 counties after expanding through organic growth and its merger with Tumaini Supermarkets.

The supermarket generated Sh50.4 billion in revenue in 2025 and recorded an adjusted profit after tax of Sh1.7 billion. Revenue grew at a compound annual rate of 18.4 per cent between 2021 and 2025, while revenue for the first half of 2026 reached Sh27.3 billion.

Quickmart serves about five million customer transactions each month and has around 2.5 million members under its Q-Points loyalty programme. Loyalty customers accounted for about 74 per cent of sales in 2025 and the first half of 2026.

The retailer plans to expand its network beyond 100 stores, with plans to open between 10 and 15 outlets annually. It also intends to grow its online shopping and delivery business while improving efficiency across its operations.

The company operates mainly through leased stores, allowing it to expand without tying up large amounts of capital in property.

Quickmart has also attracted conditional backing from the International Finance Corporation, which plans to purchase up to $15 million worth of shares, equivalent to about Sh1.94 billion. The investment would account for roughly 13 per cent of the IPO.

The listing comes as Kenya’s organised retail sector continues to recover from the collapse of major supermarket chains such as Nakumatt, Tuskys and Uchumi.

For investors, the offer provides an opportunity to take a stake in one of the country’s largest supermarket chains as it continues its nationwide expansion.