Chicken Is The Most Popular Cuisine Among Kenyan Online Customers

According to the recently published Kenya Food Index 2020, Chicken is the most popular cuisine among online customers in Kenya.

Jumia Food’s data shows that Chicken was the most ordered cuisine in the country between March and August 2020, followed by burgers and pizza.

Kenyans spent 2000 shillings on average for a meal on Jumia Food, which is 25 percent higher than the same period last year, while the least expensive meals cost as low as 200 shillings.

“Home delivery from restaurants & supermarkets is growing fast, as more consumers are choosing to order from home or the office and want to avoid crowds.

We have been working hard this year to continue to improve our quality of service. Our average delivery times on Jumia Food are down to 35 minutes today in Kenya, and I expect we will do better by the end of the year.

We are also signing up more restaurants & stores, particularly smaller independents, so that customers have the choice they expect, at affordable prices.

We hope that this combination of fast delivery and relevant & affordable choices, will make Jumia Food an everyday service for millions of Kenyans over time.” said Jumia CEO Sam Chappatte

The report also shows that foreign cuisines are gaining more popularity, with Kenyans opting for burgers and pizzas and exploring different cuisines like Indian and Chinese meals. This data implies that Kenyan families are becoming more creative and less traditional in the way they source for their meals.

New services like Jumia Prime have played a key role in bringing down the cost of food delivery, as the service allows unlimited free delivery for customers who subscribe to the service. Free delivery also extends to the main Jumia e-commerce platform (for free delivery on products).

Enhanced availability of popular vendors and increased mobile and internet penetration in the country have also played a role in raising awareness of online shopping platforms such as Jumia Food.

Baba-Nyama-Choma is the most popular local independent restaurant on Jumia Food, followed closely by Marita’s Bhajias, Swahili Plate, and Wok on Wheels. KFC is the most popular international chain.

Players in the market continue to adopt various developmental strategies to expand their fast food market share, increase profitability, and remain competitive (such as dark stores).

“We are grateful to all consumers who have supported local restaurants and food vendors since the outbreak and urge them to use online to help sustain businesses during this difficult time,” said Jumia Food Chief Commercial Officer, Shreenal Ruparelia.

Kenyan consumers are becoming more and more sophisticated, with 65 percent saying they prefer to order their food via Jumia Food App and the remaining still opting for web usage.

Nairobi is the leading city across Africa for online food delivery, followed by Casablanca (Morocco), Lagos (Nigeria) Kampala (Uganda), and Abidjan (Ivory Coast).

Kenya also leads the pack in mobile internet penetration, showing the tendency of Kenyans to browse via their smartphones & apps above the desktop. Urban, young, and tech-savvy people between 25 & 34 are the largest segment of consumers.

The Kenya Food Index Report indicates the estimated market size for online food and beverage is Kenya’s KES 1.8 billion and projected to reach 3.8 billion by 2024, African Development Bank (AFDB).

The country’s 2.1 million active online consumers are expected to double by 2024. This projection is encouraging as it promises job creation and an injection to the local economy – assuming the Digital Economy is allowed to flourish.

The Kenya Food Index launch coincides with the Jumia Food Festival, which is currently ongoing, in which Kenyans can find amazing deals every day through October from local and international restaurants.

Jumia Food is present in Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisumu, and Mombasa, and partners with close to 1000 restaurants across Kenya. Non-restaurant services available on Jumia Food include groceries, pharmacies, beverages, gas & water – all delivered to customers’ doorsteps in 35 minutes.