Kenyan entrepreneurs interested in the laundry industry are set to benefit from the launch of commercial laundromat by Alliance Laundry Systems, the U.S.-based world leader in commercial laundry.
The laundry giant says its targeting entrepreneurs from major urban centers in the country who will receive full laundromat store concepts with all operational and technical support.
According to Jean-Paul Mailhac, Regional Sales Manager Sub-Saharan Africa from Alliance, a fast growing demand for laundry services and products, combined with a booming economy and annual growth of more than 6 percent, makes Kenya the ideal place to start a laundromat.
“We have already witnessed that Kenyan entrepreneurs are passionate about a laundromat. Kenya is the country from where we have received the most inquiries by far. It is quickly becoming a need in this society as people spend a lot of time and effort on their looks,” Mr Mailhac said in a statement on the launch.
Urban centers have been targeted with Laundromats for what Alliance Laundry Systems terms as having the highest profit potential.
“For the majority of Kenyans living in urban areas, owning a washing machine is a considerable investment. The normal practice is washing by hand, an inefficient and environmentally damaging process. With an emerging market for Laundromats, this task can be easily and efficiently taken over,” Mr Mailhac explained.
Alliance attributes the lack of uptake of Laundromats in the country to the lack of global best practice experience, limited local technical expertise and no specific retail cleaning knowledge.
To ease their entry into the country, Alliance plans to have a number of demonstration events in Nairobi to explain in detail all benefits their laundromat concept has to offer later in the year.
Alliance Laundry System is present in 140 countries with a team of more than 2,900 employees.
