This month, the Jumia Food app decided to end its Jumia Food Mart feature in neighboring Kenya. The option has since been discontinued from the Jumia Food app and the closure was confirmed via tweet. This has glimmered a lot of mixed reactions from the loyal customers of the Jumia Food Mart in both Kenya and Uganda. Customers in Uganda who use the Food Mart are now keeping a close eye on whether the same thing is happening in the Pearl of Africa, as the services have been undependable more often than usual. The biggest question weighing on Jumia Food subscribers is undoubtedly “Is Jumia Food Mart Closing in Uganda?”
In July 2022, Jumia Food, a subsidiary of Jumia, the leading e-commerce platform in Uganda and the rest of Africa, launched the Jumia Food Mart. This initiative aimed to supply and deliver groceries to their customers within 20 minutes. As we approach the one-year mark since the service’s launch, we cannot help but applaud the swift delivery, affordable products, minimal delivery charges, and exceptional customer care provided by Jumia Food Mart.
While we were celebrating a milestone, a few things started to raise eyebrows. Over the past few weeks, a question has been lingering in my mind every time I think of making a grocery purchase: “Is the Jumia Food Mart closing?” I don’t have a definitive answer to that question, but there are certain things that could support the conspiracy. What initially began as low stock, indicated by the frustrating “Back Soon” message, particularly for dairy products, frozen items, fruits, and bakery products, has now transformed into a 50% discount. And now, we are even celebrating a 75% discount on all available products in the Food Mart. Unfortunately, there is very little stock left.
As I browse through the Jumia Food app in the Food Mart section, I can only find a few products under the Baby category, Grains and Pasta, Personal Care, and Cleaning & Laundry. Even those products that don’t have the “Back Soon” tag might be out of stock. When you place an order for products on the platform, expect a call from Jumia Food Mart customer care to provide updates on your order. As a result, one loyal customer made the following comment on Twitter:
Certainly, the information I have shared in the previous paragraph does not provide a guarantee of closure. However, there seems to be a reason behind this inconsistency, right? With that in mind, I decided to have a chat with an insider at Jumia Food Mart. When asked about the future of the service, their response was “Most Probably.” In simpler terms, it is more likely that the Jumia Food Mart will close rather than continue operating. This news is quite disheartening. Nevertheless, even if Jumia Food Mart chooses to officially close, it doesn’t mean the end of having groceries delivered to your doorstep. You can still utilize the Supermarket feature on the Jumia Food App or place orders through Glovo.
Last year, the SafeBoda App discontinued its SafeBoda Food and delivery feature, leading its customers to transition to Jumia Food Mart. Now, it seems that things are about to change once again.