Mr. DIY to debut in African continent via South Africa

Malaysian home goods giant Mr. DIY is “exploring new horizons” in the African continent as it looks into two cities in South Africa. Leo Gan, Mr. DIY Malaysia chief operations officer, announced on his LinkedIn page that the company recently wrapped up a visit to Johannesburg and Durban and added that he was “Inspired by the vibrant energy and limitless possibilities”.

Hinting at a market entry, he added that he was “looking forward to bringing fresh ideas and quality solutions to our amazing customers”. “Stay tuned for the exciting things ahead!,” he said.

Should it pan out, the country with 60 million people will be Mr. DIY’s first foray into the African continent -- although an online home improvement store using the brand name Mr. DIY but is not part of the Malaysian-based powerhouse has been operating for years in Nigeria. The move into Africa follows a successful southeast and south Asian expansion and an ongoing foray into Europe.  

South Africa is the most logical point of entry for Mr DIY in the continent, as it has the most diverse home improvement retail industry in Africa, according to an earlier report by DIY International. Apart from Cashbuild, a homegrown home improvement retailer, and Massmart, a company under Wallmart, South Africa also now hosts outlets of French marque Leroy Merlin.

Jennee Grace U Rubrico