There is a popular belief that Mahomed Mussa is probably the cheapest place where you can buy your groceries especially if you are buying using swipe/RTGS. The belief is so widespread that each month scores of shoppers have to wait in line just to get into the shop every month end.

Is Mahomed Mussa really cheaper?

We were curious and decided to put this belief to the test. We went and did a price survey. Since Mahomed Mussa is a grocery wholesaler we decided to use our usual basket of products that we think an average family needs. The results are shocking, to say the least.

ItemOKPick N PayChoppiesFoodWorldMM
All Purpose Cleaner 750ml13.4911.2513.7513.3522.20
Bath soap Geisha 225g8.999.999.499.509.50
Bath soap imagenanananana
Bath soap Jade 250g8.99na12.95nana
Beans Dried 500g13.9916.999.7917.9012.90
Bleach/Jik 500ml15.4916.7924.4515.3020.25
Bread Baker's Inn9.459.459.309.30na
Bread Lobels9.459.459.309.30na
Bread Proton9.459.40na9.30na
Bread Shopna8.808.95nana
Candles 6pack 300g19.6917.9911.7516.6527.35
Cereal (Cerevita) 500g44.5022.9928.9921.9523.50
Cooking Oil 2lnanana43.8045.00
Creamer 1kg49.9948.99na47.9952.30
Dish Washer 750ml14.8517.9915.2514.6516.75
Diapers 50137.18249.00165.00125.00na
Drink Bally House21.9921.9924.9925.95na
Drink Cheapest20.9917.9919.8021.9014.75
Drink Mazoe Original 2l33.0033.9927.4932.3030.25
Drink Mazoe less sugar21.0023.9921.4921.00na
Eggs 3051.9943.99na40.60na
Eggs 6na10.50na10.35na
Flour 2kg40.9928.9927.9526.5028.80
Green bar10.6913.999.7917.107.85
Jam 375ml18.607.999.4910.6014.75
Kapenta 1KG66.9978.99na75.00na
Kapenta 500g41.9938.9944.7037.5042.50
Lotion/Cream Camphor 300ml29.3927.9926.9934.55na
Macaroni 3kg63.99nana58.7052.00
Margarine 500g14.9913.99016.4014.49na
Matches pack of 10 boxes5.705.993.855.154.00
Mayonnaise 750g29.9919.9926.9537.00na
Mealie-meal 10kg48.5048.9950.6048.7046.80
Mealie-meal Refined 10kg59.8959.99na52.8051.00
Milk 1l13.9912.9910.9911.4011.95
Peanut butter 375ml13.3013.9917.4517.2524.00
Petroleum Jelly 300ml22.2925.9920.7557.4023.80
Rice white34.5054.9934.9935.4535.30
Salt 1kg5.995.996.255.998.20
Sanitary Pads 10s/8s9.9911.9914.759.5011.85
Scouring powder 500g1.852.992.508.658.45
Shoe polish 50ml16.0017.4910.3011.80
Shoe polish 100ml19.1026.9924.95na
Soup Usavi Mix 50g2.852.892.853.253.45
Stasoft Refill (500ml)35.2932.99nana36.57
Sugar 2kg30.5028.9930.4030.4030.00
Surface Cleaner 500ml21.5011.2513.9913.3522.20
Tea 100 tea bags23.9919.8922.4524.2520.70
Thai Rice 2kg37.59na34.9936.00na
Tinned beans 410g10.997.198.4911.0010.75
Tinned fish 155g8.605.996.299.206.50
Tissues (Pack of 4)15.3914.9917.3516.4015.45
Toilet Cleaner 500ml18.3519.1918.2024.8021.25
Toothpaste 100ml7.996.897.998.1512.00
Washing Powder 1kg28.4926.9925.4526.5026.60
Washing Powder 2kg56.9853.99na55.0556.60

Conclusion

  • Clearly there is no real advantage to shopping at Mahomed Mussa
  • When compared to supermarkets Mahomed Mussa can be expensive for some products
  • We think we know why. Those prices are heavily base on USD rate bases. Quick calculations will show you there is a method to those prices.
  • The trend worldwide is that large retailers can enjoy the same economies of scale previously enjoyed by wholesalers only, they too can order in bulk and break that bulk by sharing goods among branches

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