Five more Choppies supermarkets coming up

MARTIN NYIRENDA
Correspondent | Thursday December 17, 2009 00:00

In the next few months, Choppies intends to open more supermarkets in Serowe, Tonota, Francistown, Tsabong and Tutume. Ishmael said that each store will gobble about P6 million in equipment purchases only. He explained that it would be a fallacy to assume that the Choppies Group is more interested in generating profit than meeting the ever-changing market needs hence its programme to open up more outlets in the country in the next few months.

He said that the Choppies in Pitsane has created 65 employment opportunities for Batswana and about P12 million has been spent on equipment and fittings. 'I feel pleased when I see that services are brought closer to the people, especially remote areas,' he said. He disclosed that the Choppies Group will be opening a new supermarket in Phokeng, South Africa. Ramachandran Ottappath, the Choppies Group chief executive officer said that they have spent about P7 million to set up the building from which Choppies was operating from in Pitsane.

A Barclays Bank kiosk, situated inside the Choppies Store, is offering an array of valuable banking services to consumers. The kiosk makes the supermarket a one-stop-store for business.  Ottappath expressed happiness that the people are geared to appreciate the services and goods brought to them, considering that they were trudging long distances to get essential goods.Barolong paramount chief, Letlaamoreng II said he was happy with the business activities of Choppies and competitors should emulate the chain store by availing essential services and goods to the people in remote areas like Pitsane. He said the opening of Choppies in Pitsane comes as a blessing for the people of the area. He stated that future business opportunities in the areas are guaranteed.

He said that the opening of the Choppies supermarket is beneficial to the whole of Barolong and that it would alleviate the suffering that the people have been going through over the years to get goods at affordable prices within reasonable distances. He said that the supermarket has the potential to transform the socio-economic prospects of the people of Barolong. He hailed Choppies for setting up business in the area in a deliberate effort to foster employment creation. He added that this will ignite the passion among farmers or suppliers to diversify the economy through provision of services and goods to the chain store. He encouraged residents of Pitsane and surrounding areas to utilise the services and goods that Choppies supermarket had brought to their door-step.

A consumer from Pitsane, Patricia Zimba applauded Choppies for taking its services closer to the people. She said most people in the area are faced with the hurdle of travelling long distances to access services and goods that the supermarket is now availing to them at affordable prices.