Botswana's second city, Francistown welcomed the second largest Choppies store in Botswana last Friday.
The super store is said to contain 40% more refigeration space and that in terms of size it is the 2nd largest after Choppies Hyper along the Western-by-Pass in Gaborone.
Slizer and her gyrating dancers once again dazzled the masses that had come to take advantage of the low prices now popular with the opening of a new Choppies shop. Joel 'Ntsoro' Keitumele who was the MC also kept the crowd laughing with his humour.
Lucky and deserving charities also got reason to celebrate this new store at Jola shopping centre in Somerset Extension.
Welcoming the super store, Francistown Mayor, Shadreck Nyeku said; “Indeed it is an honour for us as Francistowners to have two Choppies retail stores as the population in our city is growing at an alarming rate. In Francistown alone, the two shops have employed more than 100 employees with 98% being Batswana.”
Sadique Kebonang of Choppies said they believed in a community business service and business partnership that will empower and benefit the community they serve in various and diverse ways.
“Our knowledge, experience and investment in business with the community must yield visible, tangible and realistic mutual dividends at the end of each business day.
“It is thus with the same zest and zeal that we believe you our prized customers should gain and will gain something of the business knowledge and experience with us,” Kebonang said.
Dr Gloria Somolekae, Assistant Minister of Finance and Development Planning, before opening the store said a development of this nature represented a number of potential benefits for the economy of Francistown and Botswana at large.
“As you may be aware, some of the potential benefits of the people of Francistown include job creation, a wider product choice, competitive prices and improvement in the quality of service. It is always our hope as government that when an establishment of this nature and magnitude locates in any area, local producers could secure markets for their produce. That act alone is key in stimulating local production and improving the incomes of various producers with the local economy.
“The growth of Choppies also means it is competing with the rest. Special mention must be made of all potential benefits to our economy as Choppies spreads its wings into SADC region. We expect that the rest of Africa will also benefit from this expansion sooner rather than later,” she said.
According to Marketing Executive Otsile Marole the store is the 49th in Botswana since the first one 24 years ago. The group also boasts of nine stores in South Africa.
She also said Choppies commands 37% of retail market and is possibly the largest private sector employer in Botswana
“Choppies is particularly active in contributing to the people and the economy of our beautiful country. Our numerous corporate social responsibility programs are always well implemented. Thus one is inclined to mention that we intend to continue to expand this gesture to the people of Francistown and the North East District as a whole.”
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