Choppies, the country’s iconic chain-store company, was applauded Friday and its moves described as “more than welcome difference” when it opened its latest outlet that is hoped will be a bell whether for other giant operations to come to the village.
The country’s biggest chain-store, with turnover of around P 3 billion per annum, opened its 45th store in the country in Pitsane on Friday. The company is one of the fastest growing brands that are being exported into the southern African region.
Presently, it has six outlets in South Africa ÔÇöand the seventh is slated to be opened in PhokengÔÇöoutside Rustenburg ÔÇô this coming weekend.
Kgosi Kgolo Letlaamoreng II of Barolong praised Choppies’ move and pledged undying support for the business.
“It is on that basis that I would like on behalf of our community to welcome the new Choppies store and to assure the Management that as part of the broader family that they will be joining, it should be obvious that both Choppies and the Community will be enjoined in a reciprocal relationship,” he said.
Letlaamoreng II expressed delight in the decision of Choppies to identify Pitsane for their store, despite the existence of many other places in the country that relatively had all the conditions considered suitable for “the popular brand” that Choppies has come to be regarded as.
“Thus we are confident that in the course of time this could have the effect of motivating other investors to see this area as a worthy destination for business, and can say with certainty that all of us here are genuinely celebrating this day for the difference it means to not only the residents of Pitsane but the whole Borolong region,” Letlaamoreng II said.
Ram Ottopat, Chief Executive Officer of Choppies, said the opening of a store in the village was part of the initiatives of brining services closer to the communities.
He also praised the support which his company is getting from Batswana which has enabled it to grow.
Choppies started from the dusty streets of Peleng in Lobatse ÔÇô some 15 years agoÔÇöto become a regional household name.
Choppies currently operates some of the OK Foods stores and runs some pharmacies in the country. It has plans to start a milling company.
However, the outfit seems to have developed some cold feet from its 3-year-old stance to list on the Botswana Stock Exchange.
