Choppies Zimbabwe to open 5 more stores by year-end

Retail giant Choppies Enterprises Zimbabwe says it is targeting to open five more supermarkets across the country before yearend.

The group opened two supermarkets in Warren Park and Mabvuku this morning.

Choppies director Mr Siqokoqela Mphoko said the continued expansion drive has been necessitated by the conducive environment for business as well as support from its customers.

"We are expecting to open five more shops by December 20. We are currently refurbishing the old Mashonaland Furniture building in Harare, two in Gweru, one Bulawayo and one in Chitungwiza.

"We initially invested $25 million when we started and we are now using the money from other shops to open new shops in the country," he said.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the official opening of the Choppies supermarket in Warren Park which was graced by Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko and the Minister of Industry and Commerce Mike Bimha.

Mr Mphoko said the group was promoting local products as most of their products were being accessed locally.

"75 percent of our products are being obtained from the local market and 25 percent is imported but mostly products which are not found in the country.

"The business has changed because the time we started 90 percent our products were imported because the local market was failing to supply," he said.

But he said the group had a challenge with respect to cooking oil and other few products which are being affected by supply constraints on the local market.

"The country has the capacity to supply cooking oil but the refineries are failing to copy with the demand which is high and thus why we end up importing cooking oil," he said.

Currently Choppies Zimbabwe has 24 shops operating in the country.