Choppies branch with a difference: Nkayi to enjoy shopping, banking facilities

Business Reporter
RETAIL giant Choppies Zimbabwe plans to open a branch with a banking facility in Nkayi District as part of its expansion drive.

The move is expected to create more job opportunities and increase business activity in the usually quiet district.

Choppies Zimbabwe managing director Mr Siqokoqela Mphoko confirmed the proposed move to Business Chronicle in an interview.

“Yes we have such plans but we first need to send our team to do a feasibility study like we do in all our businesses. It is something we would like to do especially considering that I come from Nkayi myself,” said Mr Mphoko who is son to the Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko.

“It is something that we are looking at seriously this year.”

The Bulawayo-headquartered firm has been on an aggressive investment drive since its entry into the local market four years ago, having opened 32 branches across major cities and towns in the country. The company has as a result created 2 000-plus jobs and become a market for dozens of local industry suppliers.

The proposal has already excited people from Nkayi who expect Choppies to transform their business environment and ease the burden of high prices and travelling costs to major towns for service.

Outgoing Nkayi District Administrator, Mr Mandlamakhulu Moyo told a recent gathering in Nkayi that the coming in of Choppies Supermarket will bring more development to the district.

“Choppies expressed interest to open a supermarket at Nkayi centre and we welcomed this decision with joy. This will make life easy for the people of Nkayi who travel to Bulawayo to do their grocery shopping due to high prices in Nkayi,” he said.

“Nkayi Rural District Council has offered a piece of land to Choppies and all the paper work is being finalised. We are now waiting for the construction of the supermarket to begin. We are really excited about this development because Choppies promised that their prices will be relatively lower than competitors.”

Mr Moyo said establishment of a banking facility will go a long way in making life easier for civil servants and other villagers who also travel to Bulawayo for banking services.

“There are no banks in Nkayi. Civil servants, pensioners and other workers are travelling to Bulawayo and Kwekwe to access cash whenever they are paid. This is expensive and time consuming for them,” he said.

Mr Moyo said the business situation in Nkayi had been worsened by the shortage of cash, which forces people from the district to spend days in Bulawayo trying to withdraw money from their bank accounts.

Mr Mphoko is on record saying his firm was planning to open up to 50 branches countrywide and garnering for a turnover of $350 million.

He said Choppies was confident of the investment climate in Zimbabwe and would continue working with the Government in empowering locals and creating jobs.

Chief Sikobokobo who attended the event said a Choppies investment was a huge endorsement for the district.

“Nkayi has been one of the least developed areas in the country but I am happy that investors are showing interest in our district,” said Chief Sikobokobo.

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