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Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter
TM Supermarket Bradfield branch in Bulawayo is undergoing refurbishment with the official launch of a new look retail outlet set for next week.

The chain store’s managing director, Dharmalingum Dass, said renovations at Bradfield began six months ago.

“This store is being converted to Pick n Pay. It entails wider ranges plus the inclusion of our wide range of exclusive Pick n Pay items.

“We’ll be extending our focus on our fresh departments like bakery, butchery and fruit and vegetables,” he said.

“There’ll also be an introduction of general merchandise lines and a new water bar where you can bring in your own container and buy purified water at 20 cents a litre.

“There’ll also be an extended range on chilled items like cheese and cold meats.”

Dass would not be drawn into revealing the amount of investment that has been put on the refurbishment exercise.

He, however, said they were not rebranding TM supermarkets to Pick n Pay but the focus was on strategically looking at certain sites that can be transformed.

“When we opened Hyper Supermarket last year there was an overwhelming request for a Pick n Pay store from our Bradfield customers. We’re not rebranding TM Supermarkets to Pick n Pay.

“We’re strategically looking at certain sites that can be converted,” he explained.

“We only have 12 stores that are Pick n Pay from a total of 55 stores. We expect the eventual number to be 15 Pick n Pay stores.”

The chain store is part of the retail arm of Meikles Limited.

The operating businesses of Meikles Limited forms one of the leading retail and hotel groups in Zimbabwe comprising TM Supermarkets, which is the country’s largest supermarket chain, Meikles Hotels, which is the country’s premier corporate, five star hotel group; Tanganda Tea Company, the largest grower, packer and distributor of tea products locally and Thomas Meikles Stores, trading under the names of Meikles, Barbours and Greatermans.