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Pamela Shumba, Senior Business Reporter
CHOPPIES Enterprises lost stock valued at $2,5 million while equipment and assets worth $6,5 million were destroyed after nine of its branches were attacked by violent demonstrators and looters last week.

In a statement yesterday, Choppies chief executive officer Mr Ramachandran Ottapathu said four of the nine shops were burnt down by the looters.

“Choppies would like to advise the nation of Zimbabwe, its suppliers, stakeholders, and business clients that the retail chain was a victim of the recent demonstrations that rocked the country during the stay away that was witnessed two weeks ago.

“During the stay away disturbances, nine of our shops in Zimbabwe’s high density areas were looted, with stock valued at approximately $2,5 million being forcibly taken away by the demonstrators,” he said. Mr Ottapathu said of the nine shops that were attacked, four were torched by yet to be identified suspects.

“The total value of the equipment and assets that were destroyed by the fire has been put at close to about $6,5 million.

“We hope the law would catch up with the suspects in the very foreseeable future so that they can answer for their actions,” said Mr Ottapathu.

He added that the acts of violence will not deter Choppies from its goal of bringing grocery convenience to the people.

“As Choppies, we took the route to bring shopping convenience to the people by locating these shops within the communities.

“This was aimed at helping people reduce transport costs whenever they needed to make groceries.

“We would like to state that this work of arsonists will not deter Choppies from its goal of ensuring that we bring grocery convenience to the people where they stay,” said Mr Ottapathu.

At the moment, he added, Choppies awaits the full evaluation of the damage by its insurers.

“Once that is done, we’ll then start the process of refurbishing those shops that were attacked.

“We aim to have, in total, about 60 shops in Zimbabwe and we hope that the Zimbabwean family will be with us as we continue with this journey of providing shopping excellence to the people.

“We reiterate our hope and prayer that the long arm of the law will catch up with all these malcontents who looted and torched our shops and those of our fellow business colleagues so that they face the full wrath of the law for they have deprived families of livelihoods and access to basic commodities in a very convenient way,” said Mr Ottapathu.

He said Choppies was in the country to stay and will be guided by its assurance to its customer and stick to it. Meanwhile, police in Bulawayo have arrested more than 500 suspected looters as they continue the hunt for violent protesters who committed various crimes during the demonstrations that were instigated by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions last week. — @pamelashumba1.

CHOPPIES Enterprises lost stock valued at $2,5 million while equipment and assets worth $6,5 million were destroyed after nine of its branches were attacked by violent demonstrators and looters last week.

In a statement yesterday, Choppies chief executive officer Mr Ramachandran Ottapathu said four of the nine shops were burnt down by the looters.

“Choppies would like to advise the nation of Zimbabwe, its suppliers, stakeholders, and business clients that the retail chain was a victim of the recent demonstrations that rocked the country during the stay away that was witnessed two weeks ago.

“During the stay away disturbances, nine of our shops in Zimbabwe’s high density areas were looted, with stock valued at approximately $2,5 million being forcibly taken away by the demonstrators,” he said. Mr Ottapathu said of the nine shops that were attacked, four were torched by yet to be identified suspects.

“The total value of the equipment and assets that were destroyed by the fire has been put at close to about $6,5 million.

“We hope the law would catch up with the suspects in the very foreseeable future so that they can answer for their actions,” said Mr Ottapathu.

He added that the acts of violence will not deter Choppies from its goal of bringing grocery convenience to the people.

“As Choppies, we took the route to bring shopping convenience to the people by locating these shops within the communities.

“This was aimed at helping people reduce transport costs whenever they needed to make groceries.

“We would like to state that this work of arsonists will not deter Choppies from its goal of ensuring that we bring grocery convenience to the people where they stay,” said Mr Ottapathu.

At the moment, he added, Choppies awaits the full evaluation of the damage by its insurers.

“Once that is done, we’ll then start the process of refurbishing those shops that were attacked.

“We aim to have, in total, about 60 shops in Zimbabwe and we hope that the Zimbabwean family will be with us as we continue with this journey of providing shopping excellence to the people.

“We reiterate our hope and prayer that the long arm of the law will catch up with all these malcontents who looted and torched our shops and those of our fellow business colleagues so that they face the full wrath of the law for they have deprived families of livelihoods and access to basic commodities in a very convenient way,” said Mr Ottapathu.

He said Choppies was in the country to stay and will be guided by its assurance to its customer and stick to it. Meanwhile, police in Bulawayo have arrested more than 500 suspected looters as they continue the hunt for violent protesters who committed various crimes during the demonstrations that were instigated by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions last week. — @pamelashumba1.