Pick n Pay Bradfield opens after $1m upgrade

Brighton Gumbo Business Reporter
TM Pick n Pay Supermarket yesterday officially opened its second branch in Bulawayo after investing nearly $1 million in upgrading its premises at Bradfield shopping centre.

Speaking to Business Chronicle after the opening ceremony, the giant retail shop’s managing director, Dharmalingum Dass, said close to $1 million was channelled towards the refurbishment of the new state-of- the-art supermarket.

The shop is situated in the upmarket suburb occupying 2,816 square metres of land with over 12,000 product lines in store.

“We can’t disclose the actual figure of the investment as we feel it’s confidential. But I can tell you it’s over $1 million,” said Dass.

He said greater focus of the supermarket will be placed on fresh products including butchery, bakery as well as fruits and vegetables.

“There’s a general merchandise line and a new water bar where you can bring in your own container and buy purified water at 20 cents a litre,” added Dass.

The new look Bradfield branch has been under renovation for close to six months.

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

“We’re currently looking for a strategic site in Bulawayo with a good trading density and rentals that we can be able to convert to a Pick n Pay,” 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.”

Dass said the fact that the chain store was revamping its outlets all over the country was a sign that the company was confident of the country’s economy.

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

The operating businesses of Meikles Limited form 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 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.