Shoppers win big in the Choppies Save Big and Drive competition

Peter Matika, Senior Reporter
CHOPPIES chain of supermarkets last week held its Fifth annual Save Big and Drive competition, where 16 vehicles and many other consolation prizes were up for grabs.

This year there was a separate competition for Choppies staff. Miss Beatrice Mpande, a till operator at one of the Choppies branches in Bulawayo, walked away a happy woman, after she won a Chevrolet Bakkie, which was the grand prize for the staff competition.

“I can’t believe I won a car. This is a dream come true. I am at a loss for words. I have never thought of owning a car. I can’t say it’s a dream come true but a miracle,” said the ecstatic Miss Mpande.

The winner of the grand draw, Mr Imbayago Cleto said he was stunned to win a vehicle, yet he only spent a paltry $7,50.

“The competition was fair and to this day I still can’t believe I am a proud owner of a car. This is one of the best retail outlets in the country and has given back to the community since it opened,” he said.

Choppies Zimbabwe managing director Mr Siqokoqela Mphoko, during the draw said it was befitting for the company to award its employees, as they played a big role in its growth across the country.

“We really appreciate what they do for the company and we ask you as customers, to do the same. This year we had a competition for our employees as a way of showing appreciation of their dedication and sterling hard work,” he said.

This year’s draw was held at Nkulumane Shopping Complex, where various artistes and groups provided entertainment, with the main act being man-of-the-moment Madlela Skhobokhobo.

The Chop­pies Save Big and Drive pro­mo­tion is an an­nual themed car com­pe­ti­tion and pro­mo­tion that runs from Septem­ber to Novem­ber. Chop­pies has 32 out­lets doted across the country. Fifteen brand-new Re­nault Kwid ve­hi­cles were up for grabs, with the grand prize being the Chevro­let util­ity bakkie won by Mr Cleto.

Choppies marketing department in a statement said the competition will again be held this year, where even bigger prizes would be up for grabs.

“It is our wish that every city at least gets one car win­ner. To con­sole those who will not walk away with a car there are more prizes to be won such as fridges, gas stoves, mi­crowaves and tele­vi­sion sets. We en­cour­age our cus­tomers to par­tic­i­pate by buy­ing and en­sur­ing that they fill in their till slips and drop them in the en­try boxes avail­able in-store. Cus­tomers are also al­lowed to go and fill in their till slips at home and bring the re­ceipts at their con­ve­nience.”

Chop­pies is the fastest-grow­ing re­tail firm in Zim­babwe, whose in­vest­ment has cre­ated job op­por­tu­ni­ties across the coun­try. It also pos­sesses a ro­bust busi­ness model that is an­chored on good cus­tomer care and af­ford­able pric­ing of its prod­ucts.

Head-quartered in Bu­l­awayo, Chop­pies has been on an ag­gres­sive in­vest­ment drive since its en­try into the lo­cal mar­ket four years ago. Chop­pies has opened 32 branches across ma­jor cities and towns in the coun­try. It has branches in cities and towns such as Gwanda, Gokwe, Mutare, Bin­dura, Gweru, Ruwa and Harare.

The com­pany has as a re­sult cre­ated 2 000-plus jobs and be­come a mar­ket for dozens of lo­cal in­dus­try sup­pli­ers in­clud­ing small to medium en­ter­prises and smallholder farm­ers.-@peterkmatika