Woes of Choppies Supermarket Deepen as Rongai Branch Closes

There has been looming fear of the likely closure of Choppies supermarket after members of the public have witnessed its struggles in the retail industry.

Choppies supermarket customers have in recent times complained of poorly stocked shelves. Choppies which has also seemed to be selling its products a few shillings higher is giving its customers all the reasons why they are not the better option.

Is Choppies Closing Down?

Choppies struggle points to its downfall where it could be seen following a list of retail stores that have closed shop due to what they all attribute to a harsh economic environment.

Choppies, whose main store is located in Botswana, has already had a number of its stores closed down namely the Kiambu town outlet and the Bungoma branch.

The salary of Choppies workers is in arrears and the retailer is yet to pay up suppliers as previously revealed by the Secretary-General Kenya Union of Commercial, Food and Allied Workers (KUCFAW), Boniface Kavuvi.

The struggles faced by Choppies are not fresh in the retail industry as they are the same issues that led to the closure of Nakumatt and Uchumi supermarkets.

Choppies woes began when the retailer did not release its financial results at the end of June 30^th, 2018. The Botswana Stocks Exchange and Johannesburg stocks exchange stopped trading Choppies shares.

A decision by the Choppies Board to kick out the now-former Chief Executive Officer Ramachandran Ottapathu is also said to have negatively affected the retailer.

Choppies was a force to reckon with in the retail industry with entry into seven African countries; however, the time has changed that as the retail has around 40 outlets from its previous 260.

Choppies had taken over fallen Ukwala’s stores in 2016 and could hardly manage four years in the industry.

Whether or not Choppies will close down is no longer a subject for discussion but is crippling the Country’s retail industry ought to be revisited and a solution found as the number of Kenyans left jobless is a major cause of concern.