Africa-Press – Botswana. Pick n Pay says its buyout of the Botswana franchises will provide room for recapitalisation of the business and ensure consistent product availability and quality.
The group, which is one of South Africa’s largest retailers, recently received local approval for the 100% takeover of NTS Holdings, the company that had been operating Pick n Pay supermarkets and liquor stores in the country for over a decade under a franchise arrangement.
NTS Holdings had, since 2009, held a territorial agreement to run Pick n Pay’s Botswana operations and by the time of the buyout, was managing 13 supermarkets and six liquor stores under the Pick n Pay brand.
“Through this mutually agreed buy-out of our master franchise agreement with NTS, the Pick n Pay Group is able to recapitalise the Botswana business, enabling the stores to be revitalised in line with our brand standards, including refurbishing facilities and ensuring consistent product availability and quality,” said Graeme Gathmann, Pick n Pay Group Executive of Rest of Africa, in a statement.
He added that one of the first changes customers will notice is the revitalisation of store environments, starting with one of the flagship stores in Gaborone which will be upgraded into the Pick n Pay store specifications.
Gathmann said once refurbished, customers can look forward to an upgraded fresh food offering, expanded hot foods section, new butchery, and the addition of a liquor department.
“The company is also deepening its relationships with local farmers and suppliers, particularly in the meat and produce sectors, so customers can count on consistently fresh and high-quality food grown right here in Botswana,” he said. “Our goal is to create a more enjoyable and convenient shopping experience, providing improved and consistent range of groceries, for every customer who walks through our doors.”
Gathmann said in the buyout, 100% of the positions have been secured with over 1,200 local employees continuing to serve.
One of the conditions for the Competition and Consumer Authority’s approval of the buyout was that no employee should be retrenched for a period of three years and that all employees be retained on equal or improved terms and conditions.
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