Encomium
Shoprite has long been the go-to grocery store for millions of people across Nigeria. Most of the twenty-five stores that are currently open are located in the south of the country with a few in the Northern and Eastern states.
Why is it important that Shoprite successfully continues to establish itself not only in the more “remote” regions of the country but even in the largest metropolises?
Nigeria is expected to almost double its population in the next thirty years alone, that is an extra 200 million mouths to feed, people to educate, and workers to employ. Luckily, Shoprite is already putting in place plans to help cover these three driving pillars. The only condition? With more people comes the need for more Shoprite stores.
How does Shoprite cover these three pillars though?
First of all, the food – probably the best bit right? The produce that Shoprite sells is simply exemplary. The meat are succulent, the vegetables are fresh; they are sourced from the most excellent farmers across the country and Shoprite serves as a value-for-money outlet from which Nigerians can buy these products.
How about the drinks? – Well of course they’ve got the drinks you’ve all come to love and recognize but Shoprite also has an array of finely picked wines from around the world. You want to immerse yourself in the valleys of French burgundy? Pick one of Shoprite’s chardonnays! Prefer the taste of down under? That’s fine, Shoprite’s got you covered with an Australian Merlot.
So, Shoprite grants you access to not only the flavours of Nigeria but also that of the rest of the world. You might think that that is all (a big “all” nevertheless) that Shoprite does or represents. You’d be wrong though.
With more Shoprite stores and groceries comes more job opportunities. The presence of the larger stores and malls will encourage other businesses to pop up, providing even more jobs for Nigerians. Shoprite becomes a catalyst for economic growth and a sure job provider for thousands of people.
Finally, education. You might ask yourself what a supermarket chain can do to help educate people, and although the two may not initially seem compatible it may surprise you to learn that Shoprite is dedicated to helping Nigerians learn and develop knowledge and skills.
Take for example the stipulation that, in the new Benin mall, Shoprite insisted on the need for a public state library to be included in the mall’s construction’s plan. By championing the need for more spaces for education, Nigerians will have more opportunities to learn than ever before.
Shoprite is a truly Nigerian company, and its vision goes beyond providing people with nourishment – Shoprite is about people, and about the future.
