Product Code Database
Choppies Enterprises Limited is a Botswana multinational supermarket retailer headquartered in Gaborone. The retailer initially sold only food-based goods (both fresh groceries and wholesale long-life foods) and other fast-moving consumer goods. By 2024, Choppies had 161 stores in 4 countries.
Choppies became a listed company on the Botswana Stock Exchange on January 26, 2012, and is a constituent of the BSE DCI with an approximate market capitalization of Botswana Pula2.4 billion as of December 20, 2012." Choppies market data from the BSE "
By 1999, the company operated only two stores. Since then, it has grown to become a dominant player in Botswana’s fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry. The management team includes founding members Mr. Farouk Ismail, the current Deputy Chairman, and Mr. Ramachandaran Ottapathu, the current CEO. Both are major shareholders, each holding 34.2% of the company’s shares. In 2003, the group consolidated its operations under one structure, having previously operated under various franchise names.
Due to its exponential growth since 1999, there was growing demand for Choppies to be listed on the national stock exchange. The management team agreed, and the company was listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange on January 26, 2012. Grant Thornton was appointed to oversee the administration of the initial public offering, which saw 1.2 billion shares listed at BWP 1.15 per share, with 25% offered to the public. The IPO was the largest in the exchange’s history, raising BWP 350 million through the IPO and private placement, and was oversubscribed by up to 400%.
In 2008, Choppies opened its first store in Zeerust, South Africa, marking its expansion into the North West region. A South African distribution centre was launched in Rustenburg in September 2012 to serve the South African stores. In 2014, the group established its first distribution centre in Zimbabwe. The company completed its secondary listing on the JSE Limited on May 27, 2015. By the end of 2015 Zambian operations began and in early 2016 saw the acquisition of Jwayelani group in Durban, South Africa. Kenyan acquisition of Ulkwala group was also carried out in early 2016. As part of long term growth plan the group opened its first store in Tanzania and Mozambique in 2017.
In 2020, Choppies closed its stores in South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya and Tanzania.
By 2024, Choppies had 161 stores in 4 countries.
Welldone (Proprietary) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Choppies Group, is a logistics company that supports the day-to-day operations of the stores.
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