CHOPPIES REWARDS LONG-SERVING AND EXCELLING EMPLOYEES
Choppies Botswana hosted its 6th annual Employee Long Service and Excellence awards on Saturday, 18 November, 2023, paying tribute to employees who have served the company with distinction for more than 10 years. The event, held in Gaborone, also rewarded employees who have demonstrated exceptional performance and excellence over the past year. Welcoming the multitudes who graced the occasion, Choppies Group Chief Executive Officer, (CEO) Ramachandran Ottapathu explained the awards are meant to celebrate and honour the hard work and dedication of Choppies staff. “This is not just a recognition for long service for our employees, this gesture is to encourage our associates and colleagues to work hard,” noted Ottapathu. Being one of the retailers with the highest number of employees (9, 385 as of 2020), Choppies awarded 250 employees with honorary certificates for their outstanding contributions to Choppies’ growth and success in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector, both recently and over the last decade. Delivering the Keynote Address, Minister of Entrepreneurship, Karabo Gare applauded all the Excellence and Long Service award recipients for their hard work, a reward he said they thoroughly deserved. “To you, the stars of the night, keep the service baton burning so that when you pass it on to the next generation of employees, the spark is still there. Hard work will allow you to prosper beyond your wildest dreams, whether at work or elsewhere. The fact that you are receiving your ten-year Excellence awards demonstrates that your perseverance was not in vain. The award recipients are a true reflection of consistently doing better over many years of service,” declared Minister Gare, commending Choppies management for honouring and valuing their employees. “This indicates a true reflection of aspirations for mindset change. Not only has Choppies been focused on trading but continues to provide employment opportunities to Batswana, more especially youth and women,” he added. For his part, Choppies Regional Manager, Phenyo Molebatsi said the employee’s dedication, hard work and innovation have been the driving force behind the retailer’s success. “In the last two decades we have faced challenges head on with resilience but each one of you has played a crucial role in making Choppies what it is today. Our success is not only about numbers but relationships we have built and enhanced customer experiences we created. As we get to another year ahead we will reach new greater heights,” said Molebatsi. Some of the dignitaries who graced the event included, amongst others: Ministers of Trade and Industry, Mmusi Kgafela, Minerals and Energy, Lefoko Moagi, and Gaborone City Mayor, Austin Abraham.