30 NEW JOBS AS SUPERMARKET CHAIN BRANCHES OUT
Pak Foods opens second store due to ‘customer demand’
A FAMILY-OWNED supermarket chain has opened its second Stoke-on-trent branch.
Pak Foods has operated its store in Stoke Road, Shelton, since 2007, but has now expanded by opening on a second site in Belgrave Road, Dresden.
Thirty jobs have been created as part of the transformation of the former Dresden Primary School site. It took six years for the plans to be approved.
Director Nabeel Akhtar said: “We know there is a strong customer demand for our goods in Dresden, Florence, Normacot and Lightwood.
“Customers were having to travel to Shelton for the range of products so our Dresden store will increase convenience.
“The store will also bring an economic boost to the area and support the city’s post-covid recovery plans.
“A lot of work has gone into this and all the family are working really hard behind the scenes.
“We sell a range of international food products as well as regular everyday items from all the bestknown brands to more hard-tofind products like chapati flour and halal meat.
“We are really relieved to be able to open. It has been a long process and we had a few planning issues at the start.
“We are glad it’s over and we can open for trade. We are really excited. The next year or two is really big for the company.”
Coronavirus safety measures at the store will include masks, two-metre social distancing, and sanitising stations.
The store boasts a 55-space car park where parking is free for up to 90 minutes. It can also be used by patients at the nearby Belgrave Medical Centre.
Nabeel added: “It’s going to be crazy. We have got some really good offers.
“We will have security in place who will only let a certain amount of customers in at a time.
“We will be regularly cleaning the baskets and trolleys as well.
“We’d like to ask people to refrain from touching items that they don’t buy.
“It’s so important that these measures are followed because everybody wants the coronavirus lockdown to end and the only way that will happen is for us to follow the rules and keep ourselves and each other safe.
“We are looking forward to customers coming in and seeing what wonderful offers we have.”
Pak Foods Dresden is open from 8.30am to 8pm, Monday to Saturday and 11am to 5pm on Sundays.