Last month, the Shoprite group opened its new flagship Checkers Hyper in Sandton City, as part of their ‘FreshX’ concept.

It’s a fancy Checkers, designed to attract a certain type of clientele.

More specifically – the type of clientele that would usually stock up on groceries at a Woolies.

Pick n Pay obviously didn’t want to get left behind, because they’ve launched their own version of the high-end grocery store in Jozi, in the form of a fully revamped ‘Pick n Pay on Nicol’.

It’s been a long time coming – Seth noticed the seeds of this venture in the half-price quality sushi that he found at the Constantia Village Pick n Pay when he first moved to the ‘burbs.

Now it’s been fully realised and comes complete with a dedicated sushi bar, among other things.

Here’s BusinessTech with what else is on offer:

The store includes a number of new speciality areas including sections focusing on freshly squeezed juice, a chocolatier, and a dedicated coffee station. It also includes a PnP pharmacy, which offers a full range of clinic services.

Pick n Pay said that it has 26 next-generation stores in the pipeline with early customer feedback being overwhelmingly positive.

A chocolatier – damn, that is fancy.

You’ll also find the stuff that you’re used to encountering in a Pick n Pay, like a bakery and a wine cellar, except it looks better and stocks customised products.

The fishmonger, for example, has been upgraded to include sustainably sourced fish and a fresh mussel and oyster bar.

While you’re there, don’t forget to stop in at the Wellness Zone to stock up on the latest trending range of health ingredients like superfoods, plant proteins, and healthy snacks, as well as health equipment like yoga mats and weights.

There’s also a range of new services :

Services offered at the store include “party services” for its Liquor store customers. This includes free glass rental and delivery for orders over R3,000.

Customers will also continue to have access to PnP’s money counter which hosts a wide range of value-added services, such as bill payments, flights and Webtickets, and financial services offerings, such as TymeBank and PnP Money Transfers.

Stunning.

Spar, you guys have any stores opening in Jozi?

[source:businesstech]