WINDHOEK – Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group opened a new Pick n Pay Mega Centre store in Windhoek’s Kleine Kuppe suburb, which now brings the number of Pick n Pay stores in the country to 20.
“It is a known fact that the urbanization process continues at an unabated pace in Namibia. We realize the importance of urban regions in driving economic growth and fighting poverty. In the same breath we recognize that the need for energy and the conservation of our natural resources has never been greater. The policy implications of the urbanization process are obvious, and effective migration absorption strategies are particularly important. This includes that we ensure retailers, such as ourselves, cater for the demands of Namibian consumers,” said Norbert Wurm, Managing Director of Pick n Pay Namibia at the opening of the store on April 1.
Pick n Pay opened its first shop in 1997 in Wernhil Park and today looks back at 20 shops across the whole of Namibia over the last 18 years.
Wurm said that the company not only strives to meet their customers’ expectations, but by opening new stores they also make significant strides towards the group’s purpose of “creating a future, enhancing life” for all Namibians by creating additional employment opportunities.
Wurm also advised that the government’s ‘growth at home’ strategy plays a huge part in not only ensuring that people can enjoy a healthy standard of living, but also in addressing the urbanization process.
“We support the ‘growth at home’ strategy wholeheartedly and play our part in making it a reality. One way is the growth of our Pick n Pay stores which ensures that people have affordable, quality products close by – from a Namibian company that sells and promotes Namibian products,” said Wurm.
The Mayor of Windhoek, Muesee Kazapua, who was the guest of honour at the official opening said the development of the city centre is “closely linked to developments in the retail trade, in that it determines what the city centre looks like, provides the foundations of a varied public life, and forms the basis for further institutions and offerings”.
He stated that according to the United Nations (UN), more than three quarters of the world‘s population would be living in big cities by the year 2050.
“The largest increase will be seen in cities with less than half a million inhabitants. As a result, urban life itself will change. In the competition between cities, the ‘soft’ factors – things like quality of life, environment, sustainability, culture, security – will become more important than the ‘hard’ factors involved in attracting people to the city as a place to live and work,” he said.