Labasa residents packed the $6.5million Extra Supermarket at Damodar City yesterday from as early as 7am when doors opened.
Shopper Temalesi Dilolo said the supermarket has set a totally different standard for other existing businesses in Labasa.
“It’s clean, stacked-well and world-class, just different from what we have always seen in other shops,” she said.
“And their customer services is just too good. They are always smiling, helpful and it lures us back to do our shopping here. “A lot of groceries I am seeing in this supermarket is what we only see in overseas supermarkets.”
Another customer Pritam Singh said the people of Vanua Levu deserved such investment.
“It’s a different standard now and I feel like I’m in Australia when I’m walking through this supermarket.”
Some businesswomen, who used to travel to Suva to buy their baking and cooking stuff, would no longer do so.
Josephine Simmons said all her business supply could be bought from the new supermarket.
A release from the company said this was part of their commitment to sustainable development and the reduction of their carbon footprint through solar power investment.
“The first phase of this initiative includes an installed capacity of 150KW, with plans to install an additional 100KW,” the release stated.
“The company has acquired land in Vakamasisuasua Industrial for future warehouse development, set to further contribute to the northern economy.”
The investment has directly employed 160 people from around Vanua Levu and will take advantage of Government’s Look North policy.
