Alocal supermarket is urging the community for their support after a tough couple of months.
Foodland Mount Gambier owner Bhupendra “Ben” Sethia is implementing a last-ditch effort to save the store with shelves fully restocked from this week.
Mr Sethia took over the store eight months ago and despite making significant changes said he feels the business has been treated as a convenience store rather than a supermarket.
“For us to sustain and stay here and be in business as a small business, it is important that we get that community support so the community do their food shopping here,” he said.
“I understand there is an outreach for the shelves to be full and stocked but we do have a catch 22 here.
“If we fill up the shelves and then people do not do their food shopping, we have trolleys full of stuff that we have to sell for a discount instead of full price at a loss for us.
“We will give you what you want, which is your food shelves, we will do that but then we also request that everyone comes and does their food shopping here in store.
“We have completed phase one so we have restocked all of the meat products, dairy products and the deli fridge.”
Mr Sethia said the business was extending an invite to local producers and farmers to sell their products in store during the week.
“A local farmer has stocked their farm grown zucchini in our store and we are selling it on special at $2.99 per kg,” he said.
“We are looking at opening a Mexican restaurant here in store so within the next few weeks we will launch that.
“We have also employed four or five specially abled people in a safe and positive workplace to integrate and give back to the local community.
“We came with the right intentions to serve the community and we still have those intentions to provide a good service and do the right things by the community.
“Let us bury the past, let us give our best and you give your best as the community and let’s work together.”
Anyone who spends $30 or more on their shop this week will go into the draw to win one of two Foodland Mount Gambier gift vouchers valued at $200 each.
The supermarket has also made several large donations to Foodbank SA Limestone Coast and hopes to continue to support local charities.
