CEO of Massy Stores Derek Winford said the newly re-launched supermarket at Mid Centre Shopping Plaza, Chaguanas, will set the bar for other supermarkets and the general retail sector in T&T.
“We are rolling out a store format much more beautiful than what was here before. It is a standard and a cut above all retail in T&T. Some of the factors which makes it different include the décor, the design, the equipment that we use,” he said.
Winford said the group controls 20 supermarkets in T&T—18 Massy Stores and two Discount Marts.
“It is our plan to keep expanding. We are looking at a number of areas. We have customers that we do not reach and we want to reach all those customers,” he said, adding that representatives of the supermarket chain travel the world looking at best practices which they use to keep Massy Stores competitive.
“We look at the best merchandising materials there are for retail in the supermarket business and that is where we invest our money. We would spend upwards of ten times what a regular retailer would spend. Look at the floors, look at the ceilings and the general décor,” he said.
Winford said the re-branding and change of name from Hi Lo to Massy Stores has been a ‘fantastic” experience for them and although the retail sector is affected by the external economic environment, officials of Massy Stores are looking to the local market to source raw materials and other products to keep their business competitive.
“A lot of the décor in this store is done locally. In first store we did it was all imported. Now it is done locally. Look at our alcohol lane and how it is decorated. If you walk the store you would see the local content,” he said.