Checkers opens first Western Cape halaal-certified store in Athlone, Cape Town, creating 70 jobs

The 1,000m2 Checkers Foods Crawford has been developed with the local community in mind, offering premium halaal products, Cape Malay favourites and fresh food across multiple categories.

The store has created 70 job opportunities, including 26 new positions, further strengthening its role within the local retail economy.

Working in partnership with the Muslim Judicial Council of South Africa (MJC), the store is fully halaal-certified across all departments.

For Checkers, the move represents an opportunity to tailor its supermarket proposition to the tastes, purchasing habits and cultural preferences of the surrounding community.

“We are delighted to open our first halaal Checkers store in the Western Cape in Athlone,” says Zunaid Essop, divisional head buyer. “Customers can look forward to a world-class retail offering that is uniquely tailored to the tastes and values of the local community.”

Local products meet mainstream retail

A key feature of the Crawford store is its combination of established retail infrastructure with products sourced from local and specialist businesses.

The range includes cakes and sweet treats from Exquisite Cakes; Cape Malay specialities, savouries and frozen foods from Bibi’s Kitchen; and pre-sliced halaal-certified cold cuts and deli meats from Goodhope Meat.

Shoppers can also find Daily Dippers handmade biscuits and chocolate-dipped treats, Just Biscuits butter biscuits, Karak Tea spiced tea and chai latte mixes, Maverick & Jane gourmet popcorn and premium Ghee products.

The store further strengthens its local credentials with freshly made koesisters sourced from a neighbourhood business and available every Sunday.

This focus on local products provides Checkers with a differentiated retail proposition while giving smaller food businesses access to a larger supermarket customer base.

A broader fresh-food proposition

Beyond its specialist halaal range, Checkers Foods Crawford offers an extensive fresh-food assortment, including a bakery, hot and cold foods deli, fresh produce, sushi, hamburgers and coffee.

The supermarket also stocks cheese, free-range chicken, fresh flowers, frozen crustaceans, frozen desserts, snacks and treats, positioning the store as a comprehensive food destination rather than a specialist halaal outlet alone.

The opening forms part of Checkers' broader investment in halaal retail. The Athlone store follows the opening of Checkers Foods Cowey Park in Essenwood, Durban, and the Saxony Westwood Mall store in Westville, which is the retailer's largest halaal Checkers supermarket.

Retailing for local communities

The Crawford opening reflects a wider shift in South African grocery retail towards more localised store formats, with retailers adapting product ranges and experiences to the communities they serve.

For Checkers, a fully halaal-certified supermarket provides an opportunity to combine its broader premium food proposition with a more specifically tailored assortment, while supporting local employment and businesses.

With its combination of local brands, fresh food, specialist products and community employment, the new store illustrates how supermarket expansion can go beyond adding another retail location – creating a format shaped around the needs and identity of its customer base.

Checkers Foods Crawford is open 8am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday, and is managed by Fatima Pearce.