Checkers opens its largest fully halaal-certified store in South Africa
The retailer launches a new store at Saxony Westwood Mall, creating over 200 jobs and expanding its culturally inclusive retail model.
SOUTH AFRICA – Checkers has opened its largest fully halaal-certified store at Saxony Westwood Mall in Westville, KwaZulu-Natal, introducing a new retail experience tailored for the region’s diverse consumer base.
The store was developed in partnership with the National Independent Halaal Trust (NIHT) to ensure full certification across all departments, including butchery, bakery, delicatessen, and ready-to-eat sections.
According to Checkers, the outlet has generated 212 employment opportunities for local residents, with 94 of them being new positions and 10 assigned to management roles.
A store built for inclusivity and variety
Every section of the new Checkers outlet operates under halaal standards, a move the retailer says guarantees customers confidence in product authenticity.
The store features a lively food court serving a range of sweet and savory options such as doughnuts, Belgian waffles, affogatos, and a selection of Dubai-inspired strawberry and chocolate desserts made with kataifi and pistachio cream.
It also includes an on-demand Bombay Crush machine and a beverage bar offering Indian-inspired drinks like Karak chai, Elaichi chai, Rooibos chai, and various slushies.
In the delicatessen, customers can find dishes prepared using wood-fired tandoors imported from India, producing traditional Tandoori chicken, meats, vegetables, and naan breads cooked on site.
Turkish doner machines have also been installed to prepare beef and chicken shawarmas for immediate serving.
The bakery offers a daily variety of mithais, baklava, and Middle Eastern flatbreads, along with a new line of 100% halaal-certified Indian fresh and frozen meals.
Meanwhile, the butchery section focuses exclusively on halaal meats, featuring Championship Boerewors, Steakhouse Classic cuts, and other premium selections.
Expanding the halaal retail footprint
Checkers Divisional Manager for KwaZulu-Natal, Riaz Cotwal, said the new outlet builds upon the groundwork established by the company’s first halaal-certified store at Cowey Park in Durban.
He explained that the Saxony Westwood Mall branch extends that concept with a larger layout and a wider assortment of culturally aligned products to improve the overall shopping experience.
The new store operates from 09:00 to 20:00 between Monday and Thursday, and from 08:00 to 20:00 on weekends, under the management of Junaid Mahomed Hassen, who previously led Checkers Foods Cowey Park.
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