Food Lovers Market will close its Avondale and Borrowdale locations in Harare this month, the company announced today via social media.
The Avondale branch will cease operations on June 22, 2025, followed by the Borrowdale outlet on June 8, 2025.
The closures come nearly two years after OK Zimbabwe, the country’s largest retail group, acquired Food Lovers Market Zimbabwe in 2023.
The deal included outlets in Borrowdale, Avondale, and Bulawayo’s Bradfield area, as part of OK Zimbabwe’s push into premium food retailing.
Notably, the Greendale store was excluded from the transaction and remains under independent ownership.
The shutdowns align with OK Zimbabwe’s broader efforts to stabilise its finances.
In April 2025, the company revealed plans to raise US$30 million through a rights issue, private placements, and debt instruments to address stock shortages and mounting supplier debts.
Management cited “endogenous and exogenous factors” for the liquidity crunch, though specific details were not disclosed.
While the Avondale and Borrowdale closures mark a retreat from some premium retail spaces, OK Zimbabwe has not indicated whether Bulawayo’s Food Lovers Market will be affected.
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