Heya
So i need to tell you something about me...I'm very persistent and i believe that things will only change if you persist on trying to change it. Nothing changes with out a fight.
This is where you cross the river!
When i was 11 i lived in Henley-on-Klip in fact that was where i was born. Yup that's right I'm a deep south gal :) We lived in a circle shape road and there was a huge piece of land in the middle of all the houses which were all in a circle, it was so big. We had one huge slide and one see-saw, everyday i used to go and sit at the top of the slide and wonder why is it that they had such a big piece of land but they had NOTHING on it? Stupid as far as i was concerned.
N.B. This was our corner cafe and bottle store.
So i asked my mom why there wasn't anything in the middle and she said that she doesn't really know. Well i wasn't satisfied with that answer and at 11 i was damn sure that i was going to tell someone that i don't like the fact that it's empty and since i played there all the time (which shows my dedication) i sure deserve to have a little more to play with, why not, it was not like they were using it!
This was the river and the end of some of our gardens.
So my mom told me i would have to make an appointment to see someone at the municipality to ask them to change it. So that was it, i picked up the phone and asked to have an appointment with someone that will hear my complaint to our road - the circle. They said i could have it in 2 weeks time, i told them that that was unacceptable as it is very urgent ( children don't like to wait ) 2 days later i was sitting in a mans office with a picture i had drawn with my ideas on (not the greatest picture i might add ) I told him that it was inexcusable why you are depriving children of fun and that the fact that the land was just sitting there was just plain SAD.
My mom had to stay in the meeting with me because i was too young to be there in the first place but she never said one single word, she just sat there with a smile on her face. After my long speech the man looked at my mom and asked if i was serious and why it is that i came all the way here to tell him this...I'll never forget her only words of the meeting...she replied..."Because she wants this for all the children and because when she wants something she wont stop until she gets it and believe me she's VERY serious"
Yup and that was me at 11!
Ok so i have recently started going to PnP at the Brightwater Commons since we have moved and i was always a Steve's spar kinda girl.
At this PnP it has a few Vegan goods - like egg replacement but as for that it's mainly for health junkies. I want to be able to go to PnP and buy my Vegan cheese and bread. Why not right?
Think about it...in the old days EVERYTHING was separated and allocated to one store like - the pharmacy, they only had medicines not sweets and baby bottles....just medication, and the haberdashery - it only had material - butcher, only had meat. They never had a place that you could get everything there.Until there was a supermarket.
Hell now you can get meat to finisher and sports gear plus shampoo and cheese all at one store. Why does this work so well? Because convenience is key!
For people with a vegan life- it's not convenient, we have to go all over the show and for some of us these 'boutique food shops' are totally out of the way!.
All i want is to simplify a Vegans life just like I'm trying to do for all of you information wise.
Basically - I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO MY LOCAL SUPERMARKET AND GET MY VEGAN FOODS AND GOODS FROM THEM. Simple huh?
So i decided to ask the supermarket that i shop at PicknPay Brightwater Commons.
I went to the manager and told him about my circumstance and asked if he could stock a few things for Vegans, he said that he would look into it. 2 weeks later...nothing on the shelves...i then went to another manager and this time took his email address....1 week later no response. I decided to lay a complaint and find someone higher than those to tossers. I then got through to the big guys....hell I'm not going to explain all this - ok so the following are the emails that were sent back and forth:
Re:
Vegan Products
From: Kelly-Leigh Blignaut (kelly-leighblignaut@hotmail.com)
Sent: 30 August 2010 12:23:34 PM
To: kevin@pnpfamily.com
Hi Kevin
I am a customer of yours and i spoke to you about trying to get more Vegan goods incorporated with PnP Brightwater Commons. I hope this has jogged your memory and that you remember me.
You asked me what sort of products i was looking for, well I'm not to sure if you are clued up on Veganism, if your not it's not a problem as most meat eaters aren't. But we don't eat any animals - meat, chicken, fish, lamb, pork, bacon, and no animal bi-products - milk, eggs, honey, cheese etc....It may sound like a lot but we do have a huge selection of food we can eat, however usual supermarkets hardly stock food for us, that's why we have to go to specialized stores which is silly because your stores are loosing those customers...
Personally i have always found this silly as people seem to think that Vegans are in the minority group, however there is a large network of us. We have a lot of sites on the net and lots of followers, if PnP Brightwater Commons can manage to bring in more Vegan goods then I'm sure we can organise placing your PnP on our websites and telling people that you have our food.
I must commend you on the excellent organic range that you have in your health shelve near the vegetables, i do most of my minor shopping there, as i am not only a Vegan but an organic one.
However i don't understand why it is separate to the other products in your store, for example...your organic Cous Cous should be with the other Cous Cous on the other shelves...you can use or lose this suggestion but i used to go shopping at Steve's Spar before i moved to your area and the one reason why it was constantly busy was because people thought that they could get everything there since there was such a huge selection...there was a bit, however what made the selection look so large is that, for example, all cereal was together, including the diabetic as well as organic and with the normal Coco pops, that way the shopping experience was more about...choice, and that's a very good feeling to have, choice shows that the shops accommodating for everyone. Hence - why go anywhere else for something when you can get EVERYTHING at one store. Convieniance is key, but I'm sure you know this. Plus by keeping it on one shelf, you are only approaching that market, if you are not a health junkie and you don't have dietary requirements, you would see the health section and skim past where as if it were next to your Kellogg's , you might go for the healthier choice and you'll know that it exists.
The things that i would love you to stock, to think off hand is:
Tofu
Vegan Mayonnaise
Soy cheese
Vegan dog food
Whole wheat Vegan bread
Nori ( sushi seaweed wraps )
More organic Fruit and Veg
Vegan shampoo's, conditioners, and toiletries eg.Facewash,facecream, tampons, sanitary towels etc
Vegan cleaning aids.
Organic cotton wool
All of these things do exist and if you would like me to show you who stock them and even get you in touch with suppliers that is no problem. Maybe you might have some of your own! I'm willing to do the leg work in order to better your store and my life. There are many place that have these things. Even other stores stock them too.
If some of these exist then please can you tell me where they are in the store.
And as for advertising like i said the websites can help as well as if you put signs in your store saying that you stock vegan products.
I really hope that you look into this and get into it soon, as i feel everyone should feel welcome at PnP and I'm sure this will shine a new light and open a new avenue for PnP Bright Water Commons.
Kind Regards and Thanks
Kelly-Leigh
That was what i sent to the manager after no response for a week this was my complaint:
Re:
Laying Complaint
From: Kelly-Leigh Blignaut (kelly-leighblignaut@hotmail.com)
Sent: 06 September 2010 11:28:16 AM
To: msebati@pnp.co.za
To Whom it may concern
I am a Vegan and have just moved to an area near to the Bright Water Commons, so instead of shopping at Steve's Spar i now am relocating to your branch.
I spoke to one of your managers briefly about trying to get a few Vegan products in your store, however i got an impolite response and was told that he would 'pass on the message'. Unfortunately i didn't get a name.
Two weeks later i decided to go again, this time i spoke to a gentlemen whose name was Kevin. I asked to send him an e-mail as i found that the first way i went about it was ineffective.
It's been a week and i still haven't received a response...
I'm 23 and i feel that due to my age i am being ignored. I'm attaching the email that was sent as proof.
All I'm trying to do is to get more Vegan products in your store and am offering not only more customers but also free advertising. This is all about just being able to come and shop for my weekly groceries at a friendly PnP that considers me and others in the Vegan society. And provides for us.
I never had this problem at Spar and still I've always have thought very highly of PnP yet now i am being lead to think otherwise.
I found this email address on the hello Peter website along with a lady that helped with another scenario her name is Amina Bey. I originally went on the site to lay the complaint however i thought it would be best to try and use this e-mail address as my last attempt.
I'll be awaiting a response.
Regards
Kelly-Leigh Blignaut
Probably half and hour later i got this:
RE:
Laying Complaint
From: Mmapula Sebati (msebati@pnp.co.za)
Sent: 06 September 2010 11:52:20 AM
To: Kelly-Leigh Blignaut (kelly-leighblignaut@hotmail.com)
Dear Kelly-Leigh
Thank you for your communication about vegan product.
Your comments have been brought to the attention of the senior management responsible who will contact you shortly to talk about these issues and to ensure that they are addressed and resolved to your satisfaction.
Please keep in touch with me using my email address and your reference number below.
We value you as a Pick ‘n Pay customer and are committed to improve continually our service levels.
Yours sincerely
Mmapula Sebati
Customer Care
Pick ‘n Pay Customer Relations reference number 8000090861.
Following that about a couple of minutes later i got this:
Morning dear Kelly-Leigh
As you will see below I work in the Office of the CEO and have had a copy of your email passed on to me.
Rest assured, your Vegan needs will be addressed as your mail has gone to the Head of Customer Care in Gauteng and to the GM for our Franchise Stores.
I am only in the office on Mondays and Fridays, would still like to know what progress is being made.
Please keep in touch with me.
Kindest regards
Michael Olivier
Office of the CEO
Head Office, Kenilworth, Cape Town
Office:
+27 (0)21 658 1146
Email:
michaelolivier@pnp.co.za
Web Site:
http://www.picknpay.co.za/
Now you probably wondering why all this e-mail fuss being on Spread the Word.
Simply because you can ALL do this. If you feel very concerned or passionate about something - CHANGE IT.
I would have never believed that i would of gotten a response so quickly however i did, lil 23 yr old me!What a great feeling it is to know that someone is hearing about Veganism and I'll bet a lot of people are about to learn about Veganism too. Which is EXACTLY what i want ;)and hopefully what you want to!.
Do you know why i do all this? So that we as a minority get thought of...my whole life i have fought for the minority and now i find myself in one...
You must never think you cant change things, never. I have given you proof that anyone off the street can go up against corporations, you just have to be persistent and believe that no matter what any one says you will most definitely win your way...
WHY?...because you care enough to try!
Smiles and Kind Regards
Kelly-Leigh
