Grace Road Group has officially opened its True Mart Supermarket within the newly completed Challenge Plaza in Laqere, Nasinu, capping what the company says is more than $50 million of investment into the retail complex that it expects will transform local shopping and employment options.
Grace Road Group president Daniel Kim said the multi-tenant plaza — which also houses the group’s Grace Road Kitchen and its True Young cosmetics branch — represents an investment of “over $50 million” and has already created more than 60 new jobs. “So a BSP branch will be coming. And the two other shops, it’s all confirmed. They’re doing the fitting now,” Kim said, outlining plans for additional commercial tenants and facilities across the development’s floors.
Kim said the upper level will include a bank, a restaurant and a sizeable fitness centre occupying about 1,000 square metres. He also confirmed a Play Arcade and the Oceania Institution, an education provider, will together take up roughly 2,000 square metres and are expected to bring between 300 and 500 students to the site — a detail that indicates Challenge Plaza aims to be more than just a shopping destination.
Lands Minister Filimoni Vosarogo, speaking at the opening, framed the development as part of a sustained pattern of private-sector contributions that have reshaped expectations for quality and service across Fiji’s retail, food, construction and health sectors. “For years, the Grace Road Group has been a significant contributor to the local economy and its social landscape,” Vosarogo said, noting the investment’s direct and indirect employment effects and the standard the group has set in multiple industries.
Local leaders welcomed the arrival of the plaza in one of the country’s most densely populated corridors. Turaga Ni Koro of Kalabu village said residents view the development as an important convenience and employment lifeline for youth. “It will bring benefits to them in terms of a more convenient shopping location. This is also beneficial for our youths, especially in providing employment, given the rise in criminal offences and substance abuse among them. This opportunity will help them financially,” he said.
Challenge Plaza’s mix of retail, banking, education and leisure amenities positions it to capture demand from Nasinu’s large residential population along the Suva–Nausori corridor. Kim’s description of confirmed tenants and the planned student intake from the Oceania Institution suggests the complex is intended to drive steady foot traffic throughout the week rather than concentrating activity only on weekends.
By locking in a mainstream bank branch, a fitness operator with a substantial footprint, multiple shops and an education provider, the Grace Road Group has signalled a broader commercial strategy for the area that goes beyond a single supermarket opening. With more than 60 jobs already created and additional tenancies being fitted out, the latest development underscores how private investment is reshaping local retail and service infrastructure in Nasinu.
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