Best Mart on Jozef Israëlstraat in Paramaribo has reopened its doors. The supermarket will continue under new management and has opted for a soft opening, while the range of products is gradually being expanded and operations are further tested.
Best Mart Paramaribo is once again accessible to customers, marking the start of a new phase. Entrepreneur Zeng Zhaoshan, who settled in Suriname about thirty years ago, describes the reopening as an important milestone in his business career. Under the new management, the supermarket aims to focus more strongly on price, choice and service.
The reopening is deliberately taking place in the form of a soft opening. This means that the store is already operational, but various aspects of its operations are still being tested and fine-tuned in practice. According to management, this approach is necessary to further improve systems, work processes and services step by step, without waiting for every component to be fully completed.
The Best Mart Paramaribo product range is also not yet complete at the start. Several containers of goods are still on their way to Suriname. In the coming period, products from China, Europe, the United States and Thailand, among others, are to be added to the range. The supermarket aims to offer consumers a choice across various price ranges and product categories.
Best Mart Paramaribo opts for price and wider choice
According to Zeng, the renewed supermarket must distinguish itself through competitive prices, a broad product range and a customer-oriented approach. This is an important commitment in a market where households closely monitor their daily expenses. The soft opening also gives management room to see which products sell well, what customers need and which aspects of the store still need to be adjusted.
Another part of the new direction is cooperation with Surinamese business partners. Management wants to give local knowledge, business networks and entrepreneurship a place within the further development of Best Mart Paramaribo. According to the company, this cooperation should not only strengthen the supermarket itself, but also create opportunities for local parties that can supply products, services or expertise.
The soft opening should give Best Mart room to further align price, product range and service.
New start after previous setbacks
The reopening follows a period in which Best Mart faced several setbacks. On Sunday, May 1, 2022, a fire broke out in the rear section of the building. The fire presumably started in an office space and spread through the ceiling to a meeting room on the upper floor. The fire brigade managed to bring the blaze under control, but the store sustained smoke and soot damage.
The supermarket was subsequently able to resume operations, but closed again on October 16, 2025. According to earlier reports, that closure was linked to an extensive renovation. Work was carried out on, among other things, the store layout, the cooling system and improved customer flow. The current reopening is therefore more than simply reopening the doors, as internal operations are also being reorganised.
Best Mart returns as a price-conscious supermarket
For Best Mart, this means that the promise of competitive prices will ultimately have to be delivered in practice. Consumers will look not only at special offers, but also at availability, quality, service and the relationship between price and product. The arrival of goods still en route may be important in this regard, as management aims to appeal to different groups of customers with a broader international product range.
Official opening possible at a later date
For now, the emphasis is on further stocking the shelves and testing the renewed operations. An official festive opening may follow at a later date, once the systems have been fully tested and the product range has been further expanded. Management has not yet announced a date for such an official opening.
