It is with profound sadness that we announce the death at the age of 92 of visionary South African, and founder of Pick n Pay, Raymond Ackerman. He is survived by his wife, Wendy, children Gareth, Kathy, Suzanne, and Jonathan, his 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Raymond Ackerman founded Pick n Pay in 1967 along
South Africans who have a Luno wallet will be able to pay at Pick n Pay with crypto in one easy step by simply scanning a QR code. Crypto payments have been available at over 1 500 Pick n Pay stores since February 2023. But the payment process required customers to download two apps to
By Pieter Engelbrecht, Chief Executive Officer In many aspects our 2023 year was extraordinary. The Group gained record levels of market share, saved customers over R13.5 billion in Xtra Savings and still managed to increase profits and dividends, despite the prohibitive cost to the business as a result of unprecedented levels of load-shedding. Sales growth
With the holiday season fast approaching, many businesses are working on gift lists and incentives to thank employees and reward loyal clients. And while the reliable (if somewhat boring) box of chocolates is still appreciated by some, what better way to thank someone than to let them choose their own perfect gift? That’s just one
For over five decades, Spur Steak Ranches has been committed to meeting the changing needs of its customers. Spur’s iconic restaurants are getting a refreshed look, promising new experiences, and allowing for even greater moments of joy. The brand concept will be showcased at a pilot site in the Vaal Mall, Vanderbijlpark on 1 September
Helping companies deliver excellent customer service has been at the heart of 1Stream since the business was launched 15 years ago. While much has changed over the last decade and a half, the essence of what makes 1Stream Southern Africa’s leading CRM and cloud-based contact centre provider remains the same: a commitment to delivering leading-edge,
As the world’s population continues on its course to reach 10 billion people by 2050, investments in sustainable food retail and storage are urgently needed to ensure we are able to feed the growing number of people on the planet. The pressure is growing, both on energy demand and costs, and on the need to
To align with Woolworths’ vision of achieving ZERO packaging waste to landfill and its commitment to environmentally friendly practices, the retailer has made a significant investment in eco mannequins. These eco mannequins have been deployed in the newly launched WEdit stores and a selection of eco ‘plus size’ mannequins have been introduced into 80 selected
Spur Corporation overcame mounting pressure on consumer spending to deliver a resilient trading performance in the year to June 2023 as franchised restaurant turnover grew 23.0% to R9.5 billion and revenue increased by 27.4% to pass the R3.0 billion mark. Headline earnings increased by 75.9% to R213 million. The group increased sales in retail company
Leading tech and financial gateway service provider PAYM8, announced the expansion of its e-commerce offering. This comes in response to the South African e-commerce market’s projected growth of 11.89% in the next five years, reaching a market volume of US$9.97 billion, roughly R75 billion, by 2027. As consumers increasingly value the convenience, time savings, and
As of August 2023, Shoprite customers will now be able to purchase non-food items using leading digital credit provider, Mobicred. The fully digitised system will give shoppers access to credit offerings via their Money Market accounts, enabling them to pay off higher ticket items over a period of up to 12 months. Commenting on this
Consistently growing in popularity, the SPAR Women’s Challenge Jozi has witnessed a surge in participants in recent years. It provides an opportunity for women of all ages, fitness levels and backgrounds to participate over 10km or 5km distances. The event also forms part of the SPAR Grand Prix series, in what is expected to be
Attention all shopping enthusiasts! Get ready to experience your favourite retail destination in a whole new way! Somerset Mall, located in the heart of the picturesque Helderberg region in the Western Cape, understands the need to continually evolve and enhance the shopping environment. This inspired the mall to embark on an ambitious redevelopment project. Brace
You’ll be hard pressed surfing news sites without reading about the age of AI and the rise of the bots. While the impact of AI on our lives is debated, the jury is in on AI in contact centres and the verdict is unanimous. AI is transforming contact centres in profoundly positive ways. Here are
Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa’s Managing Director, Velaphi Ratshefola has been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award in the country’s premier awards for leadership and innovation in sustainable transformation, the Top Empowerment Awards. For the past 22 years, the Awards have showcased the businesses leading in transformation, and those who have inspired South Africa’s business elite.
As one of the top ten mining countries in the world, South Africa’s economy relies heavily on this industry as well as those closely related to it, such as construction. Yet this also makes these industries attractive targets for cyber criminals. The mining industry is among the most at-risk industries for fraud and in some
Massmart, in its bid to become the leading retail and wholesale eCommerce destination in South Africa, is reaping the benefits of re-setting and upgrading its online order fulfilment infrastructure. This started with creating a centralised eCommerce Pickup & Delivery capability comprising approximately 60 specialists across functions which include eCommerce Operations, Customer Operations and Inventory Optimisation.
By Peter Ludi, MD Solutions at redPanda Software In the wake of the rapidly evolving digital landscape, retailers are continuously confronted with a myriad of software solutions. Implementing these systems often requires a considerable investment of resources, frequently resulting in a patchwork of fragmented systems and siloed operations. One can only browse through recent media
Vaal Mall has completed the development of a convenient new link road into the mall from the R57 Golden Highway. The new link road, with access directly off the R57 and which joins up with Helena Lochner Street, was officially opened yesterday, Tuesday, 1 August 2023, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on site. The road was
The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) has successfully interdicted the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (the Department) and its assignee the Food Safety Agency (FSA) from seizing any meat analogue products presented for sale in South Africa, pending the outcome of the CGCSA’s application to review the decision to seize
The pandemic years catalysed a shift in the local retail sector, driven by the dramatically accelerated pace of digitisation. In the wake of COVID-19, greater adoption of online shopping was limited only by the fact that South Africa remains a predominantly cash-based economy. But, with the launch of the ‘cash-like’ payment system, Payshap, this picture
Cash-strapped consumers might unknowingly have extra cash in their wallets. Pick n Pay has reported that over 11 million customers have unclaimed Smart Shopper points already loaded on their card, totalling over R250 million in cash-back rewards. The retailer issues around four billion Smart Shopper points every month for each shop, boosted through its Clubs
Amidst a sea of uncertainty and a raft of price increases NIQ’s latest State of the Retail Nation analysis has presented a more focused picture of food inflation and reveals that interesting shifts are shaping the South African FMCG (incl. Liquor and Tobacco) sector that is now worth R593-Billion in annual sales (to end March
Spur Corporation is to acquire a 60% stake in the Doppio Group, owners of speciality restaurant brands Doppio Zero, Piza e Vino and Modern Tailors with a portfolio of 37 franchised and company-owned restaurants as well as a bakery and central supply business. The business is being acquired from founders Paul Christie and Miki Milovanovic
The informal sector has a crucial role to play in the global economy and connecting it properly to government and corporates to bring about opportunities to collaborate, learn and grow was at the heart of the recent SAITEX, which concluded in Johannesburg recently. The Southern African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX), the leading multi-sector trade event
The informal sector has a crucial role to play in the global economy and connecting it properly to government and corporates to bring about opportunities to collaborate, learn and grow was at the heart of the recent SAITEX, which concluded in Johannesburg recently. The Southern African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX), the leading multi-sector trade event
By Joel Bronkowski, South Africa Country Lead at Paystack Amidst general struggles for South African retailers (figures for March show that retail trade sales were down 1.6% year on year), the country is experiencing an ecommerce boom. While the sector’s growth at the height of the pandemic was to be expected, it’s notable that growth
Understanding the changing consumer journey is paramount in today’s ever-evolving retail landscape. Retailers must embrace agile and responsive strategies to meet rising customer expectations and seamlessly navigate a vast array of shopping experiences. This is particularly crucial in South Africa, where intermittent power supply often requires shoppers to adjust their habits to ‘follow the power.’
Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) is making significant investments in capabilities to create an agile workplace that is engaging and productive, developing the skills of employees to compete in a digital age of artificial intelligence and big data. “CCBA’s digital transformation journey is an integral component to take us into the future, remain relevant and future-proof
DRUID, an AI-driven conversational leader, has announced its strategic partnership with MoData (Pty) Ltd, an emerging forerunner in AI-powered customer engagement, fintech and data-driven financial applications. This collaboration is poised to blend DRUID’s advanced conversational AI capabilities with MoData’s transformative financial business operational insights, equipping businesses with powerful tools to maximise digital adoption strategies while
RMB has played an integral role in securing Pick n Pay’s inaugural sustainability-linked loan, acting as sole mandated lead arranger (MLA), bookrunner and sustainability coordinator on a syndicated debt facility to the value of R4.5 billion. As one of South Africa’s leading retailers, Pick n Pay is committed to a sustainable future. The sustainability-linked features
SPAR South Africa’s North Rand region proudly sponsors Tshwane Women in Sport Awards. This year, esteemed guests included renowned sportswomen Caster Semenya and Cllr. Peggy de Bruin, MMC of Recreation and Social Development. The 2023 ceremony celebrating the Tshwane Women In Sport Awards dedicated to honouring women in sport was held on the morning of
In line with the growing importance of ESG across all business parameters Dis-Chem Pharmacies has appointed Lesiba Kgoogo as ESG Executive. He will focus on the development and delivery of a centralised group ESG strategy linked to business imperatives to ensure compliance, standardised reporting, and audit process for non-financial assurance across Dis-Chem. Kgoogo is a
The Shoprite Group invites technology students and seasoned Information Technology (IT) professionals to join Africa’s largest retailer by applying for its bursary programme or various available job opportunities. The retailer’s comprehensive bursary programme covers tuition fees and on-campus accommodation, provides a grocery allowance, and guarantees employment upon graduation. Youth studying scarce and sought after skills
Ballito parents can now shop the best local and international baby brands at KwaZulu-Natal’s second standalone Checkers Little Me store which opened at the Ballito Junction this week. It is the retailer’s ninth standalone Little Me store, and the very first one with a ‘shop in shop’ concept from Norwegian baby furniture maker Stokke and
The heady days of triple-digit e-commerce growth are over, but the rewards are there for the taking for the savvy e-marketer. Local e-commerce growth is slowing, which was inevitable considering the huge leaps made during and post-COVID, but the sector is still growing and is driving total retail growth both here and abroad. Locally, fast-moving
The Netball World Cup is on a South African tour in preparation for the Vitality Netball World Cup 2023 tournament. SPAR South Africa has sponsored national and international competitions for over 20 years and regards netball as its flagship sponsorship. The tournament trophy recently arrived, to much excitement, on South African soil. This highly-anticipated world
Builders has partnered with Standard Bank UCount nationwide, to offer members more when shopping for Do-It-Yourself (DIY), home improvements or building materials – in-store or online. Standard Bank customers can now earn and redeem UCount Rewards when shopping at Builders. The new partnership makes Builders the only DIY category retailer on the UCount program offering
The size of a small, informal, or rural business shouldn’t be an obstacle to them attaining the same growth rate as larger, more formal enterprises. In fact, their smaller scale should be an advantage with fewer bureaucratic hurdles and greater flexibility. But in reality, rural businesses and informal traders are often limited by access to
By Quintin van der Linde, Senior New Business Developer at Ecentric Payment Systems Africa is projected to have more than half a billion e-commerce users by 2025. In part, this can be attributed to the growing adoption of alternative payment methods in the wake of the pandemic. With 45% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa
Mike Smollan, Chief Growth Officer Exactly how did we get to July in what feels like a blink of an eye? Pondering on that often-used analogy, I had to check in with Google. To learn that there are 1000 milliseconds in each second, so a blink of an eye takes around 1/3 of a second.
The world of retail has changed. With more and more customers now shopping online, retailers have had to come up with creative ways to bring the physical and virtual worlds together to create seamless, memorable experiences. But with this comes a great deal of complexity. Having a robust tech foundation is no longer a nice
Agrikool, a small agricultural business, is showing exponential growth after securing a deal with the Shoprite Group, delivering fresh produce worth over R3 million to the retailer in just over a year. The Pietermaritzburg-based business solves challenges in the farming value chain, develops small to medium-scale local farmers, and sustains regional food security, by connecting
The V&A Waterfront, Africa’s most visited tourist destination, has joined forces with admyt, the market leading digital parking management platform in South Africa, to leverage its innovative smart parking system for the benefit of visitors, tenants and guests to the precinct. The admyt system uses license plate recognition (LPR) software and smartphone technology to provide
Celebrating 20 years of Africa’s Big 7and festive foodie features The local food and beverage market was abuzz at the twentieth edition of Africa’s Big 7, which wrapped up in Johannesburg at the Gallagher Convention Centre last week, co-located with SAITEX. “Recognising a two decade-long commitment to delivering top quality and reasonably priced, trendy food
The clues to whether businesses are making the right investments now to ensure that they can provide the right experiences across the channels that consumers will come to expect is held in the data from the Wunderman Thompson Future Shopper Report 2023. The future of retail is steadfastly being shaped by digital, as shoppers envision
One of Tiger Brands’ iconic heritage brands, KOO, has refreshed its positioning and looks to showcase the value it brings to consumers, including convenience, healthy nourishment, superior quality taste, and homegrown ingredients. These features combine to make it one of South Africa’s most valuable brands and the market leader in the South African Canned Fruit
South Africa’s loyalty sector triumphed at the International Loyalty Awards in London last night, with Truth CEO, Amanda Cromhout, winning the only individual award, and eBucks and DSTV receiving global acclaim in four categories. The International Loyalty Awards are considered the pinnacle of recognition for consumer loyalty programmes and pay tribute to the brands building
A new report from Trade Intelligence reveals an FMCG retail trade that is under enormous pressure – but that continues to innovate, to serve shoppers, and even to turn a profit. South Africa’s economic landscape is challenging for any business, but particularly so for players in the consumer goods industry. The complexity in this sector
Research reveals frontline workforce underserved by IT tools, and which cites communication and access to information as key areas for digital transformation Most South African retail workers are feeling overworked but the vast majority believe technology is the answer to their situation, a Microsoft-sponsored IDC study has revealed. “We often refer to them as ‘the
Receive Regular news of the latest in African Retail straight to your inbox.
