The SPAR brand is present across more than 48 countries with over 14,000 stores operating worldwide. On the African continent, new store openings in various formats across Cameroon, Zimbabwe, and South Africa reflect how local retailers continue to meet the needs of their customers. SPAR South AfricaIn mid-December, the SUPERSPAR Supermarket Mondlo celebrated its grand
Kazang Insights provides analytical and predictive solutions that empower FMCG firms, wholesalers and other companies to thrive in South Africa’s informal market. Leading data analytics, insights and merchant services company, Touchsides, is rebranding as Kazang Insights and integrating into Kazang—the prepaid value-added services (VAS) and card acquiring business within JSE-listed fintech Lesaka Technologies. Integration of
UK coffee and food-to-go chain Pret A Manger will make its South Africa debut on 14 February 2025 with an outlet in Johannesburg’s up-market Melrose Arch neighbourhood. Pret, which signed a licensing agreement with private equity firm Millat Group in February 2024, said the upcoming launch marks a significant milestone in its international expansion and
By Pia Knežević, Squad Lead for Mid-Market at Infobip Rapidly evolving customer expectations are putting the logistics and transport sector under pressure to enhance customer engagement by focusing on providing real-time updates and rapid responses across multiple channels. What we have noticed is that consumers have more choices than ever before in selecting the transport
Engen Petroleum has set a new benchmark in road transport safety, becoming the first and only oil company in South Africa to achieve Road Transport Management System (RTMS) certification for its entire national fleet of heavy vehicles. Awarded by JC Auditors (JCA), this prestigious certification underscores Engen’s unwavering commitment to good governance, safety, and compliance
Logidoo announced the launch of Doomaket, an innovative marketplace platform poised to transform African e-commerce by addressing critical challenges in global trade. This solution is a powerful tool to empower African merchants, enabling them to expand their businesses worldwide and overcome traditional barriers to international commerce. Doomaket stands out from similar platforms through a comprehensive
Varun Beverages Ltd (VBL) has announced an investment of Rs 412.80 crore in its South African subsidiary, The Beverage Company Proprietary Limited (Bevco). The development aligns with VBL’s strategy to strengthen its presence in international markets while bolstering its operations in India and retail globally. Bevco is engaged in manufacturing and distributing PepsiCo’s licensed products
Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) (www.CCBAGroup.com) has been certified as a Top Employer in Africa for 2025, based on the results of the Top Employers Institute’s HR Best Practices Survey. CCBA was certified as a Top Employer in Africa, and its operations in Ethiopia, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda achieved this accolade at country level. “We
Neosun Energy, a global leader in solar energy solutions, has officially entered the Kenyan market. This expansion aims to provide cost-effective and sustainable energy solutions for commercial and industrial (C&I) projects, with system capacities ranging from 200kW to 10MW, tailored to help local businesses with affordable solar solutions. The company brings its expertise in constructing
Engen is excited to announce a partnership with pudo, South Africa’s innovative smart locker and courier solution provider; a collaboration that aligns with Engen’s commitment to delivering smarter solutions, differentiated products, and unparalleled convenience for its valued customers. Pudo, short for pick up drop off, is transforming the courier industry with its growing network of smart
Fine Hygienic Holding (FHH), one of the world’s leading wellness groups and manufacturers of hygienic paper products, has announced the appointment of Hesham Abouzeina as its new General Manager for Egypt. With over 30 years of experience in the FMCG, electronics, and beverages sectors, Abouzeina brings a wealth of expertise and leadership to the role.
Enabling retailers to energize their operations and in-store engagement, Oracle today unveiled the latest version of Xstore Point of Service. The cloud application has been redesigned on a new architecture and features an intuitive user interface and workflows that fuel efficiency and support connected retail journeys for retailers of all sizes. With it, associates can
Vodacom and Orange have joined hands to form, a first of its kind, rural towerco partnership in Africa. Through this partnership, the companies will collaborate to build, own, and operate solar-powered mobile base stations in underserved areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The initiative will extend network coverage and enable access to telecommunications
Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) has invested $50 million in a new bottling line in Namibia, which can produce 27,000 bottles per hour. This upgrade will increase the plant’s output capacity by 30% and stimulate growth throughout the company’s value chain. The investment also includes the installation of a water treatment plant with state-of-the-art water recovery
South African farmers need to adopt new approaches and technologies to combat the country’s food security pressures Up to 20 million South Africans experience severe food insecurity, with the volume of food and beverages sold per capita across the country declining by more than 3% in 2023. South African agribusiness is at a crossroads. After
Pick n Pay’s turnaround strategy is gaining momentum, showing strong progress across key initiatives, including solid performance from Boxer and improved results in Pick n Pay supermarkets. The Group’s interim results, published today, highlight significant sales growth in Pick n Pay Clothing and Pick n Pay Online. As anticipated, the first six months of FY25
Float, Africa’s first card-linked instalment platform has unveiled the latest shopping trends among credit card holders using its payment method. With an impressive average order value of close to R10,000, order values through the platform significantly exceeds those of the regular buy now pay later model, which typically ranges between R1,000 and R1,400. The latest
World Food Day on 16 October marks the 79th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, and this year’s theme – Right to foods for a better life and a better future – will be the focus of events in more than 150 countries. In South Africa, the theme is
Smollan, a leading global retail specialist representing some of the world’s loved brands, has officially entered into a Capital and Business Alliance Agreement with Impact HD Inc. a prominent Japanese company specializing in sales promotion and data marketing. The alliance aims to leverage the strengths of both companies to create enhanced value and develop innovative
The South African fintech startup Turnstay recently secured $300,000 (over ZAR 5.4 million) in investment from two US-based venture capital firms: DFS Lab and Digital Currency Group (DCG). The company plans to use this funding to expand its operations across Africa and strengthen its position in the local market. According to a report, Turnstay, co-founded
Vivo Energy Ghana, the marketer and distributor of Shell branded fuels and lubricants is excited to announce the appointment of Jean-Michel Arlandis as its new Managing Director following the end-of term for Kader Maiga. According to the Executive Vice President, West Region, Franck Konan-Yahaut, this change underscores Vivo Energy’s commitment to strengthen its international operations
Bob Group’s Ship Logic platform is helping the country’s courier companies overcome faulty address details, failed delivery attempts and poor communication with customers South African ecommerce ecosystem Bob Group is playing a leading role in optimising courier services around the country through its Ship Logic platform, a software solution that enables delivery specialists handling high
Business interruption is the primary concern for the retail and wholesale sector in 2024, according to the Allianz Risk Barometer. It is followed by Natural catastrophes (31%), Cyber incidents (25%), Fire, explosion, and Macroeconomic developments (both with 20%). The report, based on insights from over 3,000 risk management professionals and business leaders, highlights the growing
By Thomas Kingombe, Managing Director and Partner and Vishakha Chopra, Project Leader, BCG Johannesburg As global e-commerce giants like Amazon, Shein and Temu set their sights on South Africa’s growing e-commerce space, local retailers may find themselves feeling the pinch. Will South African stalwarts rise to the challenge, or crumble faced with international competition? Although
Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) has appointed Rakesh Rajbally as the new Managing Director (MD) and announced further strategic appointments within its Commercial and Manufacturing function aimed at strengthening leadership and driving growth. Rajbally officially took up the position on 1 February, replacing Velaphi Ratshefola who formally retired at the end of January after seven
Payment24, a leading provider of advanced payment, loyalty, and fuel management solutions, is proud to announce the availability of its fuel voucher offering. This innovative product is set to transform how Payment24 partners incentivise customers, loyalty subscribers, internal teams, and even drivers. With seamless integration across a vast network of over 1,000 service stations, these
Omnisient, the global leader in privacy-preserving data collaboration, was recognised at the Africa Bank Summit held in Nairobi this week for the impact it is having on growing financial inclusion in Africa. This accolade highlights a groundbreaking initiative that has enabled banks to assess credit risk and qualify millions of previously underserved individuals by analysing
Following a disappointing full year performance for FY24, Pick n Pay CEO Sean Summers unveiled the new board-approved six-point strategy to restore the Group’s core Pick n Pay supermarket business to profitability. The Group delivered a weak FY24 result to 25 February 2024, driven by a substantial trading loss in the Pick n Pay business,
bp Southern Africa (bpSA) notches up one hundred years of fueling South Africa this month, on 9 May 2024 to be precise, and will use the milestone to refresh and re-energise for the next century and beyond. A programme of centenary events is planned over the coming months to thank employees, partners, dealers and stakeholders
By Mark Wilson, CEO, SYSPRO EMEA & APAC There’s no avoiding the reality that we’re in a tough economic cycle laden with global and local uncertainty. Since 2020, the manufacturing sector has undergone a period of unprecedented change. Multiple overlapping – and largely unpredicted – macro-level shocks have combined to create a radically changed world.
Fair Cape Dairies, a leader in sustainable and ethical dairy farming, has once again emerged victorious at the prestigious South African Dairy Championships, solidifying their position as a Champion of quality dairy products across South Africa. The 2024 competition saw Fair Cape Dairies securing the most wins across various categories, a testament to their unwavering
A new report from Accenture reveals that 95% of South African leaders (vs 83% globally) think that eCommerce is growing faster than they can adapt, and are finding it costly to be where customers are. This shared feeling of falling behind affirms how difficult it is to keep up with the pace of change. Additionally,
Engen, a leading energy and solutions partner dedicated to enriching lives for a sustainable future, will again proudly partner with Grain SA as a sponsor of the Nampo Harvest Day 2024. Scheduled to run from 14-17 May 2024 in Bothaville in the Free State, Nampo Harvest Day showcases agricultural innovation, aligning perfectly with Engen’s mission
Smartfill, a greentech startup that eliminates the need for single-use plastic through a smart, efficient and sustainable dispenser solution, has been accepted into two prestigious programmes: Level 4 of the Microsoft Startup Founders Hub and the Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA). Smartfill further holds a grant from the AgriTech Innovation Centre at the UK Research and
Africa’s last-mile delivery market is expected to be worth $2.3 billion (R43 Billion) by 2030. If one considers that the continent will be home to some two billion people by 2050, it becomes clear that this sector will grow exponentially and offer many new business opportunities. Meanwhile, South Africa’s total ecommerce market is on track
By Henry Myburgh, strategic key account manager at Vertiv Africa In the dynamic and ever-changing retail landscape, ongoing transformation is a strategic necessity to cater to the primary reality that ‘the customer is king’ – retailers must be adaptive to change in order to meet new customer demands. The intricate interplay of consumer behaviours, driven
Physical retail businesses remain crucial in the South African landscape, catering to the preferences of many customers. However, as eCommerce continues to surge, these businesses will experience challenges competing with industry giants like Amazon. The trends outlined below are essential considerations for a thriving retail business in an increasingly online world. While they’re not a
98.7% of South Africans accessed the internet using a mobile phone, according to Statista’s 2024 data. Recognising this trend, PEPKOR, which has the largest retail store footprint in southern Africa, has launched +more, a new digital loyalty programme spanning over 5 000 stores. By introducing this digital platform, the company aims to make customers’ lives
The South African retail industry operates in a complex and challenging environment. Economic uncertainty, rising costs, and unpredictable consumer demands have created conditions in which retailers must constantly adapt to survive. Loadshedding further disrupts operations and sales, while compliance with regulations like FICA and KYC (Know Your Customer) increases the administrative burdens for retail businesses.
By Mariette Fouche, Head of Product Development and Solution Design at LoyaltyPlus Few people would dispute the importance of customer loyalty for business success. Companies have realised the need to create tailored solutions that meet the unique requirements of individual clients. This can at least partly be attributed to more efficient data analysis resulting from
Tetra Pak South Africa announced that it has officially become a member company of Proudly South African organization at an event that took place at Monte Casino on 30 January. In attendance was 1st Secretary of Trade and Economic Affairs, Swedish Embassy Mr. Martin Jornrud, representatives from various South African Government departments Department of Trade
Once upon a time (literally like last week!) a shopper popped in for a quick pre-holiday shop. Welcomed by a Bot that offered personalised suggestions based on previous purchases – a hassle free push to make their experience “more than”. Drawn into the clothing section, smart mirrors gave them the option to virtually try on
As businesses across the globe work towards making culture and employee wellbeing an integral part of their organisations, the retail industry should consider this when it comes to their retail employees says Serena Ho, head of consumer market at BDO South Africa Inc. Here they discuss the important role of retail employees in powering the
The Merchants Payments Coalition today welcomed the announcement that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Richard Durbin, D-Ill., has invited the CEOs of Visa and Mastercard to testify at a hearing on the lack of competition in the credit card market. “It’s time for the CEOs of Visa and Mastercard to answer for decades of their companies
Two of Africa’s most prominent e-commerce companies, Wasoko and MaxAB, announced today that they have signed preliminary merger terms to join together as a combined entity to drive the transformation of Africa’s informal retail sector. This merger-of-equals will bolster the growth and development of the e-commerce pioneers to establish the most successful digital retail platform
It doesn’t matter whether a company is a small to medium-sized enterprise or a large corporation, or where it’s based, we are all now operating in a global economy. Irrespective of the size of an enterprise, its location or what its product offering is, with the right payment and transaction mechanisms, it can compete equally
Engen has donated fuel to the value of R20 000 to the Reach for a Dream foundation to help fulfil the dreams of children fighting life-threatening illnesses. Reach for a Dream has been making dreams come true for children for 35 years; dreams ranging from meeting someone famous to going to the seaside for the
In today’s ever-evolving digital landscape, the concept of consumer consent has taken centre stage for companies. Gone are the days when consent was assumed; today, the control is firmly in the hands of the consumer. For those companies who handle consumer data, consent has to be a priority. While consumers want the services they can
By Mark Wilson, CEO, SYSPRO EMEA & APAC The manufacturing industry is a tough industry, vulnerable to impacts from the economy, geo-political events such as conflict and pandemics, and other stresses that impact the global and local supply chains and markets. Manufacturers constantly need to seek out a competitive advantage to stay at the forefront
DP World has extended its long-standing partnership with leading pan-African bank, Standard Bank, by concluding a US$365.1 million facility agreement to support its logistics and market access expansion across the sub-Saharan (SSA) region. The facility offers DP World’s SSA logistics and market access businesses access to a multi-product, multi-jurisdiction, and multi-currency facility. This solution has
