Mark Farrelly, the group’s Chief Operating Officer (“COO”) and an executive director, has resigned from the group with effect from 31 August 2020. Mark began his career with the group in 1990 as an operations manager and was promoted to regional operations manager in 1995. He joined the board in 1999 and was subsequently appointed
COVID-19 has impacted us in many ways, including the way in which we shop. As e-commerce surges and the landscape continues to shift, will brick and mortar shopping fall by the wayside? The Future of Shopping Over the years we have seen a shift from DVD rentals to browsing streaming services like Netflix instead and
The need to end gender-based violence (GBV) was at the forefront of conversation during South Africa’s Women’s Month (August) following a surge in cases of domestic violence during the COVID-19 lockdown. SPAR South Africa has pledged to use its vast media reach and has launched a campaign aimed at helping end GBV. As part of
Lewis Group delivered a solid trading and operational performance for the year to March 2020 before being impacted by COVID-19 and the national lockdown which contributed to headline earnings per share declining by 30.8% to 260 cents. COVID-19 adjustments reduced profit before taxation by R339 million and headline earnings by R224 million. This includes an
Famous Brands has announced that the Group has sold its controlling 51% stake in boutique café brand, tashas™, to the founding Sideris family, who hold the remaining 49%. The sale is in line with the Group’s three year-strategic roadmap which includes a narrower focus of investment of resources in the Signature brands portfolio, which includes
Edcon is pleased to announce that further to its media release dated 6th July 2020, the company has signed the Sale and Purchase Agreement for the sale of parts of Edgars to Retailability Pty (Ltd). Retailability is a retail fashion holding company of retail brands including Legit, Beaver Canoe, and Style, operating in over 460
By Andrew Dawson, MD at MACmobile Globally, the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market had to quickly adjust to the challenges that came with conducting a business in a world of social distancing, hand sanitiser and masks. Today, most formal retail outlets operate effectively within the parameters of prescribed health protocols and measures. However, for the
COVID-19 has catapulted digital transformation within the SA retail landscape. But not all retailers are ready for it. Going online is no longer a nice-to-have, but an essential channel for service delivery, writes Tony Nugent, Retail Principal Practice and Solution Head from Dimension Data. Even before the coronavirus pandemic hit, the South African retail landscape
by Tasmika Ramlakan, Analyst: Advisory, Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our world irrevocably in a matter of months. Some scientists now predict that the pandemic could continue for as long as two years and will begin to subside only when about 70% of the global population has developed immunity. Apart
South Africa is the first region to benefit from a new, white label mobile payment, customer loyalty, and rewards programme, with the launch of UBU International. The platform-based ecosystem converts the massive power of mobile search for products and services into feet through the doors of local physical and digital retailers. Many businesses have been
Behind every product we see on a store shelf there is a team of retail workers who got it there. From buyers, warehouse workers and drivers, to the merchandisers, packers, cashiers, and other crucial store operations staff. Retail workers play a key role in ensuring that we are able to access the products we need
SPAR International is delighted to announce that Captain Raymond Mashudu Mutangwa, store manager of SPAR Thohoyandou in South Africa, has won the prestigious International Store Manager Award run by the US-based Food Marketing Institute (FMI). The Award winners were announced at the FMI Future Leaders event per official press release. The FMI award celebrates outstanding
In these strange times that we find ourselves in, consumers tend to gravitate towards brands that they trust. This trust is built on the foundation of the quality of the product and brand innovation. “Traditionally, South Africans are brand loyalists. They will eat and trust Albany bread because their family has done so for generations.
South Africa’s leading health and beauty retailer has scooped the title of Coolest Specialist Health, Beauty and Accessory store in the 2020 Sunday Times Gen Next Awards. “We feel incredibly honoured to have been chosen as the coolest health and beauty store in South Africa and extend our heartfelt thanks to our Clicks community for their ongoing
As digital commerce continues to accelerate owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mastercard has announced it will offer tokenization services to merchants with app, eCommerce, and recurring billing card-on-file program in South Africa, further protecting consumers and increasing convenience when storing Mastercard cards in merchant databases. Dubbed Mastercard Digital Enablement Service (MDES) for Merchants, the service
Local e-tailer defies industry gender standards In South Africa, despite there being twice as many men than women specialising in information and communications technology (ICT), and more than four-times as many male software engineers than females, the budding online retail industry looks to be fostering a culture of gender inclusivity and equality. That is, if
Developing customer relations through excellent service delivery is a key perquisite in the highly competitive Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry. Assessing whether sales and marketing activities are hitting the mark forms an integral part of short-and long-term customer retention strategies. Technology provides an important tool in the food and beverage industry’s efforts to manage, mobilise
Shoprite has launched its new Money Market Account, a free transactional account to give customers more ways to save, send or spend their money. The Money Market Account is available on the new Shoprite app or USSD and its main benefits include: No monthly fees, no load fees, no transaction fees. No debit orders –
Bidvest Waltons and Karri, powered by Nedbank, are proud to announce their partnership to ensure a safe, simple and convenient Back To School experience for South Africa’s Learners, Parents and Teachers. Almost 30 years ago – Bidvest Waltons established the Back To School Stationery sales solution in which they partnered with schools to give parents
With the Covid-19 pandemic seriously limiting retail sales in physical stores, online sales are booming like never before in South Africa. Pioneering the way is the discount online grocery retailer eButler which aims to reach every sector of the South African marketplace including those in townships and rural areas. According to global forecasts and statisa.com, ecommerce
South Africans have had to adjust their promotion obsessed purchasing habits during the COVID-19 lockdown, with R14-Billion fewer goods being sold on promotion during April & May 2020 compared to the same time last year. The significance of this is evident, considering the fact that Nielsen research in 2019 found that South Africa was the
The Shoprite Group’s Portfolio Management Office (PMO) gained international recognition recently when it won the 2020 PMO of the Year Award in Africa. They have also reached the finalist stage in the coveted World PMO of the Year Award, competing against corporates from Honduras (Americas), Ukraine (Europe) and the United Arab Emirates (Asia-Pacific). This latest
In the restaurant industry, the importance of good customer service is balanced by the need to ensure the customer can easily pay for their meal at the end of their experience – and these two areas inevitably converge at the point-of-sale (PoS). When the South African Nando’s business embarked on a journey to implement new
The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred unprecedented growth in ecommerce, accelerating local adoption rates by as many as three to five years. However, as online shopping continues to boom, many online retailers have struggled to cope with the demand and disruptions to their supply chains. As internet and mobile penetration increases, businesses will need to embrace
Long-serving Chief Executive Officer of Spur Corporation, Pierre van Tonder, has announced that he plans to retire after 38 years of service on 31 December 2020. Pierre joined the group in 1982 as a junior restaurant manager. He held several senior management positions before he became a Director of Spur Steak Ranches and Spur Holdings
The V&A Waterfront is the first attraction in South Africa to adopt the World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Safe Travels stamp, the world’s first ever global safety and hygiene stamp for Travel & Tourism, designed specifically to address COVID-19 and similar outbreaks The V&A joins an international list of 80 top travel destinations and
As businesses emerge from the sombre trenches of the past few months, eyes are on those who offer financially stressed consumers a silver lining and according to franchisee Rudolph van Zyl, Cash Crusaders is one of them. “Cash Crusaders stores will be able to meet an immediate post lockdown need,” says Rudolph, “and not only
The Edcon Business Rescue Practitioners are pleased to announce that it has accepted a conditional offer in terms of which the practitioners have agreed to enter into discussions with the Foschini Group Ltd for the sale of parts of the Jet business. TFG is home to a comprehensive portfolio of 29 retail brands that trade
Pieter Hanekom, the managing director of the Long Life Foods division of Rhodes Food Group, has been appointed as deputy CEO of RFG Holdings Limited with effect from 8 July 2020. Pieter (55) has also been appointed as an executive director to the board of RFG. A chartered accountant with over 30 years’ experience, Pieter
The nature of South African shopping trips has shifted during the COVID-19 lockdown from an initial focus on bulk, stock up shopping to everyday needs shopping, which is up a significant 10 points from pre-COVID-19 levels, both online and offline. This data stems from a significant new Nielsen study ‘The New Shopper Normal’ conducted at
Ongoing innovation in PnP stores to make banking more accessible and convenient for all customers Customers can now make cash deposits directly into their own bank account at any Pick n Pay till point, anywhere in South Africa. Deposits at till points is another first for the retailer as they increasingly become a one-stop-shop where
Dis-Chem notes with disappointment the Competition Tribunal’s decision in which it found that Dis-Chem had engaged in excessive pricing of surgical masks and imposed an administrative penalty of R1 200 000 (one million and two hundred thousand rand). Dis-Chem Pharmacies CEO Ivan Saltzman said that Dis-Chem will take the matter on appeal to the Competition
The Competition Tribunal (the Tribunal) has found Dis-Chem Pharmacies Limited (Dis-Chem) guilty of charging excessive prices for surgical face masks during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Tribunal has also ordered that Dis-Chem is liable to pay an administrative penalty (a fine) of R1 200 000 (one million two hundred thousand rand). In its order and reasons,
Children are the future and education is their best way forward; because of this, SPAR Botswana is supporting schools and children in need. During the recent lockdown, SPAR Botswana provided funding for a range of education related initiatives. Schools and orphans supported The daughter of a supermarket manager of SPAR Acacia in Gaborone initiated a
Spur Corporation restaurants are ready to welcome customers from Monday, 29 June 2020, following the detailed regulations announced on Friday by the Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, relating to the operation of sit-down restaurants during advanced level 3 lockdown. It is important to note that each one of our restaurants is independently owned and operated,
SPAR Zimbabwe has contracted community development groups to make reusable, washable face masks. Working from home, the women of these community projects produced 1,000 masks, which were then distributed to people in need in Mbare, Chtinugwiza, and Mabvuku. This community outreach not only benefited the health and safety of shoppers and store team members but
The Fair Cape Cares Foundation has partnered with Cape Talk to help provide nourishing meals for the communities left vulnerable by the Covid-19 lockdown. The foundation, a charitable trust underwritten by Fair Cape Dairies, has committed to donating R400 000 worth of dairy products to feeding schemes in the Cape Town area during July and
Shareholders are referred to the Renewal of Cautionary Announcement (“Announcement”) published on SENS on 20 May 2020 relating to the Board of Directors’ (“Board”) decision not to provide any further financial assistance to GBK Restaurants Limited (“GBK”). Shareholders were furthermore cautioned that the Board’s decision to withhold further financial support for GBK may result in
Scheinberg Relief Fund helps online retailer Yebo Fresh increase its distribution capacity Disadvantaged communities in Cape townships benefit from a donation made to online retailer Yebo Fresh Attracting international interest, the disruptor Cape Town retail food provider Yebo Fresh is now able to provide food security to even more township residents suffering as a result
The partnership with Mastercard is setting the benchmark for Uber across the MEA region. Our teams are working 24/7 to assist health and medical care authorities as well as workers supporting our communities in responding to the pandemic. We have partnered with Mastercard, who have committed 120,000 free trips and meals to workers who are
Computicket, which launched virtual grocery vouchers to help people in need during the Covid-19 pandemic, has sold almost 200 000 vouchers valued at over R50 million since the start of the lockdown. It is also live streaming events and partnering with SA Rugby to raffle tickets for Food Forward SA and Gift of the Givers. The ticket seller, whose
The Argility Technology Group’s retail driver delivery solution, MultiTrax, has been expanded to include an additional module that automates driver delivery scheduling (DDS). This is a powerful addition to this innovative product, especially in Covid-19 times, where retailers are scrambling to retain trade and move to online purchases with timeous delivery. MultiTrax – developed in-house
Since Game’s inception in 1970, South Africa’s retail industry has continued to evolve – and retailers have had to do the same to remain relevant. “When Game entered the market, South Africa’s retail environment was already well-developed. Our founders had a mission to make shopping fun and exciting – essentially to make it a game.
South Africa’s top five fuel station brands – BP, Caltex, Engen, Sasol and Shell – are leading the way in the customer satisfaction stakes, with one of the highest industry Customer Satisfaction scores across 10 sectors polled in the South African Customer Satisfaction Index (SA-csi), conducted by Consulta. This is the first time that fuel
The subpoena application hearing in the class action: Subpoena granted compelling the NICD/other to provide information Tiger Brands confirms that the Johannesburg Division of the Gauteng High Court has ruled in its favour to compel the NICD, two accredited national laboratories and a number of meat producers to provide critical epidemiological information required for the
Covid-19 and the pandemic’s subsequent lockdowns forced the Shoprite Group, with more than 147 000 employees, to implement a work from home environment almost overnight, rapidly facilitating thousands of virtual meetings per day in order to keep operations running smoothly. As Africa’s largest food retailer, many of the Group’s employees continued to report to work
Shareholders are advised that the Company’s annual financial statements and Integrated Annual Report will be available on its website at www.famousbrands.co.za from Monday, 29 June 2020, and contains no modifications to the summarised audited results, published on the Stock Exchange News Service on 26 May 2020 or the independent external auditors report in respect thereof.
Unlike anything the world has seen before, the COVID-19 pandemic fuelled a sudden digital surge that catapulted both global and local eCommerce traffic to unprecedented levels. The closest comparable example – while on a much smaller geographical scale – would be the 2003 SARS crisis, which is today recognised as kickstarting Alibaba’s eCommerce success in
ImStaying NPC together with PEP Stores launches the Lay-By Buddy Initiative to help customers pay off their Lay-By. “Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.” – Margaret Mead. South African clothing retail giant PEP, together with the nation’s biggest good news provider #ImStaying, are
In a move designed to support local manufacturing and small enterprises, Dis-Chem Pharmacies has partnered with corporate clothing group Worksgroup to outsource the production of its staff uniforms via a small manufacturing incubator in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Worksgroup has established incubator groups at its Durban manufacturing plant which sees small pods manufacturing goods for Worksgroup’s customers.
