Nomusa Caroline Hlongwane, who blazed a trail as the Shoprite Group’s first female driver, is now training the next generation of the Shoprite Group’s highly-skilled team of truck drivers. Hlongwane, who initially had her eye on becoming a teacher, started her truck driving career in 1990 and joined the Group in 2007. Her experience and
Putting customer experience front and centre of your business goals is guaranteed to reap rewards for both customers and staff and positively impact your bottom line. The most effective way to do this is to take a holistic approach to customer experience management (CEM) through the implementation of a streamlined omni-channel application platform that keeps
Checkers Sixty60 has been voted the best online grocery store in both the annual Star Reader’s Choice Awards, as well as the Pretoria News Reader’s Choice Awards. Pretoria News readers also voted Checkers the best everyday grocery store and best liquor store, whilst The Star readers identified Checkers as runner-up in the best supermarket brand
• New report reveals the top 100 global enterprises and corporates that drive social impact • The Clothing Bank helps formerly unemployed women and men generate more than R60 million in annual profit Globally, the financial sustainability of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) has been under significant pressure. Whether entrepreneurs work in the service
Woolworths maintains its position as leaders in quality, newness & innovation by taking home awards for eight of their food products. With Woolworths regularly launching new and exciting items to an already impressive food offering, it’s no wonder they’ve stolen the show at the 2021 Food Review Symrise New Product Competition Awards. Hosted earlier this
As South African retailers continue their recovery after two years of varying lockdown levels while navigating fresh headwinds in the form of increased interest rates and record petrol prices, retail shrinkage continues to present a real and growing threat to their bottom line. In an effort to address retail fraud, made worse by increasing digitisation
With a majority female leadership team and almost 80 years of combined retail experience, the team at Shoprite Verulam Highway is proof that the retail industry is definitely no longer just a man’s world. At the helm is branch manager Farhana Pillay who joined the Shoprite Group in 1989 as a part-time cashier at Checkers
Goscor Lift Truck Company (GLTC) has been awarded the coveted SPAR Group’s Supplier of the Year accolade for 2021. The award coincides with the 20th anniversary of GLTC’s partnership with the leading retail group. GLTC’s relationship with The SPAR Group (“SPAR”), one of the largest retailers in Southern Africa, dates back some 20 years ago.
In his State of the Nation Address tomorrow, the Citrus Growers Association (CGA) calls on President Ramaphosa to provide an update on government’s short-term plan to address the immediate challenges at South African ports, which pose a serious threat to the upcoming citrus export season. Last year the citrus industry exported a record breaking 163
As a precaution, Nestlé South Africa is initiating a voluntary recall of a limited number of KIT KAT milk chocolate products due to the possibility that they may contain glass pieces. To date, we have not received any complaints or reported injuries. We are taking this action out of an abundance of caution having discovered
Understanding how shoppers think and behave over busy holiday shopping periods can be extremely helpful for brands and retail platforms in order to enhance their customer shopping experience, be it online or in-store. With the retail landscape shifting in a pandemic environment, businesses are looking for creative and insightful ways to tap into shopper drivers
Through its popular UCount Rewards programme, Standard Bank managed to put money back into the pockets of its customers over the 2021 year-end spending period, helping to stretch the holiday budgets of millions of South African consumers amid a challenging economic environment. Fayelizabeth Foster, Head of Loyalty and Rewards at Standard Bank South Africa, says
Following the period of unrest in July, which affected 10 of its stores, African retailer Game began revamping some of its best-performing affected stores in line with its overall turnaround strategy – Retail Reimagined. This week, the retailer welcomes shoppers to visit its stores in Jabulani Mall in Soweto and Chris Hani Crossing Mall in
For the six-month period to 2 January 2022 (“the period” or “the six months”), the Shoprite Group increased total sale of merchandise by 10.0% to approximately R91.1 billion. Excluding the impact of the temporary closure of the Supermarkets RSA LiquorShop business due to COVID-19 lockdown regulations, the Group increased total sale of merchandise by 8.2%.
Cloud technology specialists, 1Stream, has launched a new customer relationship management platform, 1CRM. This innovative new offering is designed to manage customer experiences and drive sales from one centralised, omni-channel platform. 1Stream’s co-founder and joint CEO, Jed Hewson, says a growing number of successful businesses are realising the value of delivering an excellent customer experience.
Two-thirds of South African consumers remain convinced of the long term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and believe the country will only be free of its direct impacts, during 2023. This is the highest percentage amongst the 16 countries surveyed in the newly released NielsenIQ 2022 South African Consumer Outlook Study, which has revealed a
A new survey has proven that while consumers are increasingly considering sustainability as a key factor in making purchasing decisions, price and convenience remain king – trends which bode particularly well for the South African pork industry moving into 2022. According to PwC’s December 2021 Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey, more than half of the
Navigating Digital Transformation of Brands into e-Commerce Disruptions brought about by the pandemic have forced the acceleration of e-commerce innovation and digitisation, resulting in cramming decades of innovative growth in a fraction of the time. Some may even say, it’s been a year or more of Black Fridays. This is according to Paul van den
Tiger Brands has appointed Barati Mahloele as the company’s Venture Capital Fund Director. She joins the business from Zebu Investment Partners where she was Vice President Investments. In her new position at Tiger Brands, Barati will be responsible for leading the company’s Venture Capital Fund which was launched in mid-2021. The fund’s mandate is to
Multinational food retail chain SPAR has selected LS Retail as the preferred supplier for retail management software for SPAR wholesale and retail partners worldwide. SPAR is the world’s largest leading voluntary group of independently owned and operated retailers and wholesalers, who work in partnership under the SPAR brand. The group includes more than 13,500 stores in
A collaborative partnership between Nestlé Eastern and Southern African Region, Nomanini and Standard Bank is providing MSMEs with access to working capital via Trader Assist The informal economy in sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 38% of the region’s GDP[1]. What’s more, according to the International Labour Organization, retail and wholesale is the second biggest employer across
2021 was an interesting year for marketing, as more businesses – big and small – turned to digital to reach new audiences and navigate the new normal as digital media consumption continued to increase. Retailers, specifically, were required to adapt and prioritise their digital strategies to avoid falling behind in an extremely competitive and fast-moving
Retail is renowned for being fast-paced and highly competitive. If anything, the pandemic has only intensified this, with evolving shopping habits and customer needs, and the growing adoption of digital shopping platforms. South Africans’ shopping habits shifted significantly when the pandemic started, driven predominantly by lockdown restrictions that saw people do bigger, quicker, and more
More than 97% of South African retail sales in 2020 took place in the physical realm, where customer experience is the defining success factor. So notes Ulana van Biljon, COO of SA REIT Emira Property Fund (JSE: EMI), who believes that the key to success for retailers and mall owners in 2022 is engaging, enjoyable
Faithful to Nature is the first retailer in South Africa to become B Corp certified, for its commitment to social and environmental sustainability. With innovations like product transparency, sustainable packaging and carbon neutral delivery, the brand has been instrumental in introducing South African consumers to more natural, ethical and sustainable products and practices, and they
Bosses Day. Black Friday. Cyber Monday. Singles Day. Christmas. Back to School. Un-blurring lines, strategic planning, and relevance is what it boils down to as retailers pick the occasion that aligns with their brand and target audience. Lest we forget, that in retail and ecommerce every day is a celebration as the shopping experience takes
For almost 90 years, SPAR has been at the heart of local communities, meeting the needs of local shoppers, often as multi-generational family businesses. There has never been a greater need for SPAR’s community support as we continue to face difficulties and uncertainties across the globe as the pandemic continues. From the volcano eruption in
Shoprite Holdings shareholders are advised that Shoprite Checkers Proprietary Limited (“Shoprite Checkers”) has entered into a joint venture (“JV”) agreement with RTT Group Proprietary Limited (“RTT Group”), Shoprite Checkers’ current delivery partner for Checkers Sixty60, in which RTT Group’s On-demand business (“RTT On-demand”) will be transferred into a new company in which Shoprite Checkers will
In line with its Vision 2025+ Good Business Journey transparency goals Woolworths Holdings Limited publishes Woolworths South Africa’s Fashion, Beauty & Home supplier list. With its target of having a fully transparent and traceable supply chain by 2025, Woolworths Holdings Limited has become the first major South African retailer to publish a list of suppliers
The Shoprite Group has entered into a joint venture with its existing Checkers Sixty60 logistics partner, the RTT Group in which both parties will own 50%. The transaction follows on from the rapid growth of Shoprite’s pioneering on-demand grocery solution Checkers Sixty60 in which RTT On-Demand, a division of the RTT Group, has played a
Traditional retail trade across Africa is heavily driven by a cash economy and van sales, which involves a significant amount of risk. Cash flow issues can also limit business opportunities, as retailers in this market may not be able to purchase the stock they need when they need it, due to a lack of available
DRIVING RECYCLING AWARENESS, EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY PepsiCo is committed to changing the way packaging is made, used, and disposed across its food system. This pledge sees PepsiCo Sub-Saharan Africa become the first market within PepsiCo’s Africa, Middle East, and South Asia (AMESA) sector to reduce its reliance on virgin plastics and incorporate 20% recycled PET
Shoppers can now benefit from store credit at one of Cape Town’s most sought-after experiential retail stores RCS, the consumer finance arm of global bank BNP Paribas, has announced its latest partnership with WE ARE EGG, the award-winning, “phygital” concept store that is reimagining the South African retail landscape with its unique collaborative, omni-channel approach.
Checkers, the first South African supermarket to launch a pet shop, has opened its 10th Petshop Science store in just seven months and will have 12 standalone stores by the end of the year. This follows the recent openings of the first standalone Checkers Little Me baby store, the smaller format Checkers Foods store as well as the new MediRite
Mukuru, one of the largest remittance companies in Africa and a leading next generation financial services platform, has announced that its Mukuru Card has been activated for online purchases in South Africa, allowing holders of the card to take part in the eCommerce revolution even if they don’t hold traditional bank accounts. Mukuru CEO Andy
Highlights Revenue up 24% to R14bn Operating profit before net impairment losses up >100% to R1.2bn Trading profit up 109% to R1.4bn Cash generated from operations before working capital up 133% to R1.7bn Earnings of 32.1cps and headline earnings of 62.3cps, both up >100% Net debt:EBITDA 2.74 times; EBITDA:interest 4.79 times; complied with covenants Erik
SPAR South Africa has once again been announced as the winner of the prestigious Rural and Township Development category for its Rural Hub Programme at the prestigious 2021 ABSA Business Day Supplier Development Awards. The Awards celebrate companies that are building a better South Africa. 2021 is the second year in a row that the
The Shoprite Group has entered into a joint venture with its existing Checkers Sixty60 logistics partner, the RTT Group in which both parties will own 50%. The transaction follows on from the rapid growth of Shoprite’s pioneering on-demand grocery solution Checkers Sixty60 in which RTT On-Demand, a division of the RTT Group, has played a
As we enter the New Year, now is a perfect time for retailers to assess their operations and seek new ways to boost efficiencies. One of the best ways to set a retail business up for success in 2022, is to embrace automated cash management to drive down costs, improve cash flow, save time, access
Brands such as Jungle Oats, All Gold, KOO, Fatti’s and Moni’s and Black Cat, have found a regular place in the homes of millions of South Africans over the last 100 years, sharing special moments and memorable milestones. These brands and others are proudly produced by Tiger Brands, one of Africa’s largest independent fast-moving consumers
SPAR South Africa has once again been announced as the winner of the prestigious Rural and Township Development category for its Rural Hub Programme at the prestigious 2021 ABSA Business Day Supplier Development Awards. The Awards celebrate companies that are building a better South Africa. 2021 is the second year in a row that the
According to data released by Standard Bank, utilisation of contactless card payments increased by more than 100% compared to 2020. “It’s great to see that our customers have embraced innovation and have adopted contactless payments to transact seamlessly. This feature is increasingly popular simply because it makes the process of paying with your card much
Investment into developing world-class stores by independent SPAR South Africa retailers created another two great SUPERSPAR Supermarkets opened in KwaZulu Natal province. Both offer a great shopping experience, excellent quality products, several service departments, and modern fixtures. SUPERSPAR in Umkomaas In the busy centre of this small town, the supermarket was expanded and modernised in
Small businesses across the country are turning to non-interest bearing financing options in an effort to secure growth funding ahead of the festive season. The increase in uptake of these products speaks to a more optimistic outlook this year, says independent mobile payments, insights, loyalty and rewards platform, Zapper. “Feedback from our merchants who are
As the world moved indoors two years ago, the online payment space flourished. These are the biggest developments in 2021, and a brief look ahead. This year, South Africans embraced e-commerce, mobile commerce and digital payments like never before – all four major banks have seen massive increases in these payment methods since the start
South African expense management solution SlipMate has announced that it has enabled e-commerce functionality for its Mastercard corporate prepaid cards, a first-of-its-kind integration for the South African market. SlipMate is an intelligent expense management solution designed by Innervation Rewards that enables South African companies to reconcile employees’ corporate expenses from their Mastercard prepaid corporate card,
Southern African citrus growers delivered 161.6 million cartons of local citrus across the world during 2021, an increase of 18.6 million cartons when compared to last year, despite an extremely difficult and complex season that put the entire industry under severe strain. The sector faced a number of serious challenges including the global shipping crisis,
New patterns emerge as online shopping evolves PayU, the emerging market payments leader, reveals that everything from the late-night shopping frenzy, to payment methods, to basket size has changed when it comes to Black Friday. Despite a significant increase of 30 percent in transaction volumes compared to last year, the total spend for the day
Customer demands for Checkers supermarkets in their neighbourhoods inspired the newly launched, smaller format Checkers Foods which today opened its first store in Gauteng. Checkers Foods at the Weltevreden Park Shopping Centre in Roodepoort has created 71 new jobs, and with three more neighbourhood stores scheduled to open in early 2022, Checkers continues to create
Checkers is launching its first standalone Little Me store with a range of top baby brands, including maternity wear exclusively designed and manufactured by local supplier, Cherry Melon. The affordable Miyu range, exclusive to Little Me, includes a selection of top-selling, quality basics which Cherry Melon is renowned for. (Watch video here.) Checkers is the
