SA buys into Black Friday - 20 Nov 2017[Lauren Hartzenberg, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] The Black Friday and Cyber Monday mega-sales present an opportunity for consumers to save on Christmas shopping and allows retailers to boost sales and move stock before the festive season hits. With the shopping occasion of the Western world kicking off on 24 November, we've rounded the top local deals from SA retailers to be aware of. read more Smart sipping with Castle Free, risky fast food stocks and sustainable fashion - 30 Oct 2017[Lauren Hartzenberg, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] To assist in fostering a culture of responsible drinking, SAB and AB InBev have launched SA's first locally-brewed, alcohol-free beer called Castle Free, set to hit shelves in mid-November. The alcohol-free brand allows consumers to practice 'pacing', which refers to complementing the consumption of alcohol beers with alcohol-free beers as a means of moderation. In other top news, Taste Holdings and Famous Brands have issued grim trading updates. read more #EntrepreneurMonth with Weylandts and Mami Wata - 23 Oct 2017[Lauren Hartzenberg, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] Who better to speak on leading in the retail game than Weylandts CEO Chris Weylandt? Jessica Tennant reports on Weylandt's keynote at the Business of Design conference in Johannesburg, during which he shared his design business journey and what the furniture and homeware retailer does to create its high-end store environment. I also interviewed Weylandt as part of our celebration of African entrepreneurship. He comments on the state of furniture/homeware design in South Africa and how it compares globally, and on expanding the business from Namibia into South Africa and Australia. Also featured in our Entrepreneur Month focus is Mami Wata, an uber-cool premium African brand of surf apparel and accessories with an undeniable global appeal. read more E-commerce enablers and loyalty leaders - 16 Oct 2017[Lauren Hartzenberg, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] [[https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/394/168719.html#topstory Aramex's Global Shopper courier service]] is not only reaping the benefits of the rise in cross-border e-commerce, but it's acting as an enabler of it. I sat down with the company's manager of e-commerce services, Mark Mahoney, to hear about the insights he's gleaned through the service and its growing adoption in Africa. read more Industry disruptors and brand winners - 2 Oct 2017[Lauren Hartzenberg, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] Rounding out September's #InnovationMonth content theme, today's top story introduces you to Biltong Board, a small business disrupting South Africa's biltong industry. I sat down with founder Maxime Eon recently to hear all about how the company links biltong lovers with over 70 producers of quality biltong product and his exciting plans to open a dedicated biltong bar in Cape Town's city centre this summer! We also have the full winners list from the 2017 Sunday Times Top Brands survey. read more Consumer spending trends and retail innovation - 26 Sep 2017[Lauren Hartzenberg, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] This week, Danette Breitenbach reports back on the launch of the South African Mastercard SpendingPulse Report, an early indicator of consumer spending trends. Among the key finding is that consumers are no longer buying goods; instead they are spending their hard-earned cash on experiences. read more SACSC Congress highlights and Pricecheck Awards - 18 Sep 2017[Lauren Hartzenberg, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] The 21st SACSC Annual Congress wrapped up on Friday after three jam-packed days of insights from retail industry leaders from around the globe. A highlight this year was the attendance of Britain's best-loved food writer and TV cook Nigella Lawson. I interviewed her during an intimate media briefing during which she shared her relationship with food, the appeal of publishing and television as mediums for storytelling, and her thoughts on the linkage between culture and cuisine. Also hailing from England, spirited retail futurist Howard Saunders presented a keynote titled ‘The Future is Scary', delving into some of the interesting shifts we're experiencing in consumer mindset and retail brand innovation. read more Messe Frankfurt acquires trade shows, Shoprite found guilty - 11 Sep 2017[Lauren Hartzenberg, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] In today's top story, trade fair giant Messe Frankfurt has acquired South Africa-based trade shows Source Africa and ATF. Messe Frankfurt takes over from LTE, which has been in the trade show business for over 25 years. read more Franchising bucks the trend, farewell to Women's Month - 4 Sep 2017[Lauren Hartzenberg, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] FASA has just released the results of its franchise survey, which suggest that the franchise sector continues to be a possible silver lining in a dwindling economy. Lots of interesting facts and figures to be pored over. read more Women taking the lead in business - 28 Aug 2017[Lauren Hartzenberg, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] Women's Month has been jam-packed with interviews and profiles of top businesswoman across sectors, but we have a few more coming your way before August draws to a close. I chatted to Lindy Levy, the owner and chef of quaint Cape Town eatery Cooked on how she adds a modern twist to traditional Middle Eastern and Mediterranean recipes passed down through four generations of women in her family. Tania Morgan-Weyer, the MD of Promeal, which manufacturers popular pet food brands Boss and Petley's, describes some of the struggles she's encountered on her journey up the corporate ladder and offers an empowering Women's Month message. We also interview Aisha Pandor, co-founder of SweepSouth, shortly after being named one of South Africa's most inspiring women in tech. read more Top takeaways from CEM Africa and PMA Fresh Connections - 21 Aug 2017[Lauren Hartzenberg, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] The continent's brightest minds in customer experience gathered in Cape Town last week for the CEM Africa Summit. I bring you the key takeaways from the Spree keynote titled 'Empowering customers to interact with your brand', and Louise Marsland reports on embracing a CX ‘citizen first' strategy in government and how traditional siloed structures are breaking down to enable a culture of customer-centricity. read more Saluting phenomenal women in business - 14 Aug 2017[Lauren Hartzenberg, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] While 9 August marked the official Women's Day in South Africa, we're dedicating a full month to fabulous females breaking boundaries in business. In today's top story, I interview none other than fashion doyenne Marienne Fassler. Ahead of her collection showcase at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg later this week, the award-winning designer and businesswoman shares her thoughts on the evolution of SA's fashion industry. read more The rise and fall of big retail brands - 7 Aug 2017[Lauren Hartzenberg, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] Fashion brands have been seeking growth through mergers and acquisitions. Two weeks ago Michael Kors agreed to buy British shoemaker to the stars Jimmy Choo for an approximate $1.2 billion, and now Canadian shoe company Aldo will be acquiring the Camuto Group. read more Acknowledging the societal responsibility of corporates - 31 Jul 2017[Lauren Hartzenberg, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] Headlining our newsletter letter today, and catching the tail-end of our #CSIMonth focus, is an interview with Zanele Njapha, Diageo SA's acting corporate relations manager. In it, she details the alcoholic drinks company's approach to corporate social investment and specifically how it fulfils its responsibility of combating alcohol misuse and promoting responsible drinking. Shifting focus to retailers, Pick n Pay announced the launch of its online distribution centre in Gauteng. read more Learning to stay afloat - 24 Jul 2017[Lauren Hartzenberg, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] This week we have some expert advice to assist those in South Africa's competitive retail space with keeping their heads above water. Val Nichas and George Bourdos from VBN Consultants discuss how value-added services and in-store staff that display a genuine interest in their customers can yield meaningful consumer experiences and ultimately repeat business. On the franchising front, a number of international brands have expressed interest in the South Africa market, which will inevitably cut into local brand share. Abigail Makhubele from Absa Business Banking shares the ingredients that she believes can give local brands the edge. According to a new report by Cushman & Wakefield, there has been rapid global growth in consumer spending on eating out, and the tie-in between shopping and eating is stronger than ever. read more |
