SA independent retailers recognised at international IGA awards

All the 2019 IGA International Retailers of the Year award winners. Front right is Suhail Bayat from Supersave Food Town Hyper and next to him is Tami Alves, marketing manager, UMS Coastal Division, representing Ismail Salajee from Take n Pay Food Town Hyper.

The awards – held in San Diego, California last month – acknowledge retail excellence based on a selection of globally recognised criteria, including outstanding housekeeping, first-rate service levels, high standards of service departments, consistent pricing and community involvement. The event saw nominees from all over the world come together to celebrate independent retailing.

Co-owners Abu Khatib and Suhail Bayat of Supersave Food Town Hyper and owner Ismail Salajee from Take n Pay Food Town Hyper have built their family-owned businesses to become first-rate stores serving the needs of their unique communities. The criteria against which the stores are judged in the IGA awards also consider how the store owners ensure that their businesses stand out from the competition, drive departmental sales, keep shoppers coming back and solve specific problems they would face in their unique market.

Supersave Food Town Hyper and Take n Pay Food Town Hyper are both independent retailers and members of Unitrade Management Services (UMS), from which they receive ongoing assistance to grow their businesses. With more than 400 independent retail and wholesale members, UMS is the exclusive partner for IGA in Africa.

The two organisations sharing a common vision to "join hands with independent retailers, to build successful, sustainable businesses". IGA has a brand alliance with more than 6,000 independent retailers in over 30 countries around the world.

“We are incredibly proud of our two winners. They truly deserve this recognition for their commitment to retail excellence. They serve with humility and respect, while continuously looking for ways to improve their value proposition to their customers. They constantly invest back into their businesses and their communities, and do not seek out praise or accolades. They epitomise our vision, and it is our privilege to be their trusted partner,” says Jad Pereira, CEO, UMS.