The shops in Mali are full of imported goods from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. This, Mali's captains of industry maintain, is not necessary. Mali can produce a lot of what it consumes at home. But for that to happen, there needs to be a wholesale revival of its industrial sector. Can it be done? 29 Dec 2017
Credit ratings agency Moody's downgraded debt held by embattled South Africa-based home retail giant Steinhoff on Thursday and warned of further downgrades amid "increasing pressure" on the company's cashflow. 29 Dec 2017
We tend to think that innovation is driven by new discoveries or advances in technology. Yet the problem with new products is often not an engineering challenge, but a psychological one. 28 Dec 2017
South Africa's bottled water and iced tea categories grew in both volume and value in 2016, and RTD fruit juice also displayed positive volume growth, according to reports recently released by BMi Research. 28 Dec 2017
Unilever, Beiersdorf, Coty, SC Johnson, Henkel, and Edgewell are some of the major brands set to attend Aerosol & Dispensing Forum and Packaging of Perfume, Cosmetics & Design Shanghai 2018. These top cosmetic, beauty and personal care companies will be using the show to reveal the latest technologies and thinking from the aerosol, dispensing, perfume and cosmetic packaging industry. 28 Dec 2017
Businesses within the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) could save up to $450 million in clearance documentation once the bloc adopts blockchain technology for clearing imports. 28 Dec 2017
At Christmas time, vacant shop spaces suddenly fill with new vendors selling decorations, small toys, gifts and calendars for the following year. Christmas markets seem to materialise out of thin air, and even online retailers set up shop on the high street. By the new year, these will all vanish without a trace. Yet for businesses, the pop-up store phenomenon is more than just a phase. 27 Dec 2017
BEIJING, China - British toy retailer Hamleys opened its largest store in the world in Beijing on Saturday, just two days before Christmas as debate played out over whether the holiday should be banned in the Communist country. 27 Dec 2017
Zimbabwean food delivery startup Munch has seen thousands of downloads of its app as it looks to simplify the process of ordering food from restaurants in Harare. 27 Dec 2017
Eastern Cape Liquor Board chairman Khanyile Maneli has warned traders not to sell alcohol to visibly drunk motorists as this would be a violation of their trading conditions. 27 Dec 2017
Martell Cognac has launched a new blend in South Africa, the Martell Cognac VS Single Distillery, which is the first VS cognac distilled from a single source to be produced by the House of Martell. 22 Dec 2017
According to the Mastercard SpendingPulse October 2017 report, South African consumer spending showed a modest uptick in October this year, with total retail volumes for the month rising 2.3% year-over-year after removing the effects of inflation. The report also reflects a dip in general dealer sales volumes, but discretionary spending remains resilient. 22 Dec 2017
Undeniably, digital transformation continues to dramatically change the way we live and do business - almost daily it seems. Globally, the retail industry is one of the top industries in which we are seeing massive strides and changes when it comes to the adoption of technology, the evolving customer journey, and innovation in terms of products and services. 22 Dec 2017
The health promotion levy, or sugar tax, will not be as negative for beverage producers as has been initially expected, Pioneer Foods says in its latest integrated report for 2017. 22 Dec 2017
Cigarette giant and rand-hedge British American Tobacco (BAT) SA is buying SA's biggest vaping company, Twisp. 22 Dec 2017
Distell, the liquor brands conglomerate controlled by Remgro, called time on its international cognac market strategy by selling its French subsidiary Bisquit for €52.5m. 21 Dec 2017
More than R97-million worth of fake clothing was seized by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) in its crackdown on illegal clothing and textile imports this year. 21 Dec 2017
Xolela Makabane's company, Pondoland Maize, began as tiny milling operation in his mother's garden seven years ago, and now supplies the entire Eastern Cape Boxer stores network with its Umgubo Wesintu sifted yellow maize meal brand. 21 Dec 2017
Steinhoff's eagerly awaited presentation to a group of its bankers was met with dismay on Tuesday, as the global furniture retailer said that it could still not quantify the magnitude of the "accounting irregularities" that had led to the bombshell resignation of its charismatic CEO Markus Jooste two weeks ago. 21 Dec 2017
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