The doors have officially opened to a new 22,700m² food production facility belonging to In2food, in the OR Tambo Special Economic Zone in Johannesburg. Described as the largest and most diverse ultra-fresh food facility of its kind in the southern hemisphere, and the second largest C02 refrigeration facility in the world, the new Bonaero site will create 600 new jobs. 10 Apr 2019
Drinks giant Pernod Ricard has launched its 2030 Sustainability and Responsibility roadmap as part of the company's Transform and Accelerate strategic plan. The roadmap sets out eight concrete 2030 targets supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It addresses both environmental topics, to preserve the terroirs its products come from, and social responsibility, in particular by accelerating the fight against alcohol misuse. 10 Apr 2019
Fashion retailer Cotton On Group opened its first store in Botswana recently. The store includes Group brands Cotton On (clothing for men and women), Rubi (shoes and accessories), Cotton On Body (active-wear, intimates and athleisure) and Cotton On Kids (clothing for children up to 10 years old). 10 Apr 2019
What a difference a decade makes! Ten years ago, the retail environments industry was almost desperate for help in understanding "all that green stuff." 9 Apr 2019
With the festive season excitement now over, the start of 2019 has so far been bleak for the majority of retailers in South Africa, raising even more questions about the future of retail. 9 Apr 2019
Combine two rows of fine teeth that lock together, a slider and a tab, and all of a sudden you have a quick way of securely closing a bag, jacket or pair of pants - a zipper. 9 Apr 2019
Nouwens Carpets and South Africa's oldest carpet manufacturer, Van Dyck Floors, will consolidate their operations in order to streamline and optimise their manufacturing and supply chains. 9 Apr 2019
Nestlé is launching a new 'cook from raw' 100% plant-based burger in Europe this month. The burger forms part of the Garden Gourmet range, and is made with natural protein from soy and wheat. 8 Apr 2019
In an age where leisure time is an increasingly precious commodity, customers are placing an even greater premium on convenience. While there are multiple societal factors driving this change, perhaps the most significant is the pressure we feel to make the most of our limited leisure time. That makes convenience a critical driver of decision making, particularly when it involves a purchase. 8 Apr 2019
Beyoncé Knowles has signed a partnership with Adidas, which will see the singer become a creative partner to the company, developing new apparel and footwear across the performance and lifestyle categories. 8 Apr 2019
According to the latest Fasa (Franchise Association of South Africa) survey, more franchises are choosing to be located at a shopping centre or mall. 8 Apr 2019
Hair care giant, Sta-Sof-Fro, is one of the leading brands in hair fashion in Africa. The local cosmetic chain will have an interactive stand showcasing their wide range of products at Beauty Revolution- a two-day beauty festival taking place on 6-7 April 2019 at Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg. 4 Apr 2019
Akhona Qengqe, transformation director, KFC and chairperson of Fasa.
New Fasa chair, Akhona Qengqe says growing and empowering the SME and franchise sector will be at the centre of her tenure as chair of the Franchise Association for 2019 and 2020. 4 Apr 2019
Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have the potential to shake up the customer experience by individualising retailers' offers and enabling customers to visualise products in different settings. By 2020, 100 million consumers will shop in AR online and in-store, according to Gartner. 4 Apr 2019
Alongside local African authorities, HP's ACF team have conducted two highly successful operations to stop the trade of counterfeit cartridges for HP printers across Uganda and Mozambique. 4 Apr 2019
Checkers shoppers will again have the opportunity to support small-scale food gardens at selected stores across South Africa. Image supplied.
Checkers is hosting it's fourth Market Day on Thursday, 4 April presenting an opportunity for customers to support local food gardens as all proceeds go to the garden, which in most cases have commercial ambitions. 3 Apr 2019
Burger King, known for meaty excess like its 1,150-calorie Bacon King sandwich, is now selling a plant-based burger. 2 Apr 2019
Image supplied.
Puma and First Mile will launch a sustainable sportswear collection by collecting plastic bottles to produce recycled polyester. 2 Apr 2019
Screen grabs from the SodaStreamMe and Pick n Pay TasteTech videos.
April Fool's Day has come and gone, but we should nurture the creativity involved in putting together some of the more elaborate ideas. Here's a round-up of some of the best retail industry April Fool's Day pranks we've seen this time around, and why we shouldn't rule out seeing similar innovation for real in the future. 2 Apr 2019
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