Over the past year, Ella, a South African blend of espresso and milk, has been working to get its product to the Middle East. 13 May 2022
Supplied. Nine out of 10 retailers want to improve the customer journey as part of their marketing strategy
Nine out of 10 retailers want to improve the customer journey as part of their marketing strategy. But while consumer interaction channels are becoming more ubiquitous in the digital age, and offering endless opportunities for advertisers to interact with their customers, they also pose a challenge, as the customer journey becomes more fragmented and therefore more complex. 12 May 2022
NielsenIQ South Africa has released its monthly State of the Retail Nation analysis which shows that total annual retail sales at South African retail outlets were R516bn, representing a 14.4% annual increase. The 'latest month' (5 weeks ending 3 April 2022) shows sales of R53bn representing a 10.1% month increase versus the same period last year. 12 May 2022
Castle Lager has always been a brand that represents the values of resilience and unity, bringing together South Africans, through our favourite pastimes, for over 126 years. Through growing hops in SA, where this is usually grown near the equator and by ensuring a 100% homegrown brand, is proof of the courageous optimism and resilience of South Africa's local gem. In addition, the brand has also played its part by supporting homegrown talent by backing the Springboks, the Proteas and Bafana Bafana for decades. 12 May 2022
Yuppiechef founders Andrew Smith and Shane Dryden have resigned, less than a year after the kitchen and homeware retailer was acquired by retail giant Mr Price Group for approximately R470m. 12 May 2022
New York-based Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) has once again honoured retailers for their innovation in private labels across a wide variety of categories at its 2022 Salute to Excellence Awards on 8 May 2022, which saw Woolworths walk off with five awards. 12 May 2022
Source: Supplied
As the next step in its turnaround strategy and in support of its goal to become a leading omnichannel retailer, Game last month launched a refreshed e-commerce platform supported by an investment from Massmart and a dedicated support team in Walmart's global tech hub in Bangalore, India. The website is equipped with new features, functionalities, and product categories - aimed at providing a more streamlined experience for the customer. 11 May 2022
Both globally and locally, consumers are continuing to seek out healthier fizzy/carbonated soft drinks (CSD) products. However, this focus on health does not mean that consumers are willing to compromise on taste or flavour. As a result, more market players are offering healthier CSD product options, whilst also providing a range of enhanced and novel flavours, in order to meet the capricious demands of consumers. 11 May 2022
Savanna Premium Cider has always prided itself on being one of the most innovative brands in SA. Its latest product innovation, the deliciously crisp and dry Savanna Chilled Chilli with hints of chilli and ginger, is currently taking South African taste buds and timelines by storm. But the innovation doesn't stop there, as Savanna now takes a bold step into the tech and digital AI space and unleashes Gugu, a spicy new voice assistant, on the Savanna cider lovers of South Ahh. 11 May 2022
Speaking at the hybrid Ecom Africa event that took place in Cape Town recently Kyle Ranally, global vertical insights marketing strategist at Meta (formerly Facebook) in New York, says what we see today in customer experience is laying the foundation for the shopping experience of the future. 11 May 2022
Driven by changing consumer trends, the aftermath of Covid-19 lockdowns and a need to differentiate themselves, South African retailers are increasingly diversifying their offerings, says Arthur Butler, sector head: retail at FNB Franchising. Butler says that we have seen a rush of diversification from retailers over the past two years, partially in response to Covid-19 but not short-term in nature. 10 May 2022
With the pandemic-driven time warp we've experienced, it may be tough to recall that just seven years ago, on-demand food and grocery delivery felt like a pipe dream in South Africa. Uber Eats was something we just read about abroad and Mr Delivery took the form of a booklet on our fridge, while 60-minute grocery deliveries was not a reasonable expectation. 10 May 2022
Source: Getty
E-commerce multinational Shopify is set to acquire US fulfillment technology provider Deliverr in a deal valued at approximately $2.1bn. 10 May 2022
In the past few months, South Africa has seen fuel prices and levies go up and down, leaving motorists in distress. Even today, the fuel price has decreased; but, what can be said about fuel retail business owners? The fuel industry is at a crossroads and operators are under pressure to move with the times and rethink their age-old strategies in order to create new capabilities and transform the way they run their operations. 10 May 2022
Amidst disease, war and an ever-inflating economy, Stiles wants its clientele to stay hopeful and positive. That's why they're launching their Rise and Shine promo. 9 May 2022
Source: Barry Callebaut Group
The Barry Callebaut Group, the prominent Belgian-Swiss cocoa processor and chocolate manufacturer, is expanding its business in South Africa with the setup of a local, direct distribution network in the country. The company is opening up its Gourmet business of packed products for artisans and chefs to other and multiple distributors, while still including Garden Morris Packaging and Food (GMPF) as a distributor. 9 May 2022
The Simon Wine Emporium, in association with Stellenbosch Wine Routes, has launched an online wine emporium dedicated exclusively to labels that are Wine of Origin Stellenbosch - making it the first offering of its kind in South Africa. 9 May 2022
The Craft + Design Institute (CDI) and V&A Waterfront are calling for a new group of Cape Town-based creative entrepreneurs to apply for their local retail readiness programme for 2022/23. The programme provides a full retail experience at an incubator store, known as the Design Lab, which is located at the V&A's design-forward Watershed shopping venue. It's an incredible opportunity for local designers to receive the necessary support to experience a real-time retail environment, and try their hand at selling and test products in the market. 9 May 2022
Source: Supplied
In a significant blow to the company, local sweets manufacturer Richester Foods reports that a fire broke out as a result of an electrical fault at the company's head offices near Pretoria at the end of April. While the building was destroyed, the office was closed for the weekend, and no employees were injured. 7 May 2022
South Africa wastes up to 10.3 million tons of food each year - and this is a problem the Shoprite Group is tackling from multiple angles. 6 May 2022
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