Retail South Africa weekly newsletter - 16 Jul 2012

Expo's and innovations

Africa's Big Seven and SAITEX opened at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand yesterday. Event organisers say that the trade show will directly contribute more than R50 million to Gauteng's economy. If you'd like to be a part of the action, take yourself along to the centre and check out the expo or one of the numerous events running concurrently, such as Food Biz Africa, Agri-Food, Interbake Africa, Drink Tech, or Halaal World, to name a few. Tomorrow is the last day however, so get moving!

Other events coming up include the 10th Annual IPD Property Investment Conference on Wednesday in Cape Town, SOCAP's annual conference to be held in Joburg next month and the SA Shopping Centre Congress in Durban this September.

While manufacturing has shown improvement in May, Gareth Pearson insists that innovation is essential for the survival of retail manufacturers.

Economists have made their predictions for May's retail trade sales, with the results out Wednesday.

The Monetary Policy Committee hit the boardroom tomorrow, but only Thursday will tell if there's any relief on the repo and interest rate.

Both the SAB and Hansa Pilsener are searching for the next big thing. If you have any weird and wonderful innovations, maybe you could be the Next Beeg Dreamer or SAB Foundation award winner. Oh, and speaking of awards, don't forget to vote for your Shoprite Women of the Year! You have till Friday.

Until next week, have a great one!

Shan Radcliffe, Retail editor
Please send retail news to: retailnews@bizcommunity.com
Responses to this column welcomed in our new online editor's column archive.
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Innovation essential for retail manufacturer survival

[Gareth Pearson] Sustaining customer interest and loyalty in the current market is difficult and, while retailers have the option of offering sales and products at discount prices, what do manufacturers do? Doing the same old thing, the same old way just isn't going to cut it in a market where consumers are already squeezed and looking for improved products that offer increased value. The answer - innovation. Read more >>

REIT tax dispensation for South Africa by 2013

In its Tax Amendment Bill published last week, National Treasury proposes South Africa's adoption of the internationally recognised Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) structure for financial regulation and tax purposes. This will bring the country in line with international publicly traded real estate investments and create greater investor certainty. Read more >>

June uptake on SCI hits record high

The average cash withdrawal values across South Africa for June 2012, was R437.71, a 6.77% year-on-year increase, the highest year-on-year increase in 2012 to date, as measured by the Spark Cash Index (SCI). There was a month-on-month increase of 2.76%, suggesting improved consumer spending and retail trading conditions nationally. Read more >>

Kleine Zalze to have one UK representative

Kleine Zalze is consolidating its UK sales and marketing operations by moving its off-trade portfolio, currently handled by Stevens Garnier, to Hatch Mansfield, which handles its on-trade portfolio. The move takes effect immediately and stock will be available in the UK for the independent sector from 1 September 2012. Read more >>

Melrose Arch hosts cash processing open day this week

On Tuesday 17 July 2012 and Wednesday, Melrose Arch will host the Bidvest company, Global Payment Technologies (GPT), in an open day to integrate 12 of its suppliers in an exhibit on the latest trends in cash processing. Recycling of cash in both bank branches and retail stores will demonstrate how cash utilisation and movement can be optimised. Read more >>

Property conference tracks trends, forecasts future

SA commercial property's journey over the last 10 years, and its prospects for the next 10 years will be in the spotlight at 10th Annual Investment Property Databank (IPD) Property Investment Conference on 18-19 July 2012 at Westin Grand Hotel Arabella Quays in Cape Town. Read more >>

Hospitality organisations need to review revenue management practices

According to IBIS World, the global hotels and resorts industry is expected to grow to US$580 billion in 2012 but it is vital that these organisations take a flexible approach to pricing to ensure long-term success, as a recent eBook indicates that they could lose up to $17 billion a year. Read more >>

More and more consumers willing to share info

[Zeenat Moordad] With the explosion in communication technology through mobile devices‚ tablets and applications more and more consumers are willing to share information with each other online‚ and also with their favourite retailers and brands‚ a survey by IBM revealed on Thursday, 12 July 2012. Read more >>

Going strong on salad

If proof is needed that a well-executed, innovative idea can still succeed in the harsh world of food retail, Fruit & Veg City provides it in abundance. From a humble start 19 years ago in one store in Kenilworth, Cape Town, the retailer has grown into a company its MD and cofounder, Brian Coppin, says will achieve turnover of R5bn this year. Read more >>

Nielsen launches Innovation Lab to advance research, advertising effectiveness solutions

NEW YORK, US: Nielsen, a leading provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy, today announced the launch of the Nielsen Innovation Lab, a program designed to spur pioneering ideas and better, faster advancements in the area of advertising effectiveness. Read more >>

BBC's 'VirtualBagel' experiment does not prove Facebook advertising ineffective

LONDON, UK: The effectiveness of advertising on Facebook is being called into question following revelations from the BBC that its 'VirtualBagel' experiment, an imaginary business which it started in a bid to test it, received 1600 'likes' in just 24 hours despite the fact that the 'VirtualBagel' page offered no products or interesting content. Read more >>

Mondi to acquire 93.4% of Nordenia

Paper and packaging group Mondi (MND) is to acquire 93.4% of the outstanding share capital of Nordenia International from funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management‚ LP and certain other minority shareholders for a total cash consideration of €240m. In addition‚ Mondi will assume €398m of debt and debt-like liabilities‚ implying an enterprise value for 100% of the company of €655m. Read more >>

Fairfax CEO on maintaining editorial credibility while increasing efficiency

PARIS, FRANCE / DARMSTADT, GERMANY / KIEV, UKRAINE: For Gregory Hywood, CEO of Australia's Fairfax Media, producing quality journalism is more valuable than ever in the Internet era. However, the realities of this new era are forever changing the media landscape, with Fairfax's recently announced restructuring as a prime example. Read more >>

Dlamini Zuma elected new AU Commission chairperson

[Chris Bathembu] The Southern African Development Community (SADC) exploded with jubilation following news on Sunday night that South Africa's Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma had won her bid to become the first woman to lead the powerful African Union Commission. Read more >>

ConCourt clarifies victims of violent and/or destructive gatherings' right to claim damages

[Keshni Pillay] While the South African Constitution allows everyone the rights to picket, present petitions, demonstrate and assemble peacefully and unarmed, the sad reality is that these gatherings often turn violent and destructive. The recourse for victims of this kind of violence was recently clarified by the Constitutional Court. Read more >>

Blade wants Independent Newspapers broken up

Independent News & Media's South African operations should be broken up and not sold to a monopoly, SACP secretary-general Blade Nzimande said yesterday. He told about 2000 delegates at the 13th national congress of the SA Communist Party near Empangeni that they should be opposed to media monopolies. Read more >>

Denel Aerostructures looking at new markets

Denel Aerostructures is well-placed to manufacture vital parts for the civilian aviation market‚ based on its experience on military aircraft for Saab and Gripen. The CEO of Denel Aerostructures (DAe)‚ Ismail Dockrat‚ said at the Farnborough International Airshow the company has just completed its final delivery on the production of components for the Gripen fighter for Saab. Read more >>

Hyundai hunting down the Europeans

[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] South African Car of the Year title-holder Hyundai continues to strengthen its grip on the local car market with a continuous flow of good-looking, well-equipped and extremely competitively priced vehicles - so it comes as no surprise that its newly unwrapped i30 hatchback is also bang on target and breathing right down the necks of the European carmakers. Read more >>

Autumn, winter, and spring holidays - you're spoilt for choice

So which is the best season to take a Northern Hemisphere holiday? If you say summer, you'd be wrong - even though summer is clearly a great choice. Trafalgar, however, has devised a brand-new, expanded Europe & Britain autumn, winter and spring brochure designed to give you a wide selection of places to visit and enjoy. Read more >>

&Beyond rated among world's top safari operators

&Beyond has been listed as the world's 5th Top Safari Operator in the US Travel + Leisure 2012 World's Best Awards readers' survey. As one of Africa and South Asia's leading experiential travel companies, &Beyond's mission is to design luxury safaris and personalised travel adventures whilst remaining committed to its core ethic of "Care of the Land. Care of the Wildlife. Care of the People." Read more >>

Vincent Wants To Sea

[Daniel Dercksen] If ever you felt misunderstood or alone, or not sure of where you fit into the scheme of things, the German film Vincent Wants To Sea will rejuvenate your belief in life and friendship. If life's a journey then Vincent Wants To Sea is a great way to map out an adventure that begins with a dubious meeting between strangers that leads to a life-changing and unique exploration of differences that separate and ties that bind. Read more >>

Fugard's Blue Iris

[Daniel Dercksen] Athol Fugard's compelling The Blue Iris is a consummate masterwork that will break your heart and shake you to the core. Celebrating life, love and the haunting memories of a tragedy that shapes the lives of a Karoo farmer, his wife and housekeeper, it is an intelligent play that showcases the genius of one of the greatest playwrights of our time, and is a crowning glory to his 80th birthday. Read more >>

Become a wine fundi Cape Wine Academy - Johannesburg, 18 July
Technology for dummies Hirsch's - Edenvale, 18 July
Sony Hirsch's - Edenvale, 18 July
Business writing skills Front Foot Strategic Consulting - Johannesburg, 19 July
Carrol Boyes/BWA hosts Jane Raphaely book launch Business Women's Association Cape Town - Cape Town, 20 July
Peter Pan The Musical Parklands College - Cape Town, 24 July
Sound recording Oakfields College - Johannesburg, 26 July
Raise your game@conference for sales and bid teams Association of Proposal Management Professionals - Sandton, Johannesburg, 26 July
Working in the human cloud The HR kitchen - Johannesburg, 28 July
Addiction recovery workshop TTK Transformation Through Knowledge - Krugersdorp, 28 July

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