JULY ISSUE 2023
4 Top stories
6 Retailer news
10 Organic & Natural
Products Expo
Africa 2023
14 Meet KT Wash's
Adele Oosthuizen
18 Meet Vilosha Soni
26 Partnerships and
Appointments
28 Spotlight on
sustainability
Power footwear gets SA retail boost with Mr Massmart’s bolstered tech capability powers
Price Sport partnership an improved experience for online shoppers
In an exciting collaboration with Mr Price Sport, Following Massmart’s 100% acquisition by Walmart, the
Canadian-designed footwear brand, Power, brings its company has gained improved access to technical
latest collection of lifestyle to high-performance capabilities focused on enhancing the customer
athletic shoes directly to consumers in selected Mr shopping experience across its Makro, Builders, and
Price Sport stores nationwide and online. Game websites.
Read more: https://retailbriefafrica.co.za/power- Read more: https://retailbriefafrica.co.za/massmarts-
footwear-gets-sa-retail-boost-with-mr-price-sport- bolstered-tech-capability-powers-an-improved-
partnership/ experience-for-online-shoppers/
Mastercard and PayU launch first Click to Pay
embedded payments experience in South
Africa
Futurelife® opens first-of-its-kind concept
store in Durban Click to Pay is the next generation of e-commerce
technology, that enables consumers to make payments
Leading health and wellness brand Futurelife® has without entering their card credentials or storing
announced the grand opening of its first standalone sensitive information across different merchants’
store at the Oceans Mall in Umhlanga. platforms.
Read more: https://retailbriefafrica.co.za/futurelife- Read more: https://retailbriefafrica.co.za/mastercard-
opens-first-of-its-kind-concept-store-in-durban/ and-payu-launch-first-click-to-pay-embedded-
payments-experience-in-south-africa/
Construction of multi-million
Princess Mkabayi Mall goes
ahead in KZN
Second standalone
Food Lover’s Market announces Construction on the Princess Mkabayi Checkers Little Me store
2023 Seeds of Change Supplier Mall in Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, is
Development Partnership underway, much to the excitement of opens in KZN
winner locals who have long been awaiting KwaZulu-Natal’s second
the opening of this new shopping
centre. standalone Checkers Little Me
Following a stringent boot camp and a store has opened at the Ballito
day of pitching to senior Food Lover’s Designed by MDS Architects, the Junction. It is the retailer’s ninth
Market Executives in Cape Town, development is progressing quickly standalone Little Me store, and
Neighbour Roots, a women-led, with earthworks having commenced the very first one with a ‘shop in
forward-thinking and innovative and the mall already 75% let – almost shop’ concept from Norwegian
hydroponic farming business, has 18 months ahead of its October 2024 baby furniture maker Stokke and
been announced as the top social opening. South African baby travel
enterprise supplier to the fresh systems brand Noola.
produce retailer. This project has been years in the
making, with the original sod-turning Offering parents an extensive
Buttercup Farmhouse placed second, ceremony taking place in 2021. It has range of baby and toddler
and TC Women in Action placed third. now gained pace, with the official site products all under one roof,
The Food Lover’s Market Seeds of handover occurring at the beginning from essentials such as nappies
Change Supplier Development of this month and a site visit with and food to big ticket items like
Partnership, an initiative launched in shareholders, municipal car seats and strollers, Little Me
April this year for the third representatives, and local role- has it all, including specialist in-
consecutive year, was created as an players on 27 June 2023. store employees to help
opportunity for social enterprises to customers make the best
join the retailer’s network as a https://retailbriefafrica.co.za/constru choices for their little ones.
supplier. ction-of-the-multi-million-princess-
mkabayi-mall-goes-ahead-in-kzn/ Parents can also benefit from
The initiative was facilitated by the the in-store Party Shop offering
Social Enterprise Academy (SEA), a a wide range of party supplies,
specialist learning and development including helium balloons and
organisation supporting social change decorations to suit all their
organisations in South Africa. celebration needs.
https://retailbriefafrica.co.za/food- https://retailbriefafrica.co.za/se
lovers-market-announces-2023- cond-standalone-checkers-
seeds-of-change-supplier- little-me-store-opens-in-kzn/
development-partnership-winner/
KZN’s Westown Square poised for opening in early 2025
KZN’s Westown Square is under construction, with the opening of this retail
experience set for early 2025. The 50 000m² Westown Square marks the activation
of the first project within the development of Westown – the New City of the West.
Designed by retail specialists MDS Architecture in a joint venture with Boogertman
and Partners KZN for developers Fundamentum Property Group (Fundamentum),
Westown Square has been created as a high street environment that prioritises the
movement of people, social spaces and lifestyle. Set within an active green belt, Westown Square moves away from
the traditional enclosed, multi-level ‘mall concept’, and brings together shopping, dining and recreation in a setting
that reflects the character of Shongweni.
https://retailbriefafrica.co.za/kzns-westown-square-poised-for-opening-in-early-2025/
Pick n Pay taps into metaverse with Roblox
& will launch Robux vouchers in Rands
Pick n Pay has levelled up its shopping game and is
giving away 100 million Robux – the digital currency for
the well-known gaming platform Roblox – to registered
Smart Shopper customers. It will also soon become the
first South African retailer to sell Roblox vouchers in
Rands.
With a reported 50+ million daily active players
worldwide, Roblox continues to grow in popularity as it
allows players to create and share experiences with
their friends.
Captivating both the virtual and real worlds, the game
has seen its dedicated fans enthusiastically seek
Robux, the in-game currency that unlocks a new level
of excitement in the metaverse.
For the first time – and exclusive to Pick n Pay – local
fans will be able to conveniently buy Robux vouchers
in various denominations, ranging from just R35 to
R3,000.
Previously these vouchers were only available in pre- https://retailbriefafrica.co.za/pick-n-pay-taps-into-
set dollar denominations from the Apple app store or metaverse-with-roblox-will-launch-robux-vouchers-in-
Google Play store. rands/
SA retail sales down 1.4% in May
Stats SA reports that South African retail trade sales
decreased by 1.4% year-on-year in May 2023.
The largest negative contributors to this decrease were:
general dealers (-3.7% and contributing -1.6 percentage
points); and retailers in hardware, paint and glass (-8.7%
and contributing -0.7 of a percentage point).
Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 0.7%
in May 2023 compared with April 2023. This followed
month-on-month changes of 0.2% in April 2023 and
-0.7% in March 2023.
Retail trade sales decreased by 1.5% in the three months
ended May 2023 compared with the three months
ended May 2022. The largest negative contributors to
this decrease were: general dealers (-2.7% and contributing -1.2 percentage points); and retailers in food, beverages
and tobacco in specialised stores (-5.5% and contributing -0.5 of a percentage point).
Retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods was the only positive contributor (6.0% and contributing 1.0
percentage point).
Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 0.7% in the three months ended May 2023 compared with the
previous three months.
The largest negative contributors were: general dealers (-0.6% and contributing -0.3 of a percentage point); retailers
in food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores (-2.9% and contributing -0.2 of a percentage point); and all ‘other’
retailers (-2.0% and contributing -0.2 of a percentage point).
New dates, new venue and a new partner
for Organic & Natural Products Expo
Africa 2023
Organic & Natural Products Expo Africa 2023 is set to be bigger and better than ever before, with a new venue, new
dates and a brand-new partner joining the event. The expo will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre in
Johannesburg from 14-16 September 2023.
Organic & Natural Products Expo in association with the African Biotrade Festival is set to bring the best of organic
and natural products to Johannesburg.
The two complimentary events will be co-located, giving visitors added value at no extra cost. This is a natural
partnership given the diversity of the natural product ecosystem in Africa.
This expo will provide an unrivalled platform for business owners, entrepreneurs and buyers from the food,
fragrance, flavours, ingredients and cosmetics sectors across Africa to meet and discuss opportunities in this rapidly
growing sector.
Expo activities will include exhibitions workshops, conference matchmaking sessions, demonstrations, tasting and
testing, networking, investment and trade opportunities and much more.
By popular demand, the Organic & Natural Products Portal Africa is also staging its first Organic & Natural Products
Expo in Cape Town in early 2024.
For further information about the Expo in Cape Town, email [email protected].
Register yourself for free trade access at www.organicandnaturalportal.com
Meet KT Wash's Adele
Oosthuizen, a woman set on
making moves and
breaking boundaries in the
FMCG industry
Adele Oosthuizen, KT Wash’s all walks of life. It is for
Human Resources Associate is all this reason I decided to
about people, employee happiness pursue a career in Human
and sculpting the working Resources, where I am determined “My continuous development in
conditions to ensure optimal to add value to a company’s human this company is to ensure that
performance for every individual capital component,” she says, open-door policies, freedom of
and the organization. noting that her time with the work-life balance, and the passion
company was spent on bringing my department has for people is to
Thriving in her current position and change and building a strong and enable them to reach their highest
overseeing the employee relations successful team. potential and giving them the
of the company, Oosthuizen’s Oosthuizen is responsible for space to do it well,” she says. Over
trajectory throughout her career managing every aspect of the the years, Oosthuizen continues to
has bordered on the employment process, supporting improve her current skillset, which
unconventional. Oosthuizen holds the development and has led her to obtaining a
a BCom degree in Human implementation of HR initiatives certificate from the prestigious
Resources Management, which she and systems, assisting with payroll Harvard Business School.
obtained from the North-West management, and providing On a personal side, Oosthuizen is
University. Although she began her excellent assistance and support to married with two pets. She
career as a Marketing Coordinator employees – which saw the describes herself as a millennial
for an animal pharmaceutical company improve its employee that would rather make sure her
production company, Oosthuizen retention. dogs are happier than her husband.
shifted her focus on the HR side of She enjoys camping, scuba diving
business and subsequently, joined “I have learnt an immense amount, with turtles, and spending time at
KT Wash in 2020. and still learning every day. The home renovating, experimenting in
support I have received from my the Weber and walking the dogs.
The transitional move from a team and the company has been
pharmaceutical environment to fantastic from the day I started Her advice for anyone interested in
FMCG may be daunting for some, here. We have put together the joining the FMCG industry is: Don’t
but she was up for the challenge. building blocks to ensure that be afraid to ask for help. There are
Oosthuizen was initially appointed we’re always moving strength to a lot of new processes to learn if
as the Human Resources Labour strength and eventually, the results you have not been exposed to an
Relations and Talent Acquisition will be evident.” FMCG or Manufacturing
Manager and worked her way up to environment. If you are unsure of
HR Associate within three years of anything, you need to have the
being with the company. Despite ‘guts’ to ask for help and keep the
her youthful appearance, she is company’s best interests at heart,”
everything but new to this concludes Oosthuizen.
profession.
“An attribute I think people often
undervalue is my great sense of
humour. This, along with what I
believe to be good people skills are
some of the things that allow me to
relate well to people from
RETAIL IN BRIEF
Meet Vilosha Soni, the newly appointed
managing director of Tiger Brands’ home
and personal care category, as well as Max Frank.
By Jessi Wesson, Retail In Brief Editor
Soni began working for the brand in 2018 and has since
held various positions within the consumer goods
company. She previously held the role of managing
director for the baby category, where she oversaw
Purity. Here, she tells us about her career highlights,
challenges, and goals for the future.
JW: Vilosha, congrats on your appointment! How are
you settling into your new role?
VS: Thank you! It has been a busy time, as I’ve been
managing two categories over the last three months,
however a very rewarding period and one of growth,
with two great teams supporting me and making the
transition manageable. Because it is a move from one
Tiger Brands business to another, the day-to-day has
been relatively seamless, albeit with a steep learning
curve in coming to grips with the challenges and Last, but not least, the talented and dedicated people
opportunities in the home and personal care category. that I work with at Tiger Brands make even the most
difficult days, worth it.
JW: What are the top priorities on your agenda as you
step into your new position? JW: How would you best describe your business
philosophy and leadership style?
VS: 1. Providing support and guidance to the HPC Exco
team to ensure we deliver on our current plans. 2. VS: My business philosophy centres on honesty and
Creating strong growth pillars within the Home Care integrity in all that I do, with the consumers’ well-being
business that focus on white space category as my priority in every situation.
opportunities. 3. Prioritising big bet innovation and
positioning opportunities in our personal care business I am a believer in the triple-bottom-line and will look
to leverage the strength of our brand portfolio. 4. for opportunities to win, while creating value for
Completing a full portfolio review to identify and agree society and limiting the impact on the environment.
on the big bets and must-win battles across the various With the first two priorities in place, I am focused on
functional areas, to fast-track projects that will move growth and profit which I believe will create more
the needle on growth and profit. 5. Igniting our Africa opportunities and jobs in our country.
growth strategy for the portfolio with support from the
greater Tiger Brands team. My Leadership style is about co-creating and refining a
6. Strengthening our partnerships across the value vision with my team for buy-in and adoption while
chain to be able to compete better and more cost- keeping both hands on the wheel to execute the vision.
effectively. As a leader I am fairly direct in all my interactions, what
you see is what you get. The growth of my team is
JW: What do you enjoy most about working in the important to me, and I will always look out for
FMCG industry, and at Tiger Brands, specifically? opportunities to profile their talents and create growth.
I enjoy winning, and work hard to build capability in my
VS: I love the fast-paced nature of the FMCG industry, team to be able to deliver on the plans and targets we
and particularly that no two days in the job are the set.
same. I enjoy the fact that Tiger Brands offers me the
opportunity to think and act entrepreneurially, I enjoy stress-testing the boundaries of the playing
however at a billion-rand scale with incredible teams to field often, as the world changes at a fast pace these
support. Being the largest FMCG home-grown company days.
in South Africa is something that I believe allows me to
give back to the country. Continued on page 22
Q&A with Vilosha Soni, MD of Tiger Brands’
home and personal care category continued...
JW: Can you tell us about some of the highlights as well delivered great fantastic results wherever he went. This
as challenges of your career to date? inspires me to believe that success does not need to
come at the expense of the sacrifice of one’s values.
VS: Working at AB InBev on the FIFA 2018 FIFA World
Cup campaign for Budweiser across the African Viola Davis’s “Finding me” – was inspirational and gave
continent. Bringing the biggest beer brand in the world me great insight into how one can power through our
to be locally brewed on the African continent at scale own insecurities and challenge the status quo as
was a hugely exciting endeavour and one in which I women in the workplace.
learnt a lot.
While Indra Nooyi’s “My life in full” reminded me of
Working through some challenging scenarios has how important my family are to me.
given me great experience in crisis and stakeholder
management What I’ve taken from this book drives me every day to
Taking a sabbatical for almost 2 years to support my ensure that I balance my priorities based on the needs
spouse and relocating to Italy was a challenge. of the people and the things that I love.
While I enjoyed the opportunity to experience time
away from the world of working, I desperately
missed the stimulation of a full-time day job.
Building a team and leading a business as a newly
appointed MD, through Covid-19, without face-to-
face access to people for many months on end has
been one of the most challenging but rewarding
experiences, it helped me build trust and
communicate effectively using technology over
distance.
JW: What are some of the key areas Tiger Brands’ HPC
business is focusing on in response to consumer needs
and macro trends, and what are you most excited
about for the future of the business?
VS: The trend around naturality and being closer to
nature is one that we see as a growth pillar in both the
Home and Personal care side of the business, and one
that I am particularly excited to explore in terms of
innovation and sustainable solutions for the future. JW: Lastly, what is the most valuable piece of career
Providing skincare and body care options that take into advice you could leave us with?
consideration all types and their specific needs is a
focus that I am excited about. VS: The most valuable piece of advice I have been
given was “Each time that you stand up in front of an
JW: The need to provide value for money in the current audience, it’s a job interview”.
economic climate will require long-lasting solutions at
an affordable price. This macroeconomic Not only has this kept me sharp and prepared
reality has inspired a strong innovation pipeline that I whenever I have the privilege to speak in front of an
am excited to see come to market. Is there anything audience, but importantly it is a daily reminder,
you’re currently reading, watching or listening to for especially when I’m in a conversation or engagement
work inspiration that you would recommend? one-on-one that I remain present and engaged, as our
daily routines build our habits.
VS: The Upside of Down by Bruce Whitfield – reminded
me how important my job is, in the context of the Personally, I would say, use every day as an
country. Mteto Nyati’s “Betting on a Darkie” is an opportunity to learn something new, whether it’s a new
inspirational story of one of SA’s most successful CEOs word, a new skill or a new insight. It will ensure that you
who came from humble roots but stuck to his remain relevant in a fast-changing world.
principles and
Thandekile Sibande,
KT Wash’s Senior
Microbiologist since
2020
Thandekile Sibande, KT Wash’s Senior The best thing about
Microbiologist since 2020 is in her her are her
element, pushing boundaries with achievements:
great strides in an industry that she “I single-handedly started up the
loves. Microbiology department for a new About KT Wash
plant. This included all micro systems,
Sibande holds a Bachelor of Science in training, implantation and tracking of KT Wash, based in Nigel, South
Biomedicine and with over 10 years of the Micro risk assessment. Africa is a detergent manufacturer
experience as a Microbiologist, she with international standards of
has had a passion for the FMCG I also worked in conjunction with the excellence and has been a major
industry, beginning her career in the Project Manager on the clean design market player for over 10 years. KT
toothpaste and beverage industry – of the plant and Micro lab.” In this Wash has a tower capacity of 8
analysing and monitoring finished fast-paced environment and with the 000 tons per month, with state-of-
products and being involved in the growing need for laundry detergent the-art packaging facilities. Our
validations of the micro lab’s daily, Sibande has to remain focused commitment to excellence has led
equipment. to achieve the common goal which to contract manufacturing and
keeps the company running. packaging for various leading
Growing up in Springs, the East of market multinational corporations,
Johannesburg, Sibande was Her appreciation for the industry is including KT Wash’s own brand
fascinated with science and the white evident and authentic, setting goals Sky.
lab coat look which sparked her love for her team and herself. She is
for the career path which she has currently studying towards a Established in 2006 as a small
chosen. After finishing her matric, she Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the powder detergent company, that
enrolled the Midrand Graduate University of South Africa. “I want to has since grown to become an
Institute to further her studies. learn as much as I can regarding 8,000-ton production facility that
regulations in the FMCG industry. The exports to five countries with a
“I am a great team player, and my end goal is to be a Patent Lawyer with portfolio that ranges between toll
colleagues are my safe haven. When I an in depth understanding of the manufacturing and in-house brand
make decisions based on micro facts, I merge between law and science. I production, and still growing both
try by all means to achieve the highest believe I’m on the right track.” on portfolio and geographically.
quality of standards and at the same
time, reduce costs to the company,” Sibande considers herself as a late We at KT Wash take pride in our
she says. bloomer and enjoys catching up on uprising brand Sky, a brand that
movies and series on Netflix. cares and stands by its
Prior to joining KT Wash, Sibande However, on warmer days, she loves community, that cares for the
spent 8 years at NJC Manufacturing being outdoors. “I think in my environment and a brand that
where she was in charge of overseeing previous life, I may have been a tree. empowers the underprivileged.
the full analysis of raw materials, Give me an outdoor activity, I’m in. At
environmental monitoring and times, I have solo picnics in my For more information, go to
finished product analysis of the garden,” she says. www.ktwash.co.za, join us on
company. At KT wash, her primary role Sibande’s advice to a young person LinkedIn at KT Wash (PTY) Ltd,
is to closely monitor the protection of starting out a career in microbiology Facebook or Twitter
the plant and finished products from is, “This is not a rigid industry; give
micro contamination and provides the yourself the opportunity to grow and
strategic direction of the company’s broaden your knowledge. But most
production and results. Her extensive importantly for the ladies, when
experience brings fresh and solid you’re given the chance, ‘dress to kill’,
workmanship to the company and because you will always be in PPE
guiding her team to new strengths. clothing,” concludes Sibande.
Dis-Chem appoints Lesiba Kgoogo as ESG Executive
Dis-Chem Pharmacies has appointed Lesiba Kgoogo as ESG Executive. He will focus on
the development and delivery of a centralised group ESG strategy linked to business
imperatives to ensure compliance, standardised reporting, and audit process for non-
financial assurance across Dis-Chem.
Kgoogo is a sustainability professional with over 15 years of experience in SHERQ (Safety Health Environment Risk &
Quality) and sustainability/ESG experience working for multinational companies in the pharmaceutical, FMCG,
industrial, manufacturing, mining, and healthcare industries in South Africa, across Africa and in Australia, Europe,
South America, and North America.
https://retailbriefafrica.co.za/dis-chem-appoints-lesiba-kgoogo-as-esg-executive/
Bidvest Mobility partners with StayLinked to keep warehouse operations connected
Enterprise mobility and barcoding computing solutions leader, Bidvest Mobility, has announced that it is partnering
with US-based StayLinked to bring their market leading innovative SmartTE terminal emulation (TE) solutions to South
African supply chain organisations and warehouse operators. This partnership combines Bidvest Mobility’s extensive
industry expertise and StayLinked’s innovative software solutions, which will provide customers with efficiency,
productivity, and reliability improvements into existing Telnet-based Warehouse Management System (WMS)
environments. In addition to StayLinked’s
SmartTE software, Bidvest
Mobility will also provide
Partnerships and highly secure no-code
StayLinked’s robust and
technology adoption
platform, Evolve.
Appointments
Alisdair Sinclair appointed Sapics applauds skills and
new vice president of CHEP dedication of supply chain
Sub-Saharan Africa community and names
new directors at annual AGM
CHEP, the supply chain solutions
company specialising in pallet The Professional Body for Supply
pooling has announced the Chain Management (Sapics) wrapped up a challenging but
appointment of Mr. Alisdair Sinclair as the new Vice successful financial year with its recent well-attended
President of CHEP Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) from 1 June. annual general meeting (AGM) that was chaired by
president MJ Schoemaker. Two new directors, Selepe
This exciting development comes as Mr. Sinclair takes Phetla and Nikita Reddy, have joined the Sapics board.
over the reins from retiring Vice President, Mr. Hermann
Haupt. Schoemaker applauded supply chain practitioners from
around South Africa for pulling together in 2022 when,
In his role as Vice President, Mr. Sinclair assumes after COVID-19, supply chains were stretched even
responsibility for overseeing the company’s overall further by disasters of floods and droughts that affected
strategy for SSA, driving growth initiatives, nurturing key the country. Supply chain professionals went the extra
partnerships, and achieving customer excellence. mile to keep shelves stocked, manufacturing going and to
ensure that vital medications got to those who needed
https://retailbriefafrica.co.za/alisdair-sinclair-appointed- them, she stated. Two new directors joined the Sapics
new-vice-president-of-chep-sub-saharan-africa/ Board at the AGM. Read here
Partnerships and Appointments
... continued.
Builders partners with Standard Bank’s
UCount to drive savings on DIY renovations
and building materials
Builders has partnered with
Standard Bank UCount
nationwide, to offer members
more when shopping for
Do-It-Yourself (DIY), home
improvements or building Dutoit, Good Hope Fruit and Pick n
materials – in-store or online. Pay partner to decrease food waste
Standard Bank customers
can now earn and redeem UCount Rewards when with Hail to Heroes campaign
shopping at Builders.
South Africa faces a staggering 10 million tonnes
The new partnership makes Builders the only DIY of annual food loss, with a significant amount
category retailer on the UCount program offering UCount ending up in landfills. The apple industry has been
Rewards members the opportunity to take their DIY hit hard by hailstorms, including those in
projects from their ‘to-do’ list to ‘done’ when they spend
and save using their UCount Rewards points at any November 2022 and February this year. In
Builders store. response, Dutoit Agri, Good Hope Fruit, and Pick n
Pay have partnered for an inspiring campaign.
https://retailbriefafrica.co.za/builders-partners-with-
standard-banks-ucount-to-drive-savings-on-diy- The “Hail to Heroes” campaign addresses food
renovations-and-building-materials/ waste and aims to guarantee a consistent apple
supply in Pick n Pay stores. By challenging the
perception of cosmetic imperfections, we
Brambles renews partnership with celebrate visually flawed fruits as heroes,
The Global FoodBanking recognising their true value and nutritional
Network to tackle food insecurity benefits.
and waste This partnership takes a proactive stance against
food waste, urging consumers to choose
Brambles, a global leader in supply chain solutions cosmetically blemished produce and contribute
operating through the CHEP brand, has announced the to a sustainable food system.
renewal of its partnership with The Global FoodBanking
Network (GFN) for another three years. https://retailbriefafrica.co.za/dutoit-good-hope-
fruit-and-pick-n-pay-partner-to-decrease-food-
The partnership aims to address the pressing issues of waste-with-hail-yo-heroes-campaign/
food insecurity and food waste worldwide. This
collaboration builds upon the strong relationship
established between Brambles and GFN in 2016, which
was further extended in 2019.
GFN is committed to supporting community-led initiatives that alleviate hunger and reduce food waste in nearly 50
countries.
In 2021 alone, GFN member food banks distributed 692 million kilograms of food and grocery products, benefiting 39
million people through a vast network of over 59,000 social service and community organisations.
https://retailbriefafrica.co.za/brambles-renews-partnership-with-the-global-foodbanking-network-to-tackle-food-
insecurity-and-waste/
Spotlight on
Sustainability
Remote Metering Solutions (RMS) introduces Shaping the future of South Africa’s
revolutionary Zero Accelerated solution for energy landscape: A path towards
sustainability sustainability
Remote Metering Solutions
(RMS) has announced its South Africa’s energy landscape is undergoing a
latest groundbreaking transformative phase, urgently needing to address the
offering, Zero Accelerated, a current energy crisis and pave the way for a
fully integrated data analysis sustainable future. Frikkie Malan, Chief Commercial
and property management Officer at RMS, and Ilse Swanepoel, RMS’s Chief
solution combining Operating Officer, recently had the opportunity to
cutting-edge technology and exceptional services. Over the speak with Jan Oberholzer of Eskom, to gain insights
past year, the RMS Sustainability division has played a vital into the steps to navigate this challenging terrain. The
role in South Africa’s Energy Performance Certification (EPC) interview was conducted in April 2023 during his
process. capacity as Chief Operating Officer of Eskom. Despite
the critical role Eskom plays in the energy sector, Jan
Nikhil Naidoo, Zero Accelerated Sustainability Solution Lead emphasised that the energy crisis is a collective
at Remote Metering Solutions, highlights their commitment challenge that requires collaboration among all
to the certification process, certifying around 900 buildings, stakeholders.
accounting for an impressive 50% of all EPC certifications in One significant development that holds the key to
the country. This achievement demonstrates their dedication shaping the future energy landscape is the
to viewing certification as an ongoing process rather than a “unbundling” of Eskom into separate and independent
one-time project, unlocking scalability and fostering entities responsible for generation, transmission, and
invaluable interactions with building managers, companies, distribution.
and property owners.
https://retailbriefafrica.co.za/remote-metering-solutions-
rms-introduces-revolutionary-zero-accelerated-solution-for-
sustainability/
https://retailbriefafrica.co.za/shaping-the-future-of-
south-africas-energy-landscape-a-path-towards-
sustainability/
4 key insights from leading players in
the CX space
The CX industry in 2023 is witnessing several key trends Reflecting on the dynamic changes witnessed in the
that are shaping the future of customer experience. A customer landscape over the past three years, De Wet
prominent aspect in the industry is the increased observed several notable shifts: Firstly, changes in
emphasis on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in CX, with spending habits influenced by increased interest rates
organisations recognizing its potential to enhance have significantly impacted how customers approach
customer interactions. banking.
According to a recent survey, 87% of CX leaders believe Secondly, extended periods of load shedding have
that AI will revolutionise the way they engage with affected individuals' ability to manage their
customers. Furthermore, there is a growing awareness households, leading to a shift towards utilising
of the importance of humanising experiences alongside takeaways and home delivery services. Lastly, the rise
digital advancements. in fraud incidents and the vulnerability of senior
citizens to scams have emerged as growing concerns.
Research shows that while 68% of customers
appreciate the convenience of chatbots, 82% still 2. Inflation has a strong knock-on effect on the
prefer interacting with human agents for complex customer experience: Ipsos
queries. Another significant trend is the rise of
omnichannel experiences, as seamless integration In June 2022, inflation reached its highest rate in four
across channels becomes a top priority for businesses. decades, with a +9.1% increase compared to May 2021.
Ipsos CX conducted a study to understand how this
Studies reveal that organisations with strong increased financial pressure impacts customer
omnichannel strategies retain 89% of their customers experience expectations. Through their Human vs.
on average. As CX continues to evolve, these trends Digital study, they discovered that the pandemic
highlight the need for a balanced approach that elevated expectations for digital engagement across all
combines technology, human touch, and a seamless demographics. As people re-enter the physical world,
cross-channel experience to deliver exceptional the demand for meaningful human interactions with
customer satisfaction and loyalty. employees has risen even further.
But, what insights are there from those on the ground? Another interesting note is that customers feel nearly
How are companies keeping up, in South Africa and two times more empathy for small businesses (81%)
beyond? Here’s what Nedbank, Forrester, Ipos and raising their prices compared to large companies (47%).
Service Now have to say. Considering the impact of inflation on spending
decisions, there is a growing customer demand for
1. Brands need to keep it real with their customers: personalised experiences that resonate on a deeper
Nedbank level.
One of the key trends that is currently having a stark
impact on the industry is the growing recognition of 3. Brands are simply not customer obsessed: Forrester
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the growing significance In the midst of numerous C-level leaders proclaiming
of humanising these experiences. While technologies their organisations' current or future customer-
like chatbots have gained prominence, customers still centricity, customer experience (CX) leaders face their
yearn for the human touch. most significant challenge yet: raising awareness
among executives about the detrimental shadow they
Brands need to start realising the importance of cast on efforts to become truly customer-obsessed.
striking a balance between digitization and maintaining
a personal connection with customers. Furthermore, The stark reality is that the majority of organisations
seamless integration across various channels, known as have yet to achieve customer obsession. When
the omnichannel experience, has become a crucial examining the data, it becomes evident that companies
topic. are not led by a customer-centric approach. A mere 3%
of business, IT, and marketing executives in the US, and
Nedbank speaker, Anton De Wet believes that only 2% in EMEA, belong to organisations that can be
successfully achieving this integration will provide a classified as fully customer obsessed, according to
substantial competitive advantage. Forrester's State Of Customer Obsession Survey, 2022.
Customer experiences fall short of excellence. According to a recent global survey conducted by
ServiceNow and ThoughtLab, investments in digital
Not a single brand assessed in Forrester's Customer transformation can yield deeper customer insights,
Experience Benchmark Survey, 2022, conducted in the leading to increased loyalty, retention, and enhanced
US and EMEA, achieved an excellent score on the security and privacy measures. Yet, across various
Customer Experience Index (CX Index™) in 2022. industries and a sample of 1,000 surveyed executives,
complaints showed little reduction, with only
Many leaders may profess their love for customers, but approximately 25% reporting any improvements.
their actions demonstrate a failure to make customer
obsession an integral part of their identity. They place The survey revealed a common pattern: organisational
emphasis on short-term revenue gains, compromising challenges, such as siloed engagement and fragmented
long-term customer loyalty. information, hindered the proactive resolution of
issues. Without access to a comprehensive 360-degree
4. Brands need deeper insights to understand customer view of a customer's engagement and purchase
experience: ServiceNow history, brands struggle to infuse interactions with the
level of personalization necessary.
In order to swiftly address customer issues, brands
must have the ability to perceive the customer Furthermore, while chatbots may boast cost-
experience as it unfolds. This real-time visibility is effectiveness and resource optimization on paper,
crucial for achieving prompt issue resolution. some customers prefer the warmth of human
interaction and find chatbots off-putting.
While the ultimate goal is to resolve queries on the first Do you want to know more and gain further insights
contact, it is equally vital for customers to feel heard into the industry?
and assured that their concerns are being addressed.
Digitization appears to offer a promising solution to CEM Africa 2023 is the perfect opportunity to gain
address these needs, significantly enhancing service invaluable insights into the industry from expert
quality. Automation tools like chatbots can effectively speakers. The event boasts 60+ industry leaders
handle routine inquiries, freeing up skilled resources to covering topics in customer experience and contact
tackle more complex issues. centres.
Moreover, digitization ensures that both bots and Over the course of two full days, the conference will
human agents can treat customers as individuals by feature informative workshops and engaging panel
accessing complete interaction histories at every discussions. Register now and get ready to be inspired
engagement point. However, it has become apparent by the best and brightest in the industry.
that digitization alone might not be sufficient. CEM Africa 15- 16 August 2023
https://cemafricasummit.com.