Wal-Mart enter Africa though Massmart offer

Get Lucky with Lucky Star

Nivea Hand Cream Give your sales the upper hand

Win 1 of 10 Jeep watches!

Huggies Little Swimmers An essential must-have this Summer

BMI Insights to Grow

PHILIPS Steam Station GC6405 A steamy affair

This week saw the realization of what many have speculated for quite some time, Walmart finally chose their African bride. The American retail giant made a $3.4 billion offer for South Africa’s Massmart and, the companies have allowed one another mutual periods of exclusivity. If successful, Walmart would acquire Massmart’s 290 stores in 13 countries. Whilst this pales in comparison to Shoprite’s 1166 stores in 16 countries, it still outweighs Pick n Pay’s portfolio of 90 stores outside of South Africa. That being said, Walmart had a lot more to consider when making the offer than just sheer size.

“Massmart is the closest fit to Wal-Mart’s retail style. Shoprite and Pick n Pay are mostly food retailers, while Massmart sales comprise 53% food and liquor, 42% general merchandise and 13% home improvement. The company’s stores range from Game, the closest thing SA has to a US-style discounter, to Builders Warehouse and Makro.”

Amongst those opposed to the deal is Saccawu who hope to contact “[the]Minister of Economic Development Ebrahim Patel as well as members of civil society and the international trade union movement to help it ensure that there would be no erosion of workers' rights as a result of Wal-Mart acquiring Massmart for R30 billion, as proposed on Monday.”

Pick n Pay also made headlines recently when 27000 Saccawu members went on strike last week Friday as a result of deadlock over ongoing wage negotiations. Furthermore, they also garnered attention when Australian regulators became concerned with Pick n Pay’s planned sale of its 85 Franklin’s stores. The sale would give the retailer the impetus it’s looking for to “upgrade and revamp its distribution network in its South African business” to better compete with rivals.

It’s clear that the battle for the retail crown has only just begun and shows no signs of slowing and, with all the main players so closely matched it won’t be one to be missed.

  BRAND NEW

Clover 1% Low Fat Milk Clover’s new low fat milk has only 1% fat, which makes it the ideal choice if you want a lower-kilojoule alternative without compromising on the same great taste compared to regular 2& low fat milk. It is also a source of calcium and protein and is high in vitamins b2 & b12. read more
Clover Cheese Family Pack Recent research into the cheese category indicated consumers preference for a bigger family size cheese portion. Clover has therefore embarked on launching a 450g family pack that is ideal for household consumption. read more
PHILIPS - Steam Station GC6405 From clothing to curtains, the ergonomically designed steam station makes crease removal (even in those tricky areas) worth getting steamy for. read more
NIVEA Hand Intensive Nourishing Cream NIVEA Hand Intensive Nourishing Cream is a rich, quickly absorbed cream, with a blend of Macadamia Nut Oil and Vitamins which strengthen the skin's protective barrier, whilst keeping hands and cuticles smooth and soft. read more
Huggies Little Swimmers Summer is here and with it comes long days of fun outside with the family. Children of all ages love water – whether they are at the beach, swimming or running around in the sprinkler. read more

Changes in branding

Eat better. Live better

Stylish updates for Appletiser’s Sparkl.co.za

Savanna brings a smile

Win with Wellington’s

Westfalia Guacamole continues roll-out

The Alternative Consultancy

With its obvious appeal to downgrading consumers, and its higher margins for retailers, the private label is a key tool of the times. In Europe and the US, private label products have gained ground across all major categories as retailers have sought to modify strategies to keep pace with the needs – and limitations – of consumers.

First World retailers have demonstrated, with great agility, impressive leeway for private label manoeuvreability. Some retailers, like Tesco, have invested in more complex own label positioning that satisfy consumers at both ends of the market. Another private label development has seen greater collaboration between retailers and manufacturers with a view to enjoying the cost-saving benefits of co-branded, customised solutions. And, in certain instances, the foodservice industry has claimed its share of the private label pie by taking its goods to the retail market.

But the recession has also demonstrated the power of the familiar, the established, the tried-and-trusted embodied in the national brand. So confirms Britain’s 100 Biggest Brands 2010 report. Compiled by The Nielsen Company, this annual report ranks the UK’s 100 top selling grocery brands.

Retaining the number 1 spot this year is the larger-than-life Coca Cola. The 110 year-old brand grew sales 4.9% in 2009. Other centenarian brands featured in the top 20 are Cadbury Dairy Milk and Heinz. The oldest brand in the popularity league is Twinings. At 304 years of age, the tea brand continues its upward movement.
The 2009 sales value of the top 100 brands accounted for £16.7 billion (12.9%) of the total £130 billion grocery market, and reflected a 4.5% a year-on-year increase – ahead of the 3.8% total market growth for the year.

Click here to view Britain’s top 25 brands.

Jacobs Coffee – a blend for any taste There is nothing better than the smell and, of course, the taste of an exceptional cup of coffee. Coffee can give you an instant wake-up call in the morning, a pick me up in the afternoon and it has the power to attract different types of people together. This is what Jacobs aims to do when producing their coffee and it is what you can come to expect when you purchase Jacobs coffee. read more
Westfalia Guacamole continues national roll-out The roll out of Westfalia Guacamole into retail outlets nationwide is proceeding according to plan. Westfalia Guacamole is currently available in all regions (except the Eastern Cape) and can be found on the shelves at: SPAR Stores (all regions except E. Cape), Pick n Pay Stores (inland region), Checkers Stores (Great North, Western Cape and Free State) and Makro Stores (Gauteng). read more
Simba announces top four flavours in the “What’s Your Lekker Flavour?” competition Simba’s dedicated flavour fundi judges have announced the Top Four Flavour Finalists in the “What’s Your Lekker Flavour?” competition. The fantastic flavours that will soon have South Africa’s taste buds tingling are Walkie Talkie Chicken, Vetkoek & Polony, Snoek & Atchar and Masala Steak Gatbsy. read more
Aquafresh entertains at the Munsieville Children’s Cup Aquafresh have added to the Munsieville International Children’s Cup celebration by sponsoring the launch day, providing entertainment for the crowds through a staged edutainment musical roadshow produced by the Zinto Marketing Group. read more
Stylish updates for Appletiser’s Sparkl.co.za Designed to provide members with a convenient source of up to date lifestyle and entertainment information, Sparkl.co.za will this month unveil a stylish new look and a variety of new functionalities – that work hard to make members’ lives easier. read more
Go camping, bring your bike! Daisyway Coaching Systems is a company that offers specialised training programmes for professional and amateur cyclists. Wilde Fruit Juice will sponsor fruit juice to the Daisyway Training Camps. read more
Rich Products is breaking new ground Rich Products is a global solutions provider to the hospitality, In Store Bakery and forecourt bakeries and in order to support the growing demand for our products from the hospitality sector we are making some of our signature products more readily available through Makro. read more