Proudly South African has been given an incredible opportunity to actively and
\npractically drive localisation in the R190 billion spaza economy, through a
\ngroundbreaking partnership with Next Door Spaza Shop Management Company.
\nThe initiative will leverage aggregated procurement and real-time analytics to
\nincrease buying power, improve supply efficiency, and expand shelf space for locally
\nmade products across 1 000 Next Door-branded spaza shops set to be rolled out in
\nGauteng during the first year.
\nThe partnership is expected to create sustainable market-access opportunities for
\nSouth African manufacturers, particularly producers of Proudly South African
\nproducts. Through the Next Door township and rural retail network, local
\nmanufacturers will gain access to strategically located community-based stores,
\nproviding valuable shelf space and visibility in previously underserved markets.
\nThe Next Door model is designed to create opportunities across the retail value
\nchain while strengthening the position of locally owned shops. Where feasible, stores
\nwill source products such as bread, mielie meal and other essential goods from local
\nmanufacturers, while producers and farmers will be integrated into the Next Door
\nsupplier network, enabling shop owners to source products more efficiently.
\nThe initiative also introduces standardised operating systems across affiliated
\nretailers, helping to address procurement and distribution inefficiencies that have
\ncontributed to the decline of many locally owned spaza shops.
\nA key differentiator of the model is its use of technology and data analytics. Through
\na centralised digital platform, Next Door will monitor store performance in real time,
\ntracking sales, orders and inventory levels. The system will proactively identify
\nanomalies and enable intervention where support is required, helping store owners
\nmanage their stores better to improve performance and profitability.<\/p>\n
Eustace Mashimbye, Chief Executive Officer of Proudly South African, says the
\nspaza market can be a powerful catalyst for localisation and the growth of local
\nproducers.
\n\u201cSpaza shops and similar township retail stores are more than neighbourhood
\nconvenience stores. They represent a significant opportunity to stimulate local
\nproduction, create jobs and grow South African businesses. By aggregating demand
\nacross thousands of community-based retailers, we can create sustainable market
\nopportunities for local producers, support the growth of small businesses and drive
\ninclusive economic development. This partnership with Next Door gives expression
\nto our quest to tap into the township economy, create market access opportunities
\nfor local manufacturers, expand local production capacity and make localisation a
\nreality on a much larger scale,\u201d says Mashimbye.
\nLabane Maluleke, Managing Director of Next Door, says the rollout of the network
\nacross Gauteng's townships and rural communities will increase the visibility and
\navailability of quality South African-made products while creating new opportunities
\nfor local producers.
\n\u201cOur vision is to build a retail ecosystem that connects local producers directly with
\ntownship and rural consumers. By expanding access to quality South African-made
\nproducts, we are strengthening local manufacturing, creating commercial
\nopportunities for producers and helping to build more resilient and sustainable local
\neconomies.\u201d
\nMaluleke says Next Door is engaging several public-sector partners, including the
\nDepartment of Trade, Industry and Competition and the Department of Small
\nBusiness Development (DSBD), to explore how Next Door could partner with the
\nSpaza Shop Support Fund for better outcomes in the programme.
\nThe fund provides qualifying spaza shop owners with financing support for stock,
\nequipment upgrades and business development interventions.
\n\u201cWe are creating opportunities for more South Africans to own and operate
\nsuccessful local shops while generating employment opportunities in townships and
\nrural communities. Next Door is about revitalising local retail, reopening
\nopportunities, growing township economies and ensuring communities become
\nactive participants in the retail value chain rather than simply as consumers only,\u201d
\nsays Maluleke.
\nThe company aims to establish 1 000 Next Door stores in its first year of operation,
\nwith plans to expand the model across all nine provinces in the years ahead.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Proudly South African has been given an incredible opportunity to actively and practically drive localisation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1304,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1303","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle"],"yoast_head":"\n